North East law firm Hay & Kilner has added specialist knowledge to its award-winning private client team with the appointment of solicitor Zoey Phillips.
Zoey is a Court of Protection solicitor, looking after the property, financial and personal affairs of individuals who don’t have the mental capacity to do so themselves, whether through an acquired brain injury or a longstanding health condition.
She completed her academic and professional legal qualifications at Northumbria University and has worked in practice in the North East ever since.
As well as assisting Court-appointed ‘deputies’ working for clients across the North East and Cumbria, and acting as a deputy herself, Zoey is also called upon to make expert statements in cases right across the UK.
She also works with people wanting to become lay deputies for family members and assists with complex applications to the court following this type of deputyship appointment.
Hay & Kilner’s private client team was picked out as a ‘Tier One’ firm in most recent edition of legal industry ‘bible’ The Legal 500 and was named as Private Client Team Of The Year at the 2022 Northern Law Awards.
Zoey Phillips says: “The Court of Protection helps to make sure that people who lack capacity can’t be exploited or denied their rights, with the Court-appointed deputy working to ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of each individual.
“My clients’ situations can naturally be very challenging for both themselves and their loved ones, and it’s my role to ensure that their affairs run as smoothly as possible for all concerned.
“I began working on Court of Protections matters during my training contract and took to it straight away – no two days are ever the same and you make a genuine difference to the lives of the people with whom you’re working.
“Hay & Kilner’s private client department is extremely highly regarded and I’m really enjoying being part of such a close knit, knowledgeable team.”
Hay & Kilner is one of North East England’s leading independent law firms and provides comprehensive legal advice across every aspect of the law to businesses and individuals from both within and outside the region.
Alison Hall, partner and head of the private client department at Hay & Kilner, adds: “Zoey’s experience and expertise makes her an excellent addition to our team and further extends the support we can provide to clients looking to deal with challenging and complex personal situations.”