Kate Luscombe
Partner
Kate is a longstanding member of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme, and a member of the Mental Health Lawyers Association. Kate is a peer reviewer for the Ministry of Justice and is committed to ensuring strict quality standards are met by mental health practitioners.
Andrea Spyrou
Partner
Andrea is a leading solicitor within the field of forensic mental health law and specialises in the representation of clients detained in high and medium secure hospitals. She conducts her own advocacy before First-tier Tribunal hearings but also works closely with specialist counsel on legally complex hearings lasting many days.
Lara Patrick
Partner
Lara qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and is a long standing member of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme. In 2007 Lara was made a partner of the firm she qualified with, before moving on to Head of Department at the largest provider of publicly funded services
Fatima Boujettif
Partner
Fatima qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and is a member of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme.
She has been a Criminal Duty Solicitor since 2005 and represents clients at Police Stations and Courts.
Mental Capacity Team
Francesca Gabbitas
Head of Mental Capacity Department
Francesca specialises in the areas of Mental Capacity, Community Care and matters dealt with under the inherent jurisdiction. Francesca is a member of the Law Society’s Mental Capacity (welfare) accreditation scheme and is an Accredited Legal Representative.
Lyra Nightingale
Mental Capacity Solicitor
Lyra is a specialist Mental Capacity Act lawyer with significant experience in best interests work with an emphasis on healthcare and serious medical treatment work. Lyra recently joined Abbotstone Law having spent several years advising both NHS and private healthcare providers and commissioners on a range of public law and mental capacity issues.
Bita Saharkhizian
Mental Capacity Paralegal
Bita graduated from the University of Surrey studying Law as a Bachelor’s degree, consequently undertaking the Legal Practice Course gaining a distinction combined with an MSc in ‘Law, Business and Management’ at the University of Law.
Angela Smith
Mental Capacity Consultant Solicitor
Angela specialises in Mental Health law and Mental Capacity law and routinely provides advice in respect of the complex overlap between these two areas of law. Angela has extensive experience in Court of Protection matters relating to health and welfare disputes over residence, care and contact and in s.21A applications challenging authorisations granted under the deprivation of liberty safeguards regime.
Frances Rattray
Mental Capacity Consultant Solicitor
Frances trained as a barrister and was called to the Bar in 1998, cross-qualifying as a solicitor in 2007. She has higher rights of audience in all proceedings in England and Wales. Committed to representing those confined within the mental health system and disadvantaged by mental illness, she began exclusively to practice mental health law in 2004.
Rhiannon Jones
Mental Capacity Consultant Solicitor
Rhiannon undertakes Court of Protection and Community Care work and is based in Cornwall.
Rhiannon is experienced in the Court of Protection with Health and Welfare cases including acting for the Protected party and other family members.
Mental Health Team
Tolu Ipinmoye
Consultant Solicitor
Tolu qualified as a mental health solicitor in 2012. Prior to qualifying Tolu worked as a mental health nurse practitioner for six years within an NHS Trust in a rehabilitation setting for people with enduring mental health problems.
Anthony Stewart
Consultant Solicitor
Antony qualified as a General Nurse in 1986. His NHS nursing career progressed to him moving into the management of Community and Mental Health Services at a senior level.
Yesim Hall
Consultant Solicitor
Yesim is an experienced mental health solicitor accredited under the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation scheme since 2011.
Soni Mandair
Consultant Solicitor
Soni has specialised in Mental Health law since 1994 and been a member of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation scheme since 1996
Deborah Robinson
Consultant Solicitor
joining January 2021
Deborah trained and qualified with a national law firm where she developed her passion for mental health law. She has been a specialist in mental health law since 2016, qualifying as a solicitor in 2017 and has been a member of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme since 2018.
Peter Wusu
Consultant Solicitor
Peter is a specialist mental health solicitor accredited under the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme since 2001 dealing with a cross section of cases, ranging from clients detained in general acute settings to those detained in conditions of maximum security.
Sam Rowlands
Consultant Solicitor
Sam is a solicitor and member of the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation Scheme. Prior to working in the field of mental health law, he had specialist experience of representing prisoners before the Parole Board.
Magdalena Wiazowska
Mental Health/ Mental Capacity Paralegal
Magdalena obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from London South Bank University, followed by a Master’s degree in Corporate Finance Law from the University of Westminster. She completed a Legal Practice Course in July 2017 with an overall commendation.
Christopher Rogers
Paralegal
Christopher studied Ancient and Modern History at Keble College Oxford University before completing the Common Professional Exam and the Bar Vocational Course. He was called to the Bar by the Middle Temple and lectured for many years at The University of Northumbria in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Ismahan Ali
Paralegal
Ismahan graduated from the University of Surrey studying Law with a Bachelor’s degree, later undertaking the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law, achieving a commendation.