Solicitor / Senior Associate

We are seeking an experienced Court of Protection Solicitor to join our Probate team in Lincoln.

Wilkin Chapman’s Court of Protection team is one of few specialist teams in the area concentrating solely on matters relating to those who have lost capacity. They take pride in acting as professional Attorney or Deputy, being trusted advisers, providing comprehensive and pragmatic advice on a day to day basis.

The team represents a wide range of clients, with particular expertise in providing advice to family members who have a loved one that has lost capacity to manage their finances and has no Power of Attorney in place as well as vulnerable people who have capacity to make a Power of Attorney.

The day to day work covers all aspects of a person’s health, welfare and finances, with particular reference to the day to day management of an individual’s finances, financial assessments, benefits applications, care fee disputes, investments, tax mitigation, Statutory Wills, Powers of Attorney, Deputyship Applications, Contested Deputyship Applications, Contested Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Applications, Personal Injury Trusts and Business Lasting Powers of Attorney

Your role will include:

• Managing and administering all Court of Protection and Mental Capacity Act matters received by referral from fee earners in all offices of the Department to include Deputy appointments where appropriate;
• Developing a close working relationship with, in particular, the Firm’s PI, Medical Negligence and Regulatory Departments to extract leads internally;
• Assisting Department fee earners to ensure all current attorney and deputyship files are compliant and working to best practice including cost recovery guidance;
• Dealing with the Department’s specialist CoP applications and MCA matters including for Deputyships/Trusts Statutory Wills, gifts, DoLS and finance/welfare abuse and safeguarding;
• Undertaking any advocacy required by the Department with the CoP and working alongside Dispute Resolution on contentious matters - taking the lead where appropriate;
• Supporting the Head of Department/Partners with internal CoP training and in developing relationships with specialist costs draftsman for Deputy appointment/Court matters; 
• To build and develop the Firm’s specialist CoP and MCA offering; to include tendering for Deputyship appointment/management work, supervising and training more juior colleagues, building relationships with referrers; IFA’s, Accountants, Nursing Homes, social workers, Local Authorities and healthcare/disability support groups and charities;
• To apply for the Firm’s panel Deputy appointment as and when the application process is opened;
• To consider training and appointment as a CoP representative.

You will:

• Conduct all matters in the client's best interest and in accordance with the highest professional standards at all times;
• Maintain files in a neat and orderly manner;
• Maintain accurate time recording on client matters and non-matter activities on a daily basis; 
• Regularly update clients as to the current progress of their case and costs;
• Deal with routine and difficult enquiries from telephone callers and clients effectively and efficiently and ensure that any client complaints are dealt with both professionally and promptly to the complete satisfaction of the client;
• Achieve financial targets agreed with the Department Head or Branch Partner;
• Ensure compliance with Law Society Training Regulations;
• Participate in and contribute to business development and networking activities, taking a proactive approach to building and maintaining relationships with clients and other contacts and key referrers of work to the Firm.