Department profile
Doughty Street Chambers

Court of Protection: Health & Welfare

UK Bar Guide 2026 : All Circuits

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Doughty Street Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Court of Protection: Health & Welfare - All Circuits

Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Doughty Street Chambers is highly regarded for having "a vast set of different level barristers" able to handle health and welfare matters, and houses a strong bench of barristers experienced in the handling of cases affecting incapacitated adults and children. Members are regularly instructed in deprivation of liberty and serious medical treatment cases, as well as disputes concerning capacity to consent to sexual relations and forced marriages. The set's expertise in this area is complemented by its recognised strengths in human rights, housing and community care law, and its barristers frequently appear in landmark cases before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. The tenants have experience acting on behalf of incapable individuals and their family members, as well as local authorities and health authorities. Recently members have appeared in Lioubov MacPherson v Sunderland City Council.

Sian Wilkins and Matt Butchard lead the practice management teams.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerks and counsel I have worked closely with at Doughty Street Chambers are extremely experienced in what they do and are all a pleasure to work with.

    Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

  • The clerks are exceptional.

    Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

  • Doughty Street clerks are my favourite clerks. I know I will get a top-class service.

    Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Sophy E Miles
    Sophy E Miles

    Sophy E Miles

    Sophy Miles was one of the leading national solicitors handling Court of Protection work before her move to the Bar in 2015. She is an expert on all health and welfare matters and contributes to many of the leading texts in the area. She is routinely instructed by individuals and statutory bodies, as well as the Official Solicitor.

    • Calm with an encyclopaedic knowledge of cases.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Sophy is generous with her time, and cares deeply about those she is representing.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Incredibly good at juggling cases with competing or cross over issues.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Ulele Burnham
    Ulele Burnham

    Ulele Burnham

    Ulele Burnham has a broad practice covering the law relating to mental capacity and mental health. She is also an expert in unlawful detention cases. She has a particular interest in the potential application of the Equality Act 2010 in the context of domestic Court of Protection law.

    • Ulele is one of the original COP counsel. Her experience and knowledge is unmatched.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • She is a force to be reckoned with.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Ulele is in a class of her own; her approach to dealing with issues is exceptional.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Aswini Weereratne
    Aswini Weereratne

    Aswini Weereratne

    Aswini Weereratne KC acts for all parties in the Court of Protection, including the Official Solicitor, and is renowned for her work in complex cases concerning human rights, mental health and capacity. She is well versed in matters concerning the overlap between the Mental Capacity Act and the Mental Health Act and is a noted deprivation of liberty expert.

    • She is very bright and able to narrow down the bigger issues into small, bite-size pieces for clients and judges to understand.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Oliver Lewis
    Oliver Lewis

    Oliver Lewis

    Oliver Lewis is an experienced junior with a recognised expertise in mental health and international disability law. He is regularly instructed to act on behalf of public bodies, family members and the Official Solicitor.

    • Oliver's written advocacy is particularly compelling, and he has an incredible knack of identifying the salient legal issues in a short space of time.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Stephen Reeder
    Stephen Reeder

    Stephen Reeder

    Stephen Reeder is a well-known specialist in welfare cases who is adept at handling health and welfare matters. He is instructed by a broad range of clients, including healthcare bodies, families and the Official Solicitor.

    • Stephen has been an impressive advocate and a brilliant lawyer to have on the case.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Gemma Daly
    Gemma Daly

    Gemma Daly

    Gemma Daly is developing an impressive Court of Protection practice spanning a wide range of health and welfare matters. She acts on cases concerning residence and care as well as COVID-19 vaccinations.

    • Gemma is very knowledgeable and experienced in Court of Protection welfare matters.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Gemma Daly is one of the best barristers I've ever worked with. She is thoughtful, precise and dedicated to the client.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Very capable, approachable, and helpfully client and solution-focused.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Mary-Rachel McCabe
    Mary-Rachel McCabe

    Mary-Rachel McCabe

    Mary-Rachel McCabe has a growing profile within both Community Care and Court of Protection. She frequently acts for protected parties in relation to their residence and care arrangements. An increasingly large proportion of her work is on behalf of the Official Solicitor.

    • She is incisive and compassionate, and her position papers were masterful and humane.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • She is great to work with, extremely pragmatic, sharp and deals with complex issues very well.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Mary-Rachel McCabe is really excellent.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Rachel Baker
    Rachel Baker

    Rachel Baker

    Rachel Baker is a highly experienced Court of Protection practitioner with the ability to handle a broad range of matters involving issues of capacity, matters of 'best interests' and living arrangements, among numerous others. She is very well-versed in cases under the Mental Health Act 1983 and is sought by a wide array of parties including local authorities, family members and the Official Solicitor.

    • An outstanding, diligent advocate.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar

    • Rachel is excellent. She is quick to grasp the key issues and is a forceful advocate.

      Court of Protection: Health & Welfare respondentUK Bar
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  • Tom Stoate
    Tom Stoate

    Tom Stoate

    Tom Stoate is an experienced junior in the field of health and welfare. He is particularly proficient at handling cases concerning deprivation of liberty and care issues.
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Ranked Barristers at Doughty Street Chambers (9)

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