Coodes lawyer appointed to prestigious national legal panel

Richard Pollock of Coodes Solicitors has been appointed to the Office of the Public Guardian’s newly revised Panel of Deputies, which supports people who are unable to make their own decisions on legal and financial matters. Richard is the only one of the 68 members of the Panel of Deputies who is based in Cornwall.

Panel Deputies are called in when someone is unable to make their own important financial or legal decisions, for example as a result of having dementia or a learning disability or suffering a brain injury. If a family member is not able to make important financial decisions on their behalf, then the Court of Protection will nominate their local Panel Deputy to give legal support.

Richard Pollock joined Coodes 10 years ago and is now the Partner heading the firm’s Wills, Probate, Trust and Court of Protection team. To secure his place as a Panel Deputy, he had to undergo a rigorous application process, which included two panel interviews.

Richard said: “I am delighted that Cornwall is now represented on this important national panel and that local people have someone in the county who can assist and protect them in what can be very difficult situations.

“Since joining Coodes 10 years ago, I’ve focused a lot on building our skills in this important and complex area of law and wanted to become a Panel Deputy so that more people could benefit from our expertise.

“This appointment shows that our work with elderly and vulnerable people is being recognised at a national level.”