Public & Admin Law

Court of Protection & Mental Health

Our highly regarded Court of Protection specialists receive instructions in Property & Affairs (financial) matters as well as Health & Welfare applications.  Instructed by some of the region’s leading lawyers in this growing area of law, our barristers represent protected parties (through the Official Solicitor or other Litigation Friend); relatives of the protected party; care providers and public bodies of all kinds (for example Local Authorities, PCTs/CCGs and Hospital Trusts).

For Mental Health Act applications, members of the team are instructed by: Approved Mental Health Professionals; local authorities; those that find themselves the subject of proceedings and family members of the patient.

Inquests

We have a proven track record and strong reputation for our expertise in representing both bereaved families and institutions at inquests and public inquiries. Many members have been involved in high profile cases that have attracted significant media attention, including the Hillsborough Inquiry, in which a member of the team was the only family law barrister instructed in the case.

Barristers represent all interested persons at inquests including: professional and public bodies; insurers; family members and local authorities. They have considerable expertise of inquests involving: deaths in custody, detention and when liberty is otherwise deprived; clinical negligence; industrial disease and accidents and all forms of Article 2 inquest.

Judicial Review

Judicial review cases can be complex and therefore require expert knowledge and handling. Members of the team regularly provide advice and representation on a range of matters including: the provision of social care needs; disputes in relation to the care or otherwise provided under the Children Act 1989 and the availability of resources for those that lack capacity.

Health & Social Care

We advise and appear on behalf of public authorities and individuals in relation to health and social care disputes. Our team has considerable experience of cases involving disputes relating to the provision of care or services under the Care Act 2014, the Children Act 1989 and the Mental Health Act 1983.

Special Education Needs & Disability Tribunal

Another niche area, barristers undertaking this work include a former Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal Recorder.

Several barristers have many years’ experience advising and representing Local Authorities and parents in cases before the Tribunal.