Court Of Protection (health And Welfare)

Leading Silks

Sam Karim KC – Kings Chambers 'Sam's ability to distil complex matters and get to the core issues in a case, and his ability to do so in conference and in court, is impressive. He takes that into his advocacy, which is forensic, and you can always be confident with Sam that the court has clarity due to his pellucid submissions.'

Helen Mulholland KC – Kings Chambers

Joseph O’Brien KC – St John's Buildings

Jacqueline Thomas KC - Spire Barristers

Leading Juniors

Sophie Allan - Kings Chambers

Hannah Bakshani – St John's Buildings 'Hannah is so thorough in her preparation and has such an eye for detail that when she comes to hearings or pre-hearing discussions, she confidently pushes for what is best for the client. She also manages to do this in a way that is not unnecessarily confrontational, and she brings the other side around to her way of thinking.'

Tom Barclay-Semple – Parklane Plowden

Jonathan Bellamy – St John's Buildings 'Jonathan is strategic, driven, and balanced. He is always very calm under pressure and advises you every step of the way.'

Brett Davies – Spire Barristers 'Brett is the first choice of counsel in all complex Court of Protection matters. His knowledge of the intricacies of the relevant statutes and guidance is second-to-none, his advice is considered, practical, and balanced, and he is a strong and authoritative advocate who reads situations well.'

Adrian Francis – Spire Barristers 'Adrian is an exceptionally strong barrister whose practice is marked by several standout qualities. He is consistently attentive and highly responsive, his written work is exceptional, as the advice is clear and logical, and in advocacy, he is confident, articulate, and effective, presenting arguments with precision and impact.'

Barbara Green – Spire Barristers 'Barbara provides an exceptional level of client care, and clients feel supported and listened to. She provides calm, clear, and detailed advice, and offers practical solutions to issues.'

Sophie Hurst – Kings Chambers 'Sophie is personable, approachable, and consistently forms strong working relationships. One of her particular strengths is her ability to manage challenging case dynamics, including but not limited to complex factual disputes and difficult litigants in person.'

Natalia Levine – St John's Buildings

Kate McKinlay – Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Ayshea Megyery - Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Simon Wilkinson – Parklane Plowden

Aisling Campbell – Kings Chambers

Rebecca Carr – St John's Buildings

Richard Copnall – Parklane Plowden

Anna Datta – Parklane Plowden

Helen Gardiner - Kings Chambers

Tom Hughes – St John's Buildings

Kelly Hutchinson - St John's Buildings

Chloe Lee – Spire Barristers

Holly Littlewood – Spire Barristers 'Holly's organisation exceeds that of her peers, and her ability to analyse complex documents to form a position is incredible! Her drafting is unrivalled, she is an incredibly organised advocate, and her ability to analyse evidence is second-to-none!'

Ifsa Mahmood – Kings Chambers

Naomi McLoughlin – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Naomi is exceptionally clear, calm, and level-headed, and she is particularly skilled in putting her clients at ease using a very personable and down-to-earth style, which clients respond well to. He has an ability to deal with complex matters very methodically to break down the issues, she is robust and thorough in her advocacy and has a very accessible and clear advocacy style, which is particularly suited to CoP (H&W), and her written advocacy is equally well-crafted and effective.'

Rebecca Musgrove – Parklane Plowden

Natalia Perrett – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Natalia is exceptional. She is able to stay calm under pressure while under intense scrutiny from the court, and her tenacity, warmth, and empathy, alongside her ability to dissect complex Court of Protection matters, lead to a real difference in people's lives.'

Emily Reed – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Emily is an outstanding Court of Protection barrister. Her understanding of the law is exemplary, and this contributes to excellent written work and advocacy, and her emotional intelligence enhances this already heady skill set and adds the type of shade and nuance in difficult cases that is out of others' reach.'

Anaum Riaz – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Anaum is calm, considered, and has an eye for detail. Her preparation is exceptional.'

Caroline Shields – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Caroline is a great barrister. She has the ability to grasp complex issues quickly, and she is able to translate complex Court of Protection matters into easily accessible information for clients.'

Rising Stars

Lauren Gardner - Spire Barristers

Eleanor Suthern – Spire Barristers 'Eleanor is very clear in her advice and always responds promptly. She considers all possibilities within the advice and is also accessible to the client.'

Court of protection (health and welfare) in Regional Bar

Tier 1 sets

Kings Chambers

Kings Chambers is home to a number of highly experienced members who boast strength in representing clients across the entire spectrum of Court of Protection cases. Now sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, as well as head of the group, Sam Karim KC is highly sought after for his ‘forensic‘ advocacy and expertise in complex medical treatment cases - he represented Sunderland City Council in a Court of Appeal case surrounding the question of whether a legal representative is necessary at a committal hearing in the Court of Protection. Turning to the group’s key juniors, Ifsa Mahmood is of note due to her expertise in both health and welfare, and property and affairs matters, with a particular emphasis on the former, and niche expertise in cross-jurisdictional matters.

Principaux dossiers

St John's Buildings

The members of St John's Buildings are highly skilled in both welfare and financial abuse cases, and property and affairs litigation in the Court of Protection. Joseph O’Brien KC is a key silk at the set, and among the set’s juniors, Jonathan Bellamy is notable for his expertise in representing a wide range of clients, including the Official Solicitor, local authorities, and family members; he is praised as ‘strategic, driven, and balanced‘. Natalia Levine is sought after for her experience in cases undergoing a transfer from Children Act proceedings to the Court of Protection.

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

Park Square Barristers Ltd.

At Park Square Barristers Ltd., head of the group Emily Reed specialises in Court of Protection matters, and boasts particular expertise in complex welfare cases that often involve issues of deprivation of liberty. Kate McKinlay is highly sought after by the Official Solicitor, local authorities, healthcare bodies, and family members to provide representation in cases surrounding young people transitioning into adult care, as well as contested capacity matters.

Principaux dossiers

Parklane Plowden

Parklane Plowden is home to a number of active practitioners in the Court of Protection arena who represent all of the different interested parties in welfare and related public law cases. Joint head of the team Tom Barclay-Semple handles an impressively wide range of mandates, including serious medical treatment cases, and he has been increasingly sought after by NHS bodies for his expertise in complex welfare matters. Simon Wilkinson is strong in cases surrounding issues of capacity, especially regarding consent to sexual relations and internet access, and Rebecca Musgrove often appears before the High Court and is notably skilled in cases surrounding forced marriage and capacity matters. Anna Datta and Richard Copnall are also key members of the set for Court of Protection matters.

Principaux dossiers

Spire Barristers

Jacqueline Thomas KC is a key silk at Spire Barristers handling Court of Protection matters, with particular expertise in deprivation of liberty issues and safeguarding concerns in adults. Of recent note, she represented a child regarding the authorisation of deprivation of liberty and the issue of whether it is within the scope of parental responsibility to consent to a deprivation of liberty care plan (ERYC v McQ). Barbara Green is sought after for her expertise in welfare cases due to her previous experience as a consultant clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.

Classements par PratiqueRegional Bar