Claire Christopholus

About me

I’m a legal director in the firm’s Healthcare and Public Law team with a broad portfolio of clients spanning NHS trusts, NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and independent health providers.

My breadth of knowledge in complex and sensitive areas of healthcare law is coupled with prior experience as a litigation solicitor, which gives me a unique edge when it comes to providing holistic advice to my NHS and independent healthcare clients. I specialise in mental capacity law, deprivation of liberty, mental health law, inherent jurisdiction applications, complex hospital discharges, inquests, inquiries, patient safety reviews and NHS commissioning disputes.

I work alongside our clients with a ‘one-team’ mentality – while clients instruct me for my professional