"I lead the community care and housing team; I also manage the firm’s community engagement. I was involved in the Law Commission's consultation on the Adult Health & Social Care Bill."
Cate Searle
Based primarily in our Brighton office, I lead the community care and housing team. As one of a very small number of solicitors specialising in NHS continuing healthcare law, I have built an expanding practice in this area which has given our firm a nationwide profile far and above its relative size. I also provide expert opinion on community care law issues for the specialist press, speak as a guest lecturer and train other legal professionals. In 2011 I was asked by the Law Commission to give my views as part of the consultation on proposals for inclusion in the Adult Health & Social Care Bill.
I am also the director responsible for practice management and financial and regulatory matters and I manage the firm’s community engagement strategy.
Areas of expertise
I have particular expertise in:
- NHS Continuing Healthcare;
- Planning and paying for care;
- Funding disputes with Social Services (including financial assessments and deprivation of capital);
- Mental capacity law – including Lasting Powers of Attorney, best interest decisions, safeguarding and deputy applications;
- Landlord and tenant disputes.
My clients
A lot of my work is for elderly clients. I may be instructed by the person receiving care or who wants to plan ahead, or by their family members. I also help other solicitors, charities and voluntary organisations with complicated casework, particularly NHS Continuing Healthcare funding appeals. In addition, I work with a wide range of clients of all ages, many of whom have disabilities or caring responsibilities. I also work with a number of private sector tenants and small landlords.
Some recent highlights
- Securing a £130,000 award for a client whose mother had wrongly been required to fund her own nursing home care. See care funding case studies.
- Lecturing on community care law issues for CLT and giving my opinion in Elderly Client Adviser magazine on how the coalition government’s Budget will affect the UK’s elderly.
- Achieving NHS continuing healthcare funding awards through appeals and reviews for large numbers of clients who have been turned down.
- Winning the Business in the Community Award for our pioneering community engagement strategy in the Sussex Business Awards and being shortlisted two years in a row for the Law Society Excellence Awards.
- Being shortlisted for the Association of Women Solicitors’ Solicitor of the Year Managing a Small Practice award in 2010.
Qualifications and memberships
I have a degree in developmental psychology from the University of Sussex. While managing a local mental health service, I studied part-time for the law conversion course at the University of Brighton where I met my co-director Fiona Martin. I completed the solicitors’ law finals course at Leeds Metropolitan University.
Other experience
Having worked for several years in health and social services before training as a solicitor, I have skills and experience that directly benefit my community care clients. This is reflected in the outcomes I achieve for them.
In addition, having worked in the voluntary sector as an advisor before qualifying as a solicitor, I understand the challenges voluntary sector organisations face. This really helps focus the firm’s community engagement work and the training and support that we offer.
I have a life too
I enjoy long cycle rides in the countryside with friends and family, usually followed by a hearty pub lunch. Otherwise I relax by reading or listening to music. I love to travel and am fortunate to have a number of friends and relatives living abroad to provide an interesting range of holiday destinations. I enjoy debating about something or nothing with friends over a good meal.
