ONE of the North-East’s oldest law firms has continued its ambitious growth programme by expanding a team dedicated to supporting the legal needs of vulnerable people.

BHP Law has added five new members to its Court of Protection (Health and Welfare) team to meet growing demand fuelled by a “social care crisis” facing the country.

The expansion means BHP Law, which has offices in Darlington, Durham, Stockton, Newcastle, and Tynemouth, now has one of the biggest Court of Protection teams in the region.

Victoria Burrows has joined the team as Senior Associate, along with solicitor Louise Jackson, trainee solicitor Catrina Hall, paralegal Zoe Armstrong, and legal case worker Steve Allan. All five have joined from Middlesbrough-based Cartwright King Solicitors.

Sapna Tugby, partner with BHP Law’s Court of Protection (Health and Welfare) team, said: “We are delighted to have been able to enhance an already strong team by bringing in additional specialists with a wealth of experience.”

Court of Protection is a legal service focused on supporting the needs of people who are unable to represent themselves, often due to illness, disability, or other kinds of vulnerability.

New legislation, under the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), is due to come into force next year to provide greater protection for people, who need to be deprived of their liberty to enable them to be cared for, but lack the mental capacity to consent to the arrangements.

Sapna added: “This expansion by BHP Law comes at a time when we are seeing huge demand for our services amid a social care crisis in the country, and it is also about being proactive ahead of the new LPS legislation coming in. We are always on the lookout for new talent, so, hopefully, the team will continue to grow.”

BHP Law already had a 14-strong team in Health and Welfare ahead of the expansion, and it also has a separate Court of Protection team of eight, managing Property and Affairs.

Victoria Burrows, who was born and raised on Teesside, brings 18 years’ experience as a solicitor, including 12 specialising in Court of Protection.

She said: “We are the voice of the vulnerable when it comes to legal services, and it’s great to see such a high-profile company as BHP Law placing even more emphasis on such a vital area. There is definitely an increasing need to provide legal support for vulnerable people, and it’s a privilege to be joining a company that sees the need to take a leading position.”

The latest expansion is part of BHP Law’s five-year growth strategy. It is based on three key areas – people, process and technology – and has four main goals: to grow the business, provide excellent customer services, create a great working environment, and be a responsible part of the community.