A law graduate from the University of Nottingham who qualified in 1999, Nicola has always been dedicated to Legal Aid work and committed to representing people detained under the Mental Health Act. She was employed as a partner at a large Bristol firm before relocating to Reading, where she ran a successful and highly regarded mental health department for many years.

Nicola has been a member of the Mental Health Accreditation Scheme since November 2000. She has extensive experience representing clients at Tribunals and Hospital Managers’ meetings. Nicola also attends care programme approach and discharge planning meetings and has experience of advising nearest relatives. She regularly supports clients detained in local hospitals, medium secure units and high security hospitals.

Having obtained a rating of ‘Excellence’ in an independent peer review of her own work, Nicola was appointed a member of the Legal Aid Agency Mental Health Peer Review Panel in 2017. This involves assessing the work of other firms on behalf of the Legal Aid Agency to ensure competency standards are met.

Nicola also now practices in inquest and regulatory law. She combines a forensic attention to detail with a compassionate person-centred approach.