Harrison Clark Rickerbys has launched a new elderly-client team.
It will offer specialist advice on a range of issues, from dementia to setting up special trusts for those receiving compensation awards, advising older and vulnerable clients.
The firm has established the department in response to an increasing need for specialist advice.
Phillipa Bruce-Kerr, partner and head of the older and vulnerable clients team, said: ‘We are aware the issues we deal with are increasingly complex. The specialist Court of Protection (which makes decisions about how the Mental Capacity Act 2005 affects people in their daily lives) and the role of the Office of the Public Guardian, have important practical implications for all those appointed to represent the vulnerable or elderly.
‘Against this complex background, we recognise that the change in the population demographics and society’s increased understanding of how dementia affects people in their day to day lives, will have an impact on how, when and where care and support can be delivered, and who pays for it.’
Phillipa is supported by Jessica Beddows and Amelia Carter, who have both been recently promoted to senior associate solicitor and associate solicitor respectively, and trainee legal executive Claire Holland. Administrative support is provided by Diane Taylor and Chris Holder.
The team will provide advice from all of the firm’s offices in Cheltenham, Worcester, Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, the Thames Valley and Birmingham and in addition, from its serviced office in London.
Dawn Oliver, partner and head of private client at Harrison Clark Rickerbys said: ‘To have a specialist team of this nature is extremely rare. Most legal services providers will offer generalist elderly care advice through their broader wills, trusts and probate teams.
‘We have developed the team directly in response to the complexity of law and regulations in this area and the increasing demands from our clients for these specialist services.’
