England - London • Public sector

Bindmans LLP

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With ‘excellent strength in depth’, the team at Bindmans LLP predominantly represents individuals in inquests and cases involving mental health, safeguarding and palliative care issues. Practice head Laura Hobey-Hamsher is a ‘first-class lawyer’ who is well known for acting in Court of Protection cases concerning the medical treatment, health, and welfare of individuals under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Children Act 1989. Will Whitaker exhibits ‘excellent judgment’ when handling the full gamut of human rights issues, with particular emphasis given to health and welfare. Praised for her ‘eye for detail’, mental health expert Elizabeth Cleaver primarily represents individuals in health and social care matters, including challenges against policies and decisions. Basmah Sahib regularly appears before the Mental Health Tribunal, and handles judicial review challenges concerning policy.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Elizabeth Cleaver is both professional and compassionate. Her knowledge of the law is excellent and well used.'
  • 'Bindmans are one of the leading healthcare firms acting primarily for claimants. They have excellent strength in depth, with expertise across a wide range of related fields including public law, Court of Protection and human rights.'
  • 'Laura Hobey-Hamsher is a stand out practitioner, and Basmah Sahib is an excellent solicitor with great empathy for her clients. Will Whitaker is also excellent, he demonstrates excellent judgment and is always calm even in the most difficult cases.'
  • 'Bindmans have outstanding expertise in this area. They are extremely knowledgeable about public law principles, inquests, and about the technical subject matter. This makes them a class act.'
  • 'An excellent firm of solicitors with a history of providing representation over a wide range of areas, all at a very high level of skill.'
  • 'Elizabeth Cleaver has an extremely good brain with an eye for detail, and is able to provide empathetic support to clients.'
  • 'Laura Hobey-Hamsher is a first-class lawyer with a deserved reputation for detailing with complex matters before the Court of Protection.'

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners

Elizabeth Cleaver

Elizabeth Cleaver

Bindmans LLP

Solicitor, Public Law and Human Rights Elizabeth’s areas of practice include mental health, Court of Protection, and inquests. She obtained higher rights of audience in 2016 and regularly conducts her own advocacy before tribunals and the Court of Protection. Elizabeth has extensive experience of representing vulnerable adults and their families. Her practice has included welfare matters, as well as cases involving deprivation of liberty and property and affairs. Elizabeth is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor to represent protected parties. As an Accredited Legal Representative, she is also appointed to act for vulnerable adults directly in welfare cases before the Court of Protection. Elizabeth has in-depth experience of representing those detained under the Mental Health Act at all levels of security. She has a particular interest in forensic cases, and is regularly instructed by those detained under forensic sections, including in high profile matters. Elizabeth seeks to develop long-term relationships with clients and is known for her attention to detail and her persistence in obtaining evidence in support of her clients’ discharge. Besides representing mental health patients themselves, Elizabeth has advised parents, spouses, partners and other family members on their relatives’ rights when detained under the act or voluntarily admitted for care. Elizabeth has acted for patients in civil matters involving unlawful detention and displacement of nearest relatives, and has advised on aftercare issues (such as the adequacy of services offered under section 117 of the Mental Health Act). She is developing a practice in inquests, where her mental health experience is particularly valued in cases involving the death of psychiatric patients. Elizabeth regularly delivers training to lawyers and other professionals on mental health law and the Mental Capacity Act. She also assists in delivering the Mental Health Panel course run by the Mental Health Lawyers Association for prospective members of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme.  

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Laura Hobey-Hamsher

Other key lawyers

Will Whitaker, Elizabeth Cleaver, Anna Thwaites, Basmah Sahib