| Andrew Cowan Partner TC Young Solicitors Andrew Cowan is TC Young’s Managing Partner and head of the litigation team. With over 20 years’ experience of civil work, landlord and tenant rights, Andrew is highlighted in the Chambers Legal Guide and has impressed clients with his ability to “recognise what happens out in the real world too. He is very pragmatic in his advice.” In addition to his housing knowledge, Andrew has gained considerable experience in all aspects of Mental Health law, having been involved as a member of the Mental Health Tribunals Scotland since its inception. As the legal member he is also the convenor of the hearings he sits on and has been an integral part of the system dealing with a variety of cases. | |
| Elaine Harley Helpline Manager Alzheimer Scotland Elaine has worked with older adults in residential and community care settings for over 30 years, and have managed Alzheimer Scotland’s Dementia Helpline and e-Helpline for the last 10 years. The enquiries received cover a wide range of concerns including community care, legal issues, distressed behaviour and the challenges of caring. Elaine deals with the more complex enquiries and support the call handlers in their demanding role. Elaine is a graduate of Edinburgh University and a qualified counsellor, with a particular interest in how people communicate and in enduring mental health issues. | |
| Karen Kirk Partner Brown & Co Solicitors Karen Kirk is a solicitor advocate with many years of experience representing individuals with mental ill-health, incapacity and their families and their carers. She is a partner at Legal Services Agency and works principally within the Glasgow Mental Health Legal Service there. She also tutors at Glasgow Graduate School of Law in Civil Litigation and Advanced Civil Litigation. She lectures at the University of Strathclyde on the Mental Health Officer qualification course. She is regularly appointed as Safeguarder at Glasgow Sheriff Court on behalf of adults with incapacity and is frequently appointed Curator ad Litem for those incapable of instructing a solicitor before proceedings at the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland. She is accreditated by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Mental Health Law and also as a specialist in Incapacity and Mental Disability Law. | |
| David McClements Partner Russel & Aitken LLP David McClements is a partner with Russel and Aitken, Denny. He has had a number of years of experience specialising in the field of mental health and incapacity law. He became involved in the campaign for the introduction of the Incapacity Act in the late 1990's. He now acts as financial guardian for a number of clients and is involved regularly in applications to the Sheriff Court. He has been a member of the Society's Mental Health and Disability Committee for over 20 years and regularly makes presentations to fellow professionals in law and social work and also to carers and people with dementia. He is also at present Vice Convenor of Scotland's leading dementia charity Alzheimer Scotland. | |
| Sandra McDonald Public Guardian The Public Guardian is responsible for assuring the protection of adults with mental incapacity. Sandra heads the Office of the Public Guardian which employs 80 staff, is located in Falkirk but has a Scotland wide remit. Sandra trained as a nurse and worked for five years as a Sister on an intensive care unit before moving to a management role in the NHS where she managed a number of services before changing direction in to the legal field. Combining her NHS and legal knowledge, Sandra became an in-house legal advisor to an NHS Trust, as well as leading their clinical claims portfolio. Sandra has been Public Guardian for Scotland since 2004; the combination of management, law and nursing makes Sandra ideally suited for this role. | |
| Helen McGinty Principal in Private Practice Helen McGinty & Company Helen McGinty is a Principal in private practice, at Helen McGinty & Company. She provides advice and representation primarily in the fields of Mental Health and Incapacity law, to clients with mental health issues and their carers. After a number of years as a defence agent, Helen was the resident partner of Brown & Co. Solicitors, with responsibility for the Mental Health Legal Representation Project for Edinburgh and Lothians, of Legal Services Agency Ltd., for more than fifteen years. She is regularly appointed as Safeguarder and as curatrix ad litem at the Sheriff Court in Edinburgh, in Adults with Incapacity and other cases. She is a member of the AWI User Group at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, and a legal member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland. | |
| Colin McKay Chief Executive Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland Colin took up the post of Chief Executive of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland in April 2014. He worked in Scottish Government for 14 years, including 4 years working on mental health law reform, first as secretary to the Millan Committee, and then as Bill manager for the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. He also worked in Government on justice, strategy and public service reform. Previously he was a solicitor, and spent 10 years with ENABLE Scotland, where he led campaigning and policy work, established the ENABLE Trustee Service, and served as a Mental Welfare Commissioner for 2 years. He has a particular interest in the interface of law, care and ethics. | |
| Alan Sharp Partner Anderson Strathern LLP Alan has over 30 years’ experience helping people make the very best of their legal and financial affairs. A partner in Anderson Strathern’s private client services team, he understands well that dealing with succession, trusts and wills can be difficult for those involved. He strives to create a seamless transfer of assets between generations. Alan gains huge professional satisfaction from helping older people. Using his experience, he is happy to guide clients through the challenges that come later in life. This might involve dealing with dementia and adult incapacity in its various stages, or simply making sure that financial affairs are well organised. Sharing his considerable expertise with the next generation of law professionals, Alan has tutored at Edinburgh University on the Diploma in Legal Practice. He is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners [STEP]. | |
| Professor Jill Stavert Professor Director of the Centre for Mental Health and Incapacity Law, Rights and Policy Jill is a Professor and the Director of the Centre for Mental Health and Incapacity Law, Rights and Policy, situated within the Business School at Edinburgh Napier University with an expertise in mental health and incapacity law and human rights from a national and international perspective. In addition to her research and teaching she regularly publishes and presents at conferences and seminars and works with a number of public, statutory and charitable bodies in the field. She is also Director of Research for the Business School at Edinburgh Napier University.
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