Director
Telephone: 0115 6950084
Mobile: 07955854936
Email: lauren.crow@mjc-law.co.uk
Expertise
Lauren specialises in Court of Protection personal welfare cases, and community care matters, including applications for judicial review. Lauren studied Law at the University of Birmingham and thereafter completed her legal qualifications at the then College of Law in York. Lauren went on to work as a paralegal at a national firm and that is where she first developed her passion for Court of Protection and community care work. After two years, Lauren secured a training contract at another national firm by which stage Lauren was clear that she wished to specialise in Court of Protection and community care work. Lauren remained at that firm for over five years where she developed the Court of Protection and community care offering and led the team in the East Midlands.
Lauren is able to provide advice across a wide range of issues including:
Court of Protection and the Mental Capacity Act 2005:
- Personal welfare applications, including serious medical treatment
- Deprivation of liberty applications
- Personal welfare deputyships
- Cross jurisdictional applications
The Mental Health Act 1983:
- Nearest relative displacement applications
- Section 117 aftercare disputes
- Advice in respect of the provisions of the Care Act 2014
- Challenging the failure to assess the needs of those who may require community care services;
- Challenging the outcomes of assessments of need and reductions in care provision
- Challenging decisions about national health service funding for care and the failure to provide funding under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 where appropriate
- Accessing specialist medical treatment including lifesaving treatment
- End of life decisions
Proceedings in the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court
Lauren accepts instructions from litigation friends, advocates, RPRs as well as family members and other interested parties. Lauren is a member of the Law Society’s mental capacity accreditation scheme, meaning she can act as an accredited legal representative.
Achievements
In 2018, Lauren was recognised for her achievements and expertise in this area when she was awarded the Solicitor of the Year accolade at the Nottinghamshire Law Society Annual Awards Dinner and later on in the year was crowned Junior Lawyer of the Year at the national Law Society Excellence Awards.
Lauren is an active member of the Nottinghamshire Law Society and is the current Vice President as well as co-chair of the Equality and Diversity Committee. In September 2020, Lauren was appointed to the national Law Society’s Mental Health and Disability Committee.
Lauren has been recognised by Legalease in the Legal 500’s Court of Protection 2023 rankings, alongside co-directors Conor Maguire and Kate Jackson, for leading a “highly specialised team with a clear passion for Court of Protection work”.
Lauren has been ranked in Chambers and Partners 2023 – Band 3. Some of the Chambers comments provided by referees include:
“She has a comprehensive knowledge of mental capacity law.”
“Lauren is respected by opponents and the judiciary alike.”
“She is so bright and so proactive.”
Notable Cases
Lauren has been involved in a number of reported cases, including:
- UR v Derby City Council and NHS Derby and Derbyshire CCG [2021] EWCOP 10
- JB v A Local Authority and others [2020] EWCOP49
- AA Local Authority v RS (Capacity) [2020] EWCOP 29
- A (fact-finding) [2019] EWCOP 58
- Leicester City Council v MPZ [2019] EWCOP 64
- In the matter of D (A Child) [2017] EWCA Civ 1695;
- Birmingham City Council v D and W [2016] EWCOP 8;
- A County Council v AB and others [2016] EWCOP 41;
- X v A Local Authority and another [2014] EWCOP 29.
