Hugh Jones Solicitors

Based in Manchester, this practice is the largest independent, specialist Court of Protection and mental capacity practice in the UK. Services include professional deputyships, Court of Protection applications, community care funding, welfare advice, judicial review, wills, trusts and estates advice for private clients, expert witness work and consultancy - clients are based across the UK.

The firm: Hugh Jones Solicitors is a niche firm -  a nationally recognised leader in the Court of Protection field.

The ethos of the firm is caring and compassionate, and it is committed to providing first-class and cost-effective services to all its clients.

2023 marked our 10-year anniversary and a decade of exciting achievements. Led by the vision of our founder, Hugh Jones, we’ve grown to a team of 75, extended our office twice and are working with clients based all over the country.

Hugh Jones Solicitors is a leading specialist Court of Protection and Private Client firm, winner of a number of awards: 

• Winner – Medium law firm of the year, Manchester Legal Awards 2021
• Winner - Private Client team of the year and Highly Commended Small law firm of the year, Manchester Legal Awards 2020.
• Shortlisted 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 British Wills and Probate Awards, National and Regional firm of the year for the work of the Court of Protection team – winners or highly commended in 2 out of last 3 years.
• STEP 14th Annual Private Client awards Hugh Jones - lifetime achievement award 2019.

National profile and reputation as leader in the field in vulnerable client work.  Specialist practice focussed on Court of Protection work and Private Client work only;  we are often referred cases by the Court where the previous deputy (including other solicitors) have been removed and an investigation is needed in the former deputy’s management of clients’ property and finances. We are referred work by:

• QCs  and the judiciary
• OPG Panel
• Non-specialist solicitor firms
• Local Authorities
• Charities

Widely acknowledged as leaders in the field – quality and rigour of our work, as complimented by the OPG in their latest report on our work:

‘The visitor found a level of commitment and professionalism greater than he has observed in any of the other professional Deputy firms which he has visited. ’

 Private client – trusts and estates: The last 12 months has seen a notable growth/development in our Private Client team, lead by  head of team, Charlotte Crawford, who is a member of the Law Society Private Client Committee and external hires, with 9 lawyers now in the team.

The team specialises working with families with disabled family members, including the management of family trusts.

The firm understands and adapts to the special challenges faced by disabled and vulnerable clients, particularly those with impaired mental capacity, their families and advisers.

As a panel deputy, Hugh Jones accepts many complex cases, including pro bono matters and work referred by the Court of Protection, selecting Hugh for his specific expertise, even on cases out of his immediate area. The Court of Protection team, headed  Chris Gallagher, specialises in financial professional deputyship work, as well as stand-alone applications including financial abuse investigations, contentious matters, those with an international element and judicial review work, advising on local authorities’ duty to fund.

Hugh Jones, Liz Hughes, Jill Rushton and Catherine Eassom are all in demand as expert witnesses in serious injury litigation.