Withers Worldwide

Elder law deals with the legal issues affecting older and vulnerable people and their families, carers, trustees and advisers. It is a rapidly expanding and changing area, and the laws and regulations governing it are becoming increasingly complex. Our practice advises on a wide range of legal issues and through our work with Solicitors for the Elderly we have helped develop elder law.

Working with lawyers in our wealth planning team, we are able to help clients with all aspects of estate and tax planning using Wills, trusts and lifetime giving.  We advise on Powers of Attorney and applications to the Court of Protection, and members of the elder law team act in contentious Court of Protection matters for older clients, their families and other parties involved, including charities. 

One area of particular strength is in matters relating to older people’s mental capacity for taking legal decisions; we are also skilled in the provision of advice concerning advance decisions, to refuse medical treatment known as Living Wills.

We have a diverse client base of older people and their families and carers, as well as trustees, executors, charities and other professional groups linked with them. As a law firm with offices in Europe, the US and Asia, we are ideally placed to help the large proportion of our clients who have interests internationally.

Matters relating to the legal ‘best interests’ of older people have the potential to be divisive, upsetting and contentious. Our elder law practice prides itself on handling such situations with sensitivity and compassion and in finding practical solutions to problems.