Year of call: 2018
Sophie Hurst has a specialist Court of Protection practice and is regularly instructed in Health and Welfare, Serious Medical Treatment and Property and Affairs cases.
Sophie acts for a range of clients including protected parties, with regular instructions from the Official Solicitor, NHS Trusts, integrated care boards, local authorities, professional deputies and family members.
Sophie offers specialist advice on issues arising from the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Care Act 2014. Her public law experience extends to instructions in Judicial Review and human rights claims.
Sophie has a fast-growing probate and wills practice and specialises in areas of cross over between probate and Court of Protections matters.
Sophie also acts in inquests, specialising in those involving mental health and mental capacity issues and deaths in health care and social care settings.
Sophie acts in a wide-range of health and welfare cases including Section 21A applications, Section 16 welfare applications, inherent jurisdiction cases and disputes arising from medical treatment issues. She is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor, family members, local authorities, Integrated care boards, health trusts and private care providers. Notably, Sophie has been credited for her contribution to Re A (Capacity: Social Media and Internet Use: Best Interests) [2019] EWCOP and Re B (Capacity: Social Media: Care and Contact) [2019] EWCOP 3 and is recognised for her expertise in deprivation of liberty cases J, Re (Deprivation of Liberty: Hospital) [2022] EWFC 121
Sophie accepts instructions in urgent applications for life saving medical treatment, non-urgent medical treatment and end of life withdrawal of medical treatment. This work is complimented by the experience she gained in clinical negligence and personal injury work during her pupillage. Sophie accepts out of hours instructions and has recently appeared on behalf of P’s wife, alongside Sam Karim KC, in the reported case of Re KM [2021] 5 WLUK 89, arising from an application for withdrawal of life sustaining treatment.
Sophie regularly acts in applications seeking the appointment and removal of attorneys and deputies. She has appeared on behalf of P, lay and professional deputies, local authorities and the Office of the Public Guardian.
Sophie also offers specialist advice in statutory will, trustee and gifting applications and is keen to support and encourage the regionalisation of work in this area.
Sophie is regularly instructed to advise on issues relating to The Care Act 2014, including Ordinary Residence disputes and disputes arising from local authority charging policies. She has also been involved in challenges following Care Act assessments, eligibility decisions relating to NHS Continuing Health Care Funding and safeguarding appeals.
Sophie has also been involved with a number of public law challenges, specialising in age assessments for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and cases against the Criminal Cases Review Commission
Sophie has a fast-growing probate and wills practice and specialises in areas of cross over between probate and Court of Protections matters. Sophie’s experience in this area extends to disputes over the validity and construction of wills, testamentary capacity and undue influence and deeds of variation and rectification.
Sophie represents families and other interested persons including local authorities, integrated care boards and health trusts in a wide range of inquests. Whilst specialising in issues involving deprivations of liberty, the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity Act and cases arising from deaths in healthcare and social care settings, Sophie also appears at inquests involving infant deaths and suicide.
Legal 500 2025
‘Sophie’s advice is always clear, direct and sound; she is very well-respected by judges and opposing parties. Her skill and experience in respect of advising on transitions for young people is evident and she is strong on her feet, never shying away from contested hearings or applications.’
