Law firm Irwin Mitchell has expanded its Bristol office’s services by opening a public law department spearheaded by award-winning solicitor Polly Sweeney.
Polly, pictured, won the Assistant/Associate Solicitor of the Year category in the recent 2012 Birmingham Law Society Awards for her work in public law at Irwin Mitchell’s office in the Midlands.
She has now brought her expertise to the South West and has been joined by a litigation assistant and paralegal handpicked from the region.
The move will ensure Irwin Mitchell maintains its position as having one of the largest public law offerings in the UK.
Polly has vast experience in community care, healthcare and medical treatment, court of protection, mental capacity and education law and her successes include victory in a landmark case last year which ruled Birmingham City Council’s plans to cut its adult social care budget were unlawful.
Polly said: “I’m really excited to be at the forefront of Irwin Mitchell expanding its public law services into the South West area.
“The city offers fantastic training and qualifications at the universities and colleges and this was backed up by the high standard of applications we had from legal professionals looking to join the team.
“I studied my legal practice course at UWE and grew up in Wells so I already feel at home in the area.
“It’s a privilege to be able to recruit locally and I look forward to the new starters joining the team so we can start work on driving cases forward, and being a force for protecting the rights of the vulnerable who rely on state care and resources.”
Polly has worked on cases that have changed the law on welfare benefits, equality laws and discrimination law with significant judicial review victories this year in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Irwin Mitchell’s regional managing partner in Bristol Jonathan Peacock added: “Polly has done fantastic work within Irwin Mitchell’s public law team in Birmingham since she qualified with the firm, working on hugely important, landmark cases that have ensured justice for vulnerable people who desperately need help from public services.
“We are delighted to have her join the team in Bristol and look forward to welcoming some new recruits to lead the way in public law services in the South West region and Wales.”
