Join us for a timely and insightful conference exploring the key legal and practical challenges facing adult social care and local authorities today. The day will begin with a welcome from Penny Latham, LLG National Lead Officer for Adult Social Care & Health, before moving into an in-depth session on transition care planning for 16–25-year-olds. This presentation will examine the changing legal duties under the Children Act 1989, Care Act 2014 and Children and Families Act 2014, highlighting the complexities local authorities face when supporting young people moving from children’s to adult services—particularly those with EHCPs and care leavers. Later in the morning, delegates will explore ordinary residence disputes, focusing on common pitfalls and how to make strong, well-evidenced referrals to the Secretary of State, followed by a session unpacking the often complex intersection between the Care Act, housing duties and immigration law, including practical guidance on managing cases involving ‘no recourse to public funds’.
In the afternoon, the programme turns to some of the most pressing and contentious issues in the sector. A session on care home fee challenges and judicial review will analyse the growing legal disputes surrounding fee-setting as local authorities balance statutory duties with significant financial pressures. The conference will conclude with a practical discussion on complex mental health hospital discharges, covering legal responsibilities, risk management, capacity considerations and section 117 aftercare, alongside best practice for multi-agency working with NHS partners. Featuring expert speakers from leading chambers and law firms, the conference offers practical insights, case law updates and strategic guidance to help practitioners navigate the evolving legal landscape of adult social care.
Adult Social Care & Health National Lead Officer | Solicitor | Sunderland City Council
Professor Suzanne Rab is a barrister at Matrix Chambers with over twenty-five years of experience in public law, EU law, competition law, and regulatory law, including subsidy control and state aid law. Her practice focuses particularly on the interface between innovation, trade, and economic regulation, with increasing specialisation in public law challenges affecting local authorities.
Suzanne acts in disputes involving governments, regulators, and businesses across regulated sectors including financial services, energy/environmental, healthcare/pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, TMT, and natural resources. She has developed particular expertise in advising local authorities and care providers on the public law framework governing care home fee-setting under the Care Act 2014, including market sustainability duties, challenges to local authority fee decisions, and judicial review proceedings arising from inadequate funding rates.
Her practice increasingly focuses on ensuring public authorities and challengers navigate the Subsidy Control Act 2022 effectively, from initial subsidy design through to potential actions before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. This work regularly intersects with social care funding issues.
Suzanne appears before the Competition Appeal Tribunal and in judicial review proceedings in the Administrative Court, and has advised on challenges to local authority care commissioning decisions, fee adequacy disputes, and market sustainability assessments.
Prior to joining the bar, she held roles as partner and head of regulatory practice with a leading US law firm and as director at PricewaterhouseCoopers working within its strategy, economics, and regulatory teams.
Heather is a Principal Associate at Capsticks who is an experienced Court of Protection solicitor, with extensive experience advising both NHS health bodies and Local Authorities as to a range of health and social care matters. In addition to regularly appearing before the Court of Protection on behalf of her clients, Heather also advises as to a range of matters, to include internal policy decisions and Judicial Review challenges.
Rebecca is a Bar Standards Board registered barrister with over twenty years’ experience. She specialises in Court of Protection and inherent jurisdiction matters and regularly appears before all tiers of judiciary including High Court judges.
Rebecca was called to the Bar in 2001 and undertook her pupillage at Southernhay Chambers, Exeter. She was offered and accepted tenancy at Southernhay. Rebecca remained a tenant at Southernhay through its merger into Magdalen Chambers until she returned to Swansea in December 2017 and accepted a position within the legal department in Swansea Council. Rebecca joined Browne Jacobson earlier this year on 31st July.
Rebecca has over 20 years’ experience in family, child, adult, mental capacity, and social services law and spent five years at Swansea Council, advising and representing on various matters including inherent jurisdiction matters, adult and child cases in the Court of Protection, education appeals and governance matters. She regularly appears before all judicial tiers.
Rebecca is described an outstanding, passionate and compassionate barrister who has worked on a number of significant, complex and highly sensitive cases in the Court of Protection, Family Court, and High Court over the last two decades. Her wealth of knowledge and experience of family and social care law is impressive, whilst her commitment to delivering the best outcome for her clients on issues and matters that are very much at the forefront of society.
Laura is a solicitor who specialises in healthcare and advisory work. She acts for NHS bodies, local authorities and private healthcare providers in relation to Inquests, Court of Protection and other healthcare matters.
Laura previously worked in the public sector for five years before joining Browne Jacobson, acting for local authorities and health boards. She completed her training with a Local Authority where she gained experience in childcare law; licensing, education; property and GDPR alongside Inquests and Court of Protection. She also has a background in personal injury.
Laura enjoys working closely with clients to achieve positive outcomes and resolutions in matters.
Laura has won awards for her Diversity and Inclusion work both inside and outside the profession. She is a member of the Pride Network at Browne Jacobson.
Adrian practices across the field of public law, especially in British nationality, statelessness, immigration, EU law and after matters, international protection (refugee status, asylum), housing and accommodation, social assistance, and education.
He accepts instructions via a solicitor or other licensed professional client, as well as directly under the Public Access scheme.
His most recent publications include Fransman’s British Nationality Law (co-author, 4th edition, 2024) and ‘Asylum and Irregular Migration’ in British Legal Reform (2024). He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law.
Adrian is a Patron of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA), Convenor of its Legislation Working Group, and its former Chair.
He writes a blog on nationality and citizenship law, as well as a blog on migration, citizenship, and free movement called Cosmopolis.
Adrian acts for individuals, communities, NGOs, and international organisations. In addition to his casework, he assists with legislative policy work and amendment, and with strategic litigation.
He is widely known for his contribution to debates on immigration and nationality law.
Layla joined Weightmans in March 2023 as an Associate Solicitor and in-house Advocate based in Manchester and Liverpool. She specialises in public law, representing Local Authorities, Healthcare Trusts, Police forces and other public bodies in child protection, adult social care, Court of Protection, SEND tribunals, and police protection matters. A qualified barrister and solicitor, Layla completed her LLB at the University of Hull before receiving a Blackstone Scholarship from the Honourable Middle Temple to complete the Bar Vocational Course at City Law School London, qualifying as a Barrister in 2010 and later cross-qualifying as a solicitor.
With extensive experience in legal aid and private practice, Layla has acted for both applicants and respondents in complex child protection cases, giving her valuable insight into the challenges faced by professional clients. She regularly conducts case management, urgent applications and final hearings in the County and High Court, and provides out-of-hours advocacy during crises. Known for her pragmatic and compassionate approach, Layla delivers clear, practical advice across a broad range of public law matters while building strong, trusted relationships with her clients.
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09:30 - 15:00
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