José is a Solicitor and Higher Court Advocate with extensive experience in both mental health and criminal law, underpinned by criminal defence work at an Essex firm where he was a founding partner in 1998.  He has now worked within the mental health law field for over 10 years in various legal roles.  José is a Member of the Law Society's specialist Mental Health Accreditation Panel.

 

José has a passion for representing those

detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 arising out of personal experience of hospital admission in the past, which gives him a particular empathy for his clients and insight into their experience.

 

Alongside his legal practise, José undertakes a significant amount of related community voluntary work and has previously held roles as a Mind Advocate and a Trustee of National Mind.  He is presently a Trustee within other mental health charities and provides continuing support to the voluntary sector in North London to help shape community services for mental health service users.

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José represents a wide range of patients living in the community and detained in hospital under civil and forensic sections of the Mental Health Act 1983, including representing patients detained on short-term admissions for assessment under Section 2, for which he has particular expertise.   He is presently expanding his practise to include  representing   maximum secure patients.