Emma O'Brien

Emma joined Stephensons as a graduate paralegal in the Court of Protection and community care Team in January 2023, where she is supervised by Sophie Maloney.

Emma assists the Solicitors in the department with often complex and sensitive Court of Protection and community care cases, including:

• Being the first point of contact for new clients and assessing eligibility for legal aid funding
• Drafting funding applications for legal aid funding
• Drafting Court of Protection documents, including witness statements and court applications
• Assisting the solicitors in the team with all aspects of health and welfare cases in the Court of Protection

Emma has experience of assisting solicitors in the team on a wide range of issues concerning the capacity and best interests of vulnerable adults, including applications pursuant to s21A and s16 Mental Capacity Act 2005, and serious medical treatment cases concerning the withdrawal of life sustaining treatment.

Prior to starting at Stephensons, Emma graduated from Leeds Beckett University in 2022 with a first-class honours degree in law. She is currently completing her Legal Practice Course and masters in law at Leeds Beckett University alongside her role at Stephensons, which she is due to complete in June 2024.

In her free time, Emma likes to attend music concerts and enjoys taking part in creative activities such as sewing and designing.