Member Article

North East solicitors strengthens its team...

A NORTH EAST solicitors has consolidated its position in having one of the largest Court of Protection (COP) teams in the north, following a number of new appointments.

EMG Solicitors, which is based in both Durham and Newcastle and has a third office opening in Cumbria in 2022, has a national reputation for its COP work, looking after the management of people’s property and affairs who don’t have the capacity to make those decisions for themselves.

The company has now strengthened its offering, with further expansion of its health and welfare arm which now has a specialised team of seven dealing with this specific area of law.

The COP health and welfare team is headed up by Senior Associate Solicitor, Eilish Ferry-Kennington, who has been with EMG since 2017 and has also recently been appointed to the Law Society’s Mental Health and Disability Committee.

“We are very excited to have extended our COP health and welfare team with the appointment of a new solicitor, Laura Wilson, who specialises in mental health law,” said Eilish.

“And because she is already so busy, we are now recruiting further and will be seeking to recruit a further solicitor in 2022 in line with the firm’s growth plans into Cumbria.”

Also, now part of the COP team is solicitor Charlotte Greenwell, who joined in 2019 on a training contract and was given a permanent position when she qualified in September 2021.

The team are either appointed by the court or a ‘litigation friend’ to represent the interests of someone who does not have the mental capacity to make decisions on their own behalf, to ensure that their wellbeing is safe guarded. They also act for family members of people in such situations.

This expertise has led to Eilish’s appointment to the Law Society’s committee, where she now plays an active role in helping shape future legislation around COP matters.

“It’s a real honour to be able to be part of a bigger, national conversation and be involved in areas such as mental health reform,” she said.

As well as input into future draft legislation and accreditation schemes, Eilish will also be able to voice her opinions in consultations on relevant issues.

“It’s a real opportunity to work with some of the top solicitors and barristers in this particular field and hopefully be able to make a difference,” she said.

The growth of the COP team is part of the on-going success of EMG Solicitors.

The rapid expansion of the company over the past eight years has seen it expand into a number of areas of law, but at the same time still maintaining its commitment to the welfare of its employees.

“Sometimes when a company expands at a rapid rate it can lose some of its core values,” said Eilish.

“But that’s certainly not the case at EMG, which is why people tend to stay. There is such a strong, caring culture which is why everyone is so committed to doing their best.”

Emma Gaudern, Managing Director of EMG Solicitors praised the work of the COP team.

“COP work was at the heart of EMG when we first set up and remains so today,” she said.

“The fact that we have been able to widen our services and have such a dedicated and experienced team to support clients is the reason we are so proud to have one of the largest COP teams in the north.”

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