HJA Solicitor chairs Youth Practitioners Debate on Appropriate Adults

Laura O’Brien, Criminal Defence Solicitor will be chairing a roundtable discussion on ‘Current Ways of Working’ addressing the representation of vulnerable clients at the police station through the pandemic. Laura will be joined by Chris Bath, Chief Executive of the National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN), Grev Wallington, Practice Manager of the NAAN and Gavin Kendall, police station representative and fellow Youth Practitioners’ Association committee member for the first in a three part series of webinars. The sessions will cover:

• Working with the police station custody protocol: when interviews should not take place, getting the best results when representation is remote, broadening consideration of situations when physical attendance justified.
• Getting the best out of appropriate adults: identifying the most ‘appropriate’ appropriate adult, limitations on the appropriate adult scheme and working within the limitations.
• Vulnerability beyond age: addressing communication needs, importance of recording additional vulnerabilities, a broader concept of vulnerability for adults.

The panel discussion, which takes place on Wednesday, 2 December, will be followed by a Q&A session. It is hoped the event will attract a cross-section of people working within the criminal justice system. Book here:

https://youthpractitionersassociation.co.uk/events

The aim of the Youth Practitioners Association is to encourage and maintain high standards of advocacy and practice from the police station to the High Court and to support, assist and educate those who represent young people in the criminal justice system.

Laura O’Brien is an Associate at Hodge Jones & Allen and a dedicated criminal defence lawyer. She has a particular interest in representing children and young adults and is committed to minimising the impact that any contact with the criminal justice system on young people.