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Mental capacity and mental health

Initial Mental Capacity (Tuesday 12 May 2026 to Wednesday 13 May 2026)

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This two-day course has been designed to equip candidates to prove their experience in representing the needs of vulnerable clients to prospective clients and their relatives. It has been developed in conjunction with the Law Society to prepare candidates for applications to become accredited legal representatives (ALRs) or accredited practitioners under the Mental Capacity (Welfare) Accreditation Scheme.

The virtual classroom sessions on the first day will be delivered by Angela Jackman KC (Hon), partner in Irwin Mitchell’s Public Law & Human Rights department, specialist in health and welfare cases and an accredited practitioner under the Law Society’s Mental Capacity (Welfare) Accreditation Scheme, and Lynny Turner, a mental health nurse. Angela Jackman will be joined on the second day by Stephen Cardinal, senior associate in Irwin Mitchell’s Public Law & Human Rights department – an ALR and a specialist in health and welfare cases.

The course is also open to candidates who wish to obtain an overview of mental capacity law and practice and who do not intend to apply for accreditation. Download the full programme.

This classroom will be held on Tuesday 12 May 2026 to Wednesday 13 May 2026 from 9.30am to 5pm.

This exam preparation course is also available on the following dates:

Please note, due to the nature of the programme, the course must be completed over consecutive dates and cannot be mixed and matched with other offerings.

Required prior knowledge

No prior knowledge is required for candidates who are not seeking accreditation.

Those who are seeking subsequent accreditation are expected to have substantial working knowledge of mental capacity law and practice and to be experienced practitioners in order to meet the requirements of the accreditation application process. Course content is designed to consolidate knowledge for candidates who subsequently seek accreditation

What this will cover
  • Identification of basic psychiatric concepts and the associated implications for you as a legal practitioner
  • Legislative review
  • Update on CoP procedure and practice
  • Update on community care law aspects of CoP proceedings
  • Representing the patient in the proceedings
  • Representing other parties in the proceedings
  • Professional conduct, confidentiality and conflict of interest
  • Funding and costs
Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • demonstrate and apply your knowledge in a practical and appropriate manner which is in the best interests of the patient
  • represent the patient effectively in Court of Protection (CoP) proceedings and maximise their participation
  • demonstrate an awareness of patients’ needs, with particular reference to their vulnerability arising from an impairment of, or disturbance in the functioning of, their mind or brain
  • demonstrate consolidated knowledge of current mental capacity law and procedure and have in-depth understanding of CoP practice and procedure
  • demonstrate broad background knowledge of areas of law relevant to advising and representing clients who may lack capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including mental health law, community care, human rights and relevant law applicable in Wales
How you will learn

Delivery will be through interactive teaching and group exercises.

The course is interactive so you will be answering questions and participating in case study groups.

At the end of the two-day course, you will take an informal quiz to embed your learning and to facilitate discussion in the final session. The results will not be taken into account for any subsequent accreditation applications.

£660.39 ex VAT
Type of training
Accreditation training
Format
Accreditation
Level
Intermediate
Who is this for?
Junior lawyers
Small firms lawyers
Solicitors
Course length
2 days
SRA Competence
A1
A2
A4
A5
B1
B4
B5
B6
B7
C1
C2
C3
D1
D2

The experts

Angela Jackman KC (Hon)

Expert
Facilitator

View expert bio