Christopher Cuddihee

Chris qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and practiced as a solicitor for 12 years until he was called to the Bar. During his years as a solicitor he was a head of public law and mental health law in a major firm of solicitors in central London. He was a member of the Law Society's Mental Health Tribunal Panel. He joined Chambers in 2018.

Chris completed his LLB at the London School of Economics and completed a Masters in Law at University College London.

He has extensive experience in mental capacity law, civil litigation, mental health law, crime, judicial review, public law and community care. He has particular expertise representing vulnerable children, adults and their families.  This includes representation in the Crown Court and Magistrates Court.

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Court of Protection & Mental Health

Chris has extensive experience advising and representing adults and families in connection with mental capacity law matters. In 2010 he acted for Mark Neary, father of Steven Neary, in London Borough of Hillingdon v Neary [2011] EWHC 1377 which was the first reported challenge to a DOLS decision by a local authority.

He is familiar with the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. He regularly acts for families, local authorities and the Official Solicitor in relation to litigants lacking capacity. He is very experienced in ‘best interests’ cases relating to welfare, healthcare, residence, contact and deprivations of liberty (DOLS).

These are the reported cases I have been instructed on -

• OT (A Child) [2009] EWCA Civ 409

• RB (A Child) [2009] EWHC 3269 (Fam)

Judicial Review

Chris has extensive experience in judicial review and public law claims. He has acted for prisoners, mental health patients and others in claims against public bodies. He has particular expertise in tort actions and Human Rights Act claims, for example, relating to assaults or unlawful detention against public authorities including social services, the police, negligence by mental health professionals, and for misuse of private information. He has also successfully challenged decisions of lower Courts and Tribunals.

Chris has acted in a wide range of community care and social welfare cases representing disabled and other vulnerable adults and children in judicial review claims of public authorities. Those cases have involved children in need, children accommodated by local authority’s, access to healthcare and community care support, mental health after-care and challenges to refusals to fund or meet the care needs of individuals.

Prison Law

Chris regularly represents life-sentenced and other prisoners at oral hearings before the Parole Board, in disciplinary proceedings before the Independent Adjudicator and in connection with other legal issues such a categorisation.

Chris is happy to visit clients in prisons across the South West prior to any hearings.

General Crime

Chris has a wealth of experience representing defendants accused of a wide range of criminal offences from serious violence and sexual offences to driving and anti-social behaviour. As a solicitor he had extensive experience representing and advising clients at police stations. He has a very wide experience of all types of  Crown Court and Magistrates Court advocacy including bail applications, mitigation and contested trials.

DOLS in Care Proceedings

Chris has experience of representing clients in public law proceedings involving issues concerning Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (‘DOLS’).