Casey has worked across a full range of serious and high profile cases and has earned a noteworthy reputation for exceptional client care. She has a particular interest in representing vulnerable or marginalised people. She is a member of Hodge Jones & Allen’s specialist Youth Court Team and regularly acts on behalf of children and young adults.

In this presentation, Casey provides an informative update on how lawyers working with children can build good, effective relationships with their clients. She explains how building trust is key, and how appropriate boundaries can be maintained while still being compassionate. She then goes on to outline different types of trauma, how to identify traumatise clients before providing practical tips on instructing experts (e.g. for medical reports), using evidence of trauma and safeguarding clients throughout the legal process.

Key words/topics:

Building good relationships with clients

Client control

Simple trauma

Complex trauma

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Traumatise clients

Auto-biographical memory

Dissociation

Hyperarousal

Resilience

Re-traumatisation

Trigger

Historic trauma

Impaired sense of safety

Uncontrolled emotions

The ‘welfare principle’ contained in the Children and Young Person Act 1933

Safeguarding