Camilla is an independent legal and policy consultant, researcher and trainer specialising in the areas of mental health, decision-making (capacity, competence and consent) and human rights. She regularly provides training for practitioners working in health, mental health, social care and children’s services.

Much of Camilla’s work focuses on the law and human rights of relevant to the mental health care of children and young people, which was the focus of her PhD (Cardiff University, 2017). She was a member of the “Children and Young People” and “Maximising autonomy: consent to treatment” topic groups for the 2018 independent review of the Mental Health Act 1983. As a consultant for the Department of Health she led on the work to revise the children and young people’s chapter in the Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice (2015). She is a member of the Law Society’s Mental Health and Disability Committee.

Prior to establishing her legal and policy consultancy in 1997, Camilla was Legal and Parliamentary Officer at Mind and before then worked as a solicitor in private practice. She was awarded an LLM in Human Rights and Civil Liberties (with Distinction) in 1993 and has taught on post-graduate courses, including at Cardiff University where she was a part-time teacher for the Legal Aspects of Medical Practice LLM and Social Care LLM (2012-2015). Camilla was a legal and visiting member of the Mental Health Act Commission (1995-2000), a non-executive director/special adviser of a mental health NHS Trust (2000-2006) and a special adviser to the Joint Committee on Human Rights during their inquiry concerning the human rights of adults with learning disabilities (see House of Lords, House of Commons, Joint Committee on Human Rights ‘A life like any other? Human Rights of Adults with Learning Disabilities’, Seventh Report of Session 2007-08, March 2008).

Camilla is the author of Adolescent Mental Health Care and the Law (LAG 2020) (see below). Described in one review as a ‘tour de force’, this book provides a resource for not only legal advisers such as those providing legal representation before the mental health tribunal, but also for non-lawyers, including professionals working in children’s services and mental health services (adult as well as children and young people’s services).

In March 2022 Camilla was made an Honorary Queen's Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in recognition for:

‘…her excellent contribution to the fields of mental health and mental capacity law, in particular the development of law and policy relating to the mental health care of children and young people. Her book on adolescent mental health care and the law addresses a highly complex area of law and is regarded as the authoritative handbook for judges, practitioners and health and social care professionals across England and Wales’.

Recent Publications

• (2024) Children’s Mental Health Care: Decision-making and human rights. In B.D. Kelly and M Donnelly eds. Routledge Handbook of Mental Health Law. Oxon and New York: Routledge pp. 149-165

• (2021)   Deprivation of Liberty, parental consent and the rights of the child. In:  B. Clough and J. Herring eds Disability, Care and Family Law. Oxon  and New York: Routledge. pp 99-119

• (2020)  Adolescent Mental Health Care and the Law. London: Legal Action Group

• (2020) Decision-making:  the legal framework. In S. Broach and L. Clements eds.  Disabled  Children: A Legal Handbook (3rd edn). London: Legal Action Group pp329-364.

What people say about Camilla:

"The course is very relevant to my practice as an AMHP and therefore has been really useful. Camilla is an excellent facilitator and extremely knowledgable regarding the MHA and demonstrates a lot of empathy for AMHPs and the decisions we need to make."

"Thank-you Camilla, The course was very informative and very well set out / easy to follow. I learned about the difference between working with adults and YPs which will be very helpful as we move forward as an authority to working through age."

"Really gave food for thought. looked at some really interesting case law and facts. excellent learning that was absolutely relevant to the role of an AMHP.

"All incredibly informative notably Ordinary residence The impact of covid nearest relative scenarios Really good interaction, benefitted form being a small group."

"Brilliant trainer and training. Thank you so much. I feel as though this course has given me clarity in dealing with s.117 in my role as a CPN"

"Camilla’s delivery of the material was exceptional. She took a rather complicated subject and made it understandable. Thank you"

"Discussions were very helpful. Camilla is very knowledgeable. Thank you!"

"Camilla was a fantastic trainer, inclusive, informative, relaxing nature and very knowledgeable."

"Trainer was very knowledgeable, clear and open to answering questions.

Very well presented, kept to time but answered questions thoroughly or signposted to other resources."

"Great presentation throughout with encouragement to participate."