Partner in Southampton and head of the firm’s mental capacity team
Living with cerebral palsy has never defined me. However, it does mean those everyday activities most people take for granted and do without much fuss require extra thought and consideration. And that’s alongside all the joys of being a mum of a three-year-old. By way of example, when it comes to nipping out to post a letter, even though that sounds straightforward, I’d have to have a think and plan ahead before venturing out.
At this time of year, amid all the delights of midwinter, I’d have to consider what sort of shoes I’ll stick on. It depends on how stable I feel that day or what the conditions underfoot are like, especially when it’s icy. So occasionally there’s an additional layer of decision-making for me compared with people who are steadier on their feet.
Living with cerebral palsy has shaped me as a lawyer and influenced my approach to my profession and relationships with clients and colleagues. That comes down to empathy. It provides me with an additional perspective on life and gives my team a valuable insight. That extra layer of decision-making means that when it comes to legal affairs, I pick up on issues which might seem trivial but are, in fact, extremely important for our clients.
I’m often told off by people in my life for saying that I live with a relatively mild form of cerebral palsy. They reckon I play it down too much and do myself a bit of an injustice. I guess this has always been my normal. I feel fortunate in a sense. As I’ve had cerebral palsy since birth, I learnt to do what I can do and haven’t lost any ability. I’m also a very independent person and so I only ask for help if I really can’t do something, which means I can probably struggle on for too long sometimes!
'Living with cerebral palsy has shaped me as a lawyer and influenced my approach to my profession and relationships with clients and colleagues'
Living with cerebral palsy was certainly a motivation for specialising in mental-capacity work. Initially, I wanted to go into politics, even though I was studying for a law degree at the University of Southampton. I worked for Sir George Young, the MP for North West Hampshire who’d been a government minister, but that experience, which was invaluable, confirmed that law was for me.
In the middle of my conventional training contract, the managing partner picked up on the fact that I might be interested in Court of Protection work. I was working within a more traditional private client team and the partner was starting to do more deputyship work. He thought I might find it interesting. He was spot on.
He had a child with quite severe learning difficulties and that had given him more interest in people facing similar challenges. He took me along to a couple of client meetings and, before I knew it, I started teaching myself how to do Court of Protection work. It coincided with the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act in 2005, so it was a whole new area of law.
I have 16 years of experience helping vulnerable people and their families with long-term financial and care needs. As a Court of Protection deputy and professional trustee, I safeguard the interests of people unable to represent themselves, specialising in property and financial affairs.
I lead Enable Law’s mental capacity team. It supports more than 200 deputy trust and attorney clients, managing assets exceeding £200 million. Much of my role still involves helping people with cerebral palsy manage their finances, making sure they have the right support and accommodation, and arranging holidays and activities.
I’m proud to say I made a bit of legal history. I became the youngest-ever partner at Portsmouth-headquartered law firm Coffin Mew before the 130-year-old practice was acquired by Knights in 2022. But I’m optimistic that the best is yet to come professionally, especially following another career high: being appointed to my new role at Enable Law.
Away from work, I’ve always been passionate about supporting individuals with challenges to achieve their dreams. I’ve been an ambassador for The Rainbow Centre, which provides conductive education for children with cerebral palsy, and I was a trustee at the Hampshire Riding Therapy Centre. Now I’m a trustee of Dreams Come True, a charity which creates moments of magic that have a lasting impact for children who have it tough.
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