Sophy Miles retires from Miles & Partners

Sophy Miles, founding Partner and Head of Miles & Partners Mental Health team, has announced that, as of the 11th of October 2012, she will cease to be a designated member of Miles & Partners LLP and will be retiring from the partnership of the firm. Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year winner in 2010 Sophy has been a partner in the firm since its inception in December 1995 and was also Managing Partner until that role was taken up by Kate Hammond in 2011. In her time with the firm Sophy has been involved in several high profile cases, the most widely reported being London Borough of Hillingdon and Stephen Neary by his litigation friend the Official Solicitor) and Mark Neary and the Equality and Human Rights Commission [2011] – a landmark case concerning Deprivation of Liberty safeguards.

Whilst Sophy will cease to be a full time caseworker and lay down her partnership responsibilities, she will continue her work as a Mental Health Tribunal judge and continue to work with Miles & Partners serving our clients in the role of consultant attached to the Mental Health Department.

“This arrangement is a departure for the firm insofar as it is the first time for Miles & Partners that a partner has stepped down and continued to work in the team in a different role and, as such, is a very positive development for the future,” said Kate Hammond, Managing Partner.

Miles & Partners Associate, Floyd R Porter F.CILEX, has been appointed joint head of the Mental Health Department and will lead that team alongside Sophy until she steps down as head and takes up her new role in October when Floyd will replace her as Head of the Mental Health Department.

In line with Miles & Partners’ succession policy Sophy’s departure from the partnership has also lead to a widening of the involvement of other existing members of the management team in developing the practice and leading the business forward into the future.

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