Rebecca Fitzpatrick
Partner
Manchester
rebecca.fitzpatrick@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)330 045 2131
Becky heads our health advisory and inquests team. She’s recognised by Chambers and Partners as a pre-eminent lawyer in the areas of mental health and mental capacity law, with over 20 years of experience in the Court of Protection, the Mental Health Act, the High Court (complex treatment cases), the Administrative Court (judicial review, human rights and community care issues) and the Coroner's Court.
She sits as a fee-paid First-Tier Tribunal judge (mental health) and also regularly lectures in the above areas of law to a range of professionals including at national conferences in the field.
Becky advised the Department of Health in relation to their online training package on the Mental Capacity Act rolled out to over 1.5 million health and social staff, and is well known for her expertise in the area of consent, capacity and best interests.
Becky is regularly involved in high-profile, complex reported cases, such as the case of Devon Partnership NHS Trust v SSHSC [2021] EWHC 101 (Admin) concerning the legality of remote Mental Health Act assessments during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Expertise
Featured experience
Deprivation of Liberty of a child
Wigan BC v Y (Refusal to Authorise Deprivation of Liberty) [2021] EWHC 1982 (Fam) (14 July 2021) concerning the deprivation of liberty of a 12-year-old child with mental health issues.
End-of-life treatment of a child
Re Z (Medical Treatment: Invasive Ventilation) [2021] EWHC 2613 (Fam) (24 September 2021) which related to the end-of-life treatment of a child.
First case concerning the Mental Capacity Act to be heard by the Supreme Court
Advising the treating Trust in the first case concerning the Mental Capacity Act to be heard by the Supreme Court Aintree University Hospital Trust v J [2013] (withdrawal of medical treatment).
The legality of remote Mental Health Act assessments during the COVID 19 pandemic
Advising the mental health Trust in Devon Partnership NHS Trust v SSHSC [2021] EWHC 101 (Admin) concerning the legality of remote Mental Health Act assessments during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Testimonials
"Rebecca is very knowledgeable and sensible."
"Rebecca is a high profile practitioner in the space with good knowledge of cases."
"Becky is extremely approachable. She is also intuitive with regard to understanding the level of support required in each matter."
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