Our extensive experience allows the production of detailed statements by the Director of the Hugh Jones Trust Corporation instructed, informed by the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and providing realistic and proportionate costs estimates for acting as professional deputy. Within his or her statement, our expert will review and comment, where applicable, on the following:

• capacity of the protected party – including the extent to which he/she can make their own decisions

• whether the appointment of a professional deputy is appropriate

• the issue of proportionality of costs

• alternatives to the appointment of a sole professional deputy including the appointment of a lay deputy or the appointment of a lay deputy and professional deputy in the context of joint and several deputyship

• the role of the deputy and level of input required in each individual case

• on-going annual deputyship costs

• whether a statutory will should be put in place

• the need for a contingency fund

• the role of deputy as direct employer in cases involving care teams

• the costs of administering a personal injury trust

Although our expert is usually as a single expert, he or she is often later instructed to provide a joint statement with either the Claimant or Defendant expert but can also act as a single joint expert if required.

Contact Margaret Christodoulou, the Executive for the Expert witness team on Margaret.christodoulou@hughjonessolicitors.co.uk or on 0161 871 3686, if you'd like to discuss how the team can help.