Deprivation of Liberty

By their very nature, most children would not possess the capacity necessary to manage their property and financial affairs.

The term ‘deprivation of liberty’ (DOL) comes from Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which provides that everyone, of whatever age, has the right to liberty. ‘Deprivation of liberty’ occurs when restrictions are placed on a child’s liberty beyond what would normally be expected for a child of the same age.

Children in England and Wales can be deprived of their liberty for welfare, youth justice or mental health reasons, and placed in secure children’s homes, young offender institutions, secure training centres or mental health in-patient wards. Deprivation of Liberty is given when a Local Authority feels it is necessary to deprive a young person who lacks capacity to make decisions about their care, or treatment, of their liberty in order to keep them safe.

At Unit Chambers, we specialise in supporting families with children aged 16-18 years of age and our barristers always approach DOL cases with empathy and sensitivity.

Court of Protection

When it comes to the well-being of your loved ones, their best interests are our top priority. In some unfortunate situations, those closest to you may no longer possess the mental capacity to make important decisions regarding their welfare or finances. During these challenging times, our dedicated barristers specialising in Court of Protection matters are here to assist you.

The Court of Protection, established under the Mental Capacity Act of 2005, plays a crucial role in safeguarding the interests of individuals who have lost the ability to independently manage their affairs. At Unit Chambers, we understand the significance of caring for family members and loved ones and we offer expert advice and guidance to protect the best interests of your vulnerable loved one. We pride ourselves on handling all disputes with sensitivity and effectiveness. We strive to find pragmatic and workable solutions for our clients, providing written and in-person advice, representation, and advocacy in court.

Lisa Edmunds

CEO & Senior Consultant Barrister

Bio

As Chief Executive, Lisa is responsible for delivering Unit Chambers’ bold vision.

With nearly 20 years experience and expertise in high level and complex cases, Lisa is one of the leading family law barristers in the country. Her mission is simple; to get the best possible result in the courtroom. Her expertise lies both in arguing a case and in cross examining witnesses at trial. In addition, she is often asked to prepare complex legal documents and advise on difficult and sensitive issues.

Lisa travels around the country appearing at all levels of the Family Court. She undertakes work in all aspects of relationship breakdowns but specialises in cases relating to children, including:

• Fact find hearings (allegations of physical / sexual / emotional abuse of children)
• Care proceedings
• Child arrangements Orders; i.e. who children should live with and spend time with
• International and internal relocation of children
• Child Abduction / Hague Convention
• Arbitration

With nearly 20 years of operating at the highest level where she has seen and heard it all. She has learnt that the real issues aren’t usually about the paperwork and the process. They tend to be about people, relationships and doing the right thing. That’s why she will always make it a priority to focus and drill down on the points that are going to matter to get the best possible result for her clients.