JE Bennett Law > Kent, England > Firm Profile

JE Bennett Law
Eridge House
1 Linden Close
Tunbridge Wells
TN4 8HH
England

Private client > Court of protection Tier 2

leads the practice at JE Bennett Law that receives plaudits for its work with vulnerable clients by being ‘exceptionally helpful at a difficult time – approachable and friendly and happy to explain legal terms in understandable language to the layman’. Jane Bennett

and Richard Shearing act as deputies jointly and the team has continued to grow its brain injury deputyship practice on the back of Bennett’s expert witness practice in catastrophic injury cases. It continues to be instructed by the Official Solicitor, other solicitors who do not specialise in Court of Protection work as well as receiving a steady flow of barrister recommendations.

Hall of Fame

Jane Bennett

- JE Bennett Law

Next Generation Partners

Amy Paxton - JE Bennett Law

Richard Shearing - JE Bennett Law

Lorna Halfpenny-Beeby – JE Bennett Law

Practice head(s):

Jane Bennett

Other key lawyers:

Richard Shearing; Lorna Halfpenny-Beeby; Amy Paxton; Jemma Cahan

Testimonials

‘The team has technical wizards and is the most caring client-focussed team in the field. The stand-out differences are the outstanding customer service, professional package, and the feeling of safety and comfort clients experience’.

‘Jane Bennett is a leader in her field and a credible expert witness. Her reports are clear and detailed and are accepted by the courts and opponents alike’.

‘Well organised and prioritises the objectives of the client’.

‘I think it is just a very strong practice that deals with these matters in a sensitive and efficient way. The individuals I have dealt with manage the right balance between professionalism and a personal touch that I think is required in this field’.

‘Lorna Halfpenny-Beeby is a great asset to the firm. She has a great understanding of all of our clients and works hard to meet their needs. She is very approachable, fair in making decisions and always accessible. I would highly recommend J E Bennett Law and the whole team’.

‘Jemma Cahan is very quick to respond and deal with – nothing is a problem. Jane Bennett, very knowledgeable and quick to respond, will always find time if needed at the last minute’.

‘My experience of the team at JE Bennett Law is that they really take time to listen and approach their work with the client at the heart of their work. I have always found them to be extremely reliable, responsive and professional. Jane Bennett is outstanding and takes a bespoke approach to all client work’.

‘Lorna Halfpenny-Beeby is always accessible if we have questions returning calls in a timely manner’.

Key clients

Dolmans

DWF Law

Horwich Farrelly

Weightmans

BLM Law

CL Medilaw

Dutton Gregory

TG Baynes

Work highlights

Assisted the Court of Protection and the Criminal Court in investigating and collating evidence of financial abuse against its client MA which was pivotal in the criminal case.
Appointed as a panel deputy for AB. The team instructed solicitors to represent the client in family proceedings regarding housing and financial support.
Appointed as panel deputy for MM who at the time lacked capacity, was homeless and was subject to a freezing injunction.

Founded in 2011, JE Bennett Law provides vulnerable client legal services from its base in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and is well connected to meet clients in London and the South East. The firm’s core business is focused on helping private clients on matters regarding the Court of Protection; trusts for the vulnerable; the law regarding the elderly client; community care law, and the provision of expert witness services.

The firm: Founder Jane Bennett is a highly experienced private client lawyer, with over 15 years specialising in vulnerable client law. She set up JE Bennett Law to create a firm dedicated to helping the vulnerable client.

Today, with a staff of around 30, the firm has a hardworking team of specialists who share a passion for helping the vulnerable and provide a caring, excellent and efficient personal service. The firm’s clients are typically South-East based but the firm is often asked to act in cases of a complex nature, much further afield.

JE Bennett Law has been ranked in The Legal 500 under Court of Protection since 2015 and Jane is a recommended lawyer. Jane was appointed as one (of 72) of the Office of the Public Guardian’s national panel of professional deputies in 2015.

Types of work undertaken
Court of Protection: the firm acts primarily for those who, due to events in their lives/personal trauma, are limited in their ability to manage their own financial and health/care needs. This can arise through brain/spinal cord injuries or mental health issues, and can involve personal injury or medical negligence. The firm also advises the client’s family members, who are often going through an extremely stressful time as a result of trying to fight for their loved one’s rights.

The firm advises on deprivation of liberty and health and welfare matters, and frequently works with family members and/or the local authority to safeguard vulnerable people from financial abuse, neglect/physical or other forms of abuse, including investigating and advising regarding allegations against attorneys under Enduring/General/Lasting Powers of Attorney.

The firm acts as professional deputy for over 100 highly vulnerable clients and as health and welfare deputy in complex cases involving family disputes and/or arising out of contentious court proceedings. The firm also advises a significant number of lay deputies, and is frequently instructed by local authorities.

Personal injury compensation trusts: Jane sets up many personal injury trusts and also acts as a professional trustee for compensation protection trusts for the mentally and/or physically vulnerable beneficiary and, in particular, regarding trusts for spinally injured clients. She recently presented a series of well received MBL seminars to legal professionals on this area of law.

Elderly client law: the practice also offers a full range of services for the elderly, as many of its clients fall into this category and the firm feels that it is important to cater for all their potential needs. This includes advice regarding general/enduring/lasting powers of attorney, and Jane acts as a professional attorney where required.

Community care law: JE Bennett also advises regarding care in the community (and when a client may be eligible to receive funding for it) whether via the NHS commissioners or the local authority. It specialises in matters pertaining to care home contracts and fairness of contractual terms.

Wills and probate: the firm offers a full range of will services including statutory will applications to the Court of Protection, and discretionary/disabled will trusts. In addition to advice to family members on the death of a loved one, the firm offers professional executor/administrator and trusteeship services to families/beneficiaries at this difficult time.

Additional services: Jane Bennett acts as an expert witness in high-value and catastrophic personal injury litigation claims (regarding the role and costs associated with a professional deputy and related issues) and, also, in criminal injuries compensation authority claims. Jane acts for a significant number of large loss insurers but also for the claimant insured.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Senior partner	Jane Bennett
Managing partner	Tom Beaufoy

Name	Position	Profile
Ms Jane Bennett	Senior Partner	View Profile
Ms Lorna Halfpenny-Beeby	Partner	View Profile
Ms Amy Paxton	Partner	View Profile
Richard Shearing	Partner	View Profile