Public Law Expert Polly Sweeney Wins Title At Bristol Law Society Awards
A lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who specialises in protecting the rights of vulnerable people won the Bristol Solicitor of the Year award at a ceremony in the city last night (23 October 2014).Polly Sweeney, an associate solicitor in the Public Law team at Irwin Mitchell won the coveted title at the Bristol Law Society Awards at the Marriot Hotel. The award, presented by leading legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg, is given to “an exceptional solicitor who has made an outstanding contribution either to their firm, client work or the legal sector in Bristol”.
Polly is a committed legal aid lawyer, specialising in community care, healthcare and education law. She has particular expertise in Court of Protection cases involving mental capacity, best interests and deprivation of liberty and has set up and chairs the South West Court of Protection Practitioners Group.
In the past year, Polly has been involved in a number of important and high profile cases, most recently securing the return home of a young lady with autism after the Court of Protection, following a 10 day hearing in Bristol, found the local authority had unlawfully removed her from her family for over a year and breached her human rights.