Public sector specialists
Community Care law can be challenging, so it is crucial to have the assistance of legal experts who are experienced with the processes. Our team has years of unparalleled front-line experience in acting for one of the largest counties in the UK.
As a former local authority in-house team, we have unique insight into how local authorities work and the pressures faced by social care services. Our experience makes it easy for us to identify issues from the outset and address them quickly. By instructing us early on in a matter, we save our clients time and money.
An extension of your team
Establishing and maintaining a relationship of trust with our clients is crucial. We work in partnership with local authorities, supporting them through challenging cases and the associated pressures. We earn trust by delivering the promised service, keeping our word, and being available when you need us.
How can we help?
This is a description...
Court of Protection
Welfare and financial applications, from uncontested applications for the appointment of a financial deputy to complex disputed welfare decisions involving multiple parties.
Deprivation of Liberty Cases
Defending s21A challenges to DOLS authorisations in a care home or hospital setting and applying to the Court of Protection for authorisation under the Re X procedure to deprive a person of their liberty in a community setting.
General Community Care
Including financial assessments, care home fees, housing duties owed by local councils, people with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), leaving care, transition and adult safeguarding.
Inquests
Providing written and oral evidence to the Coroner.
Judicial Review
Pre-action correspondence and in proceedings.
Mental Capacity Assessments
Including best interests decisions under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Mental Health Act 1983
Working closely with Approved Mental Health Professionals on various matters, including detention for assessment or treatment, removal to a place of safety, guardianship, after care, and applications to the county court to displace and appoint a nearest relative.
Ordinary Residence Disputes
Correspondence with other authorities, submissions to the Secretary of State for a determination and negotiating reimbursement from one local authority to another.
Training
Topics include court skills, housing and social care, Care Act 2014 duties and powers, No Recourse to Public Funds, asylum, and nearest relatives under the Mental Health Act 1983. Bespoke training can also be delivered upon request.
Client testimonials
Our team
Kerry Short
Kerry leads the Community Care team. She combines her own experience as a solicitor with her deep understanding of this area to support clients in their understanding of the law and compliance with their duties.
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Carmel Maher
Carmel qualified in Australia and in England and Wales. She has been a litigation lawyer since her first position in a city firm where she dealt with a broad spectrum of civil and criminal law cases.
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Laura Wares
I was educated at the University of Kent gaining a degree in Law in 2014. I gained my LLM Research Masters relating to the area of adult social care in 2017.
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Kathryn Kember
I studied Philosophy at Durham University before converting to Law. In December 2015 I started working as an Adult Social Welfare Legal Assistant before commencing my Legal Practice Course for which I received a distinction.
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Harry Johnston-Sluka
Harry qualified as a solicitor in April 2021 and completed his training contract at Invicta Law. Harry works on matters involving adult social care, inquests and asylum.
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Hannah Moses
Hannah gained a law degree from the University of York in 2018 and then studied a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge in 2019, focusing on public international law.
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Maria Martin
Maria joined Invicta Law in 2019 having received her Batchelor of Laws from the University of Hertfordshire in 2018. She holds cases in both asylum and adult social care, including judicial review applications, age assessment challenges, Children Act challenges and Court of Protection proceedings.
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Deesha Shah
Deesha is a Legal Assistant in the Community Care team. She holds a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Master of Law in Professional Legal Practice and is a qualified Mediator.
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Shannon Wheeler
Shannon is a Legal Assistant in our Community Care team. Shannon joined the team in January 2022, having completed her Higher National Diploma in Business (Law) in 2015 and then working for a number of years within the adult social care sector.
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