BUTLER & CO SOLICITORS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Member of the Law Society Mental Health Panel
Angela joined Butler & Co in March 2017, having previously worked in mental health law in Cornwall.
Angela became an accredited member of the Law Society Mental Health Panel in July 2015. Since then she has represented patients who are subject to the Mental Health Act 1983 across the southwest, as well as some further afield. She is currently representing patients in Somerset, Bristol & Wiltshire.
Angela has advised on displacement proceedings, appeals to the Upper Tribunal, aftercare and judicial review of mental health trusts and local authorities. In addition to this, she has gained experience in inquests and Court of Protection proceedings.
Angela prides herself on maintaining excellent relationships with clients and professionals, with a view to achieving the client's goals.
Qualifications & Memberships
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of Both the Law Society 's Mental Health Tribunal Panel
Catrin is a Director with Butler & Co Solicitors, having joined us in 2009. She specialises in mental health law and mental capacity law and is an established practitioner within her field.
Catrin is a member of both the Law Society's Mental Health Tribunal Panel and its Mental Capacity (Welfare) Panel. In order to attain and maintain membership of these schemes, Catrin has and continues to demonstrate a high level of knowledge, skill, experience and practice in the area of mental health and mental capacity law.
Catrin has long had an interest in representing vulnerable adults and their families and she leads our Court of Protection team.
Catrin is routinely instructed by individuals and their families, advocates and the Official Solicitor.
Her experience also includes:
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Mental Health Lawyers Association
Chris joined Butler & Co Solicitors as a trainee and is now a solicitor specialising in Mental Health and Mental Capacity Law. Chris has also progressed to managing the Mental Health Department, and is now a director.
Chris has extensive experience in representing patients in tribunal proceedings both in the Southwest and beyond. He is passionate about representing patients detained under the Mental Health Act or subject to it in the community and providing them with quality legal advice and representation.
Chris runs a joint caseload of Mental Health and Mental Capacity cases and is experienced in advising on the cross-over between the two areas. This depth of knowledge enables Chris to provide effective representation in these areas of law.
Chris is a member of the Mental Health Lawyers Association and is on the Law Society's Mental Health Panel. Chris maintains his panel membership and supervises and supports other members of the firm in their successful applications to the panel.
Chris has represented in complex tribunal proceedings, including expert witnesses and with additional legal representatives being instructed.
Chris has represented clients in appeals to the Upper Tribunal and in nearest relative displacement proceedings.
Chris has undertaken Judicial Reviews of decisions made by the Detaining Authority.
Chris enjoys spending time with his family, playing football and trying to learn Spanish.
Qualifications & Memberships
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Eleanor qualified as a solicitor after obtaining a broad work experience advocating on behalf of young people and adults with mental health needs, drug/alcohol addiction, and/or criminal offending behaviour.
She joined Butler & Co in 2019 having specialised in mental capacity law, and advises on a variety of matters particularly where restrictive or controlling practices are considered necessary to support a person with a range of physical and mental health needs.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Emma has been working in law since 2012 but found her passion for Mental Capacity law in 2015 when starting in the Adult Social Care department at Somerset County Council's legal department. She climbed the ranks within the team, qualifying in January 2017, undertaking higher rights of audience in 2018 and in 2021 started at Devon County Council as a Senior Lawyer. Emma's caseloads have included s21A Mental Capacity Act (MCA) applications, s15 and 16 MCA applications, s29 Mental Health Act applications, Care Act queries, ordinary residence queries and inquests. Emma particularly enjoys undertaking advocacy on a case, standing up in Court representing her client and ensuring their voice is heard. Emma works hard to achieve the best outcome on her cases and prides herself on her communication skills and handling difficult situations with diplomacy and tact.
Emma has been the National Lead for Adult Social Care and Health for Lawyers for Government from 2016-2023 and was a Director on the Board 2022-2023. Through this, she regularly gave presentations and arranged webinars in particular around deprivation of liberty for under 18 year olds. She is enthusiastic about Mental Capacity law and has in 2022, delivered several training sessions, including sessions regarding Liberty Protection Safeguards.
In addition to providing advice and representation to individuals and their families, Emma is also able to undertake work on behalf of public bodies.
In her spare time, Emma is an avid reader and runs a little free library in her village alongside assisting with the community fridge which was recently featured on ITV News.
Evan is a solicitor specialising in all aspects of adult health and social care. Evan has been working in the legal sector since 2019 and completed his training with a local authority in 2022. Since then, Evan's caseload has primarily focused on Adult Social Care. Evan has held cases in the Court of Protection and has experience in applications under s21A and s15 and 16 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Evan also has experience in judicial review applications and wider aspects of public law. In addition to his court casework, Evan has advised on matters under the Care Act 2014 and Mental Health Act 1983 including disputes on ordinary residence and funding for care and treatment. Evan has a strong academic background having achieved a Distinction in his Advanced Legal Practice Masters and couples this with a practicable approach in his cases.
In his spare time, Evan enjoys walking, photography and gardening.
Frances is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. She joined Butler & Co Solicitors in 2008.
