About
Stella is a Senior Associate in our Court of Protection team, providing expert advice and support across a broad range of Court of Protection and private client matters. She works closely with clients and their families to help them plan for the future, manage complex financial and legal affairs, and make informed decisions with confidence.
Stella has extensive experience advising on Court of Protection matters, including applications for the appointment of deputies, statutory wills, and applications seeking authority to take specific actions on behalf of vulnerable individuals. Her expertise also encompasses the preparation of lasting powers of attorney, the management of financial affairs, long-term investment planning, the creation and administration of trusts, including personal injury trusts, will drafting, lifetime tax planning, and advising on eligibility for care funding through local authorities, NHS Continuing Healthcare, and state benefits.
Much of Stella’s work involves supporting elderly clients, as well as adults and children living with acquired brain injuries, complex disabilities, and other conditions that affect their ability to manage their own affairs. She also advises and acts for attorneys, deputies, and trustees, helping them fulfil their responsibilities with confidence while ensuring decisions are made in the best interests of those they represent.
In addition to supporting individuals and families, Stella regularly acts for institutional clients, including the Thalidomide Trust, West Sussex County Council, East Sussex County Council, and Brighton & Hove City Council. She is known for her practical, solutions-focused approach and her commitment to safeguarding the welfare, dignity, and independence of vulnerable people. By working collaboratively with families, care teams, financial advisers, and wider support networks, Stella ensures that legal and financial arrangements are tailored to each client’s long-term needs, helping to provide security, stability, and peace of mind for the future.
Case Highlights
- Enabling an elderly client in West Sussex to move from residential care back into her own home by securing local authority funding for care costs and obtaining Court of Protection approval for an equity release arrangement to fund additional support.
- Securing NHS Continuing Healthcare funding and a substantial grant from the Thalidomide Trust on behalf of well-known thalidomide survivor Lorraine Mercer MBE, for whom Stella acts as an attorney. Her work also included assisting with the purchase and adaptation of a bungalow to meet Lorraine’s evolving needs.
- Providing ongoing support to a young woman under the jurisdiction of the Court of Protection following a brain injury sustained in a road traffic accident at the age of 17. This includes budgeting for day-to-day living, management the investment of personal injury compensation, arranging 24-hour care and sourcing and adapting suitable accommodation.
