Member Article

Simpson Millar further bolsters ‘expansive’ Court of Protection team

Leading law firm Simpson Millar has further bolstered its expansive national Court of Protection (CoP) health and welfare department with the appointment of Melanie Varey as a Senior Associate in its Manchester office.

Joining the 20-strong team earlier this month and bringing over a decade of experience in community care, judicial review and court of protection health and welfare cases, she joins from Stephenson’s Solicitors where she was Department Manager.

Also on the board of the National division of the Court of Protection Practitioners Association (CoPPA) and having worked in both the crime and housing departments, Mel’s appointment adds to Simpson Millar’s impressive Court of Protection presence across the North of England – with lawyers now situated in the firm’s Lancaster, Manchester and Leeds offices.

The appointment comes amidst rapid expansion plans across the firm’s three core divisions – Private Practice Area, Personal Injury including Medical Negligence, and Public Law – and forms part of its £50m growth strategy which includes significant investment in its people, technology and marketing.

Simpson Millar’s CoP health and welfare department is dedicated to helping people who lack capacity to make specific decisions for themselves.

The team is headed up by Partner Zena Soormally Bolwig, and forms part of its wider Public Law division which has a presence in the firm’s 11 offices and is overseen by Senior Management Team member and Partner Imogen Jolley.

Commenting on Mel’s appointment Zena said: “This is an exciting time for the CoP Health and Welfare team, as well as the wider Public Law team at Simpson Millar, as we continue to expand our presence across the North of England.

“Mel’s background and experience within her field is very impressive, and her passion, positivity and compassion make her a perfect fit for our team. We are delighted to be welcoming her onboard in order to further bolster the quality of service on offer to our clients – many of whom are vulnerable, and in need of a very personalised and open approach to the legal matters in hand.”

Mel added: “I’m delighted to have been appointed as Senior Associate for Simpson Millar’s Manchester office, and I am excited to be joining such a well-established and esteemed CoP team with such a strong presence across the North of England which further complements its presence in the South.

“Having dedicated my career to working with clients who rely on the law to ensure that decisions are made in their best interests, I am truly passionate about the work that I do.

“I believe that Simpson Millar’s open and honest approach to delivering legal services is complementary of that, and I am looking forward to being a part of a modern law firm that is dedicated to investing in its people and delivers an excellent service on behalf of its clients.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alisha Griffiths .