Frances is the firm's Practice Manager. This involves everything from recruitment and training to property management and administration.
Jenna Bennett is a Specialist Caseworker at Butler and Co Solicitors. Jenna is responsible for a number of cases relating to mental capacity law and the Court of Protection. Jenna has almost 5 years court of protection experience and has acted for both Local Authority's and for person's who are assessed as lacking capacity.
Jenna provides thorough and robust representation to her clients, balancing both an academic and practical approach to all issues.
Jenna's current case work relates deprivation of liberty matters pursuant to section 21A Mental Capacity Act 2005. Jenna also has experience dealing with community deprivations of liberty and other welfare matters heard in the court of protection.
Jenna has a background in human rights and public law and has a Masters degree in Public International Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands.
Prior to joining Butler and Co Solicitors, Jenna worked as a paralegal where she assisted the lead solicitor on a variety of cases and most notably the recent Supreme Court case of Re JB (Capacity to Engage in Sexual Relations).
Jenna hopes to qualify as a solicitor in the near future and continues to build her knowledge and expertise in this area.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Solicitor
Karen has worked as a solicitor in the field of contentious Health and Social Care matters for over 30 years and has a wealth of expertise gained from working for Local authorities, Heath bodies and providers and on behalf of private individuals. Karen's particular expertise is in advising on the legal frameworks for vulnerable adults and children who may lack capacity and have complex needs requiring decisions to made on their behalf . Karen is skilled in conducting challenges to public law decisions in relation to the provision of statutory services and in applications brought in the High Court and Court of Protection .She is a very experienced advocate.
Karen has been involved in representing individuals in a number of high profile and leading cases in the Court of Protection, including matters in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Karen has specialist knowledge in Safeguarding for both Adults and Children having been instrumental in the early establishment of Safeguarding Boards and advising them for a number of years. She has advised and represented public bodies in serious incident reviews and Inquests.
Karen's background gives her a unique insight into representing vulnerable people and currently specializes in Mental Capacity and Court of Protection work .She frequently acts for the Official Solicitor but also takes instructions from advocates and family members. Cases range widely and have recently included representing individuals with Locked in syndrome, Korsakoff Syndrome, Gender Dysophoria , Complex medical interventions and Capacity in relation to sexual relations.
Karen is recognized in Legal 500 as a "go to" in this area and as a highly strategic thinker who places her client at the heart of what she does .She is passionate advocate of the right for all individuals to have a voice and for self determination.
Karen is frequently asked to speak at national conferences and provide training on issues relating to Mental Capacity and Community Care Law.
Katie has extensive experience of representing P and other parties in proceedings before the Court of Protection. These include those under s21A in addition to wider cases concerning community placements, treatment and contact arrangements. Katie accepts instructions from individuals, family members, advocates or other professionals and the Official Solicitor on a regular basis.
Since joining the firm in 2016, Katie has developed a wealth of experience and knowledge of Court of Protection applications brought under section 21A and 16 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. She manages her own caseload and has a wide range of clients. She is instructed by a range of clients, including the Official Solicitor on behalf of a party, professional Independent Mental Capacity Advocates and family members.
She works tirelessly to achieve the best outcome for her clients and prides herself on her communication skills and her ability to conduct sometimes difficult matters with sensitivity and diligence. Katie has developed a particular specialism in acting in cases concerning multiple parties and cases where capacity is disputed.
Katie assists with cases concerning NHS Continuing Healthcare and local authority funding for care as part of her work in our Care Planning Advice department. She also advises on and drafts Lasting Powers of Attorney and applications for the appointment of Deputies.
As part of her training contract, Katie also gained experience in mental health law. Katie has been accredited by the Law Society and is now a member of its Mental Health Panel.
Qualifications & Memberships
Job Titles:
- Director
- Honorary Associate Professor in Mental Health Law at University of East Anglia
Mental Health Law Michael advises patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, and regularly represents such patients at applications for discharge to Mental Health Tribunals and at hospital managers' hearings. He receives instructions to act for detained patients all over the country with a wide range of mental health conditions. In particular, though, he has a wealth of experience as a criminal litigator and therefore has a particular expertise in relation to forensic mental health cases. Accordingly, he represents a large number of clients detained in secure units. Michael also represents detained patients in High Court proceedings to challenge the lawfulness of decisions taken about their care and treatment by hospitals and/or local authorities.
Court of Protection Michael is frequently instructed to act on behalf of both patients and their families in proceedings at the Court of Protection. The majority of his work in this regard relates to health and welfare cases and, in particular, those involve deprivations of liberty. Michael therefore regularly acts for parties involved in proceedings brought under s21A of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
He accepts instructions on behalf of patients from paid representatives and from family members acting as litigation friends. He is also regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor.
Training/Lecturing For more than 25 years, alongside his work as a solicitor, Michael has spent a large amount of time lecturing and training fellow lawyers and other professionals on mental health, Court of Protection and criminal law.
Michael has also acted as an assessor for professional accreditation schemes. Most recently, Michael was appointed Honorary Associate Professor in mental health law at University of East Anglia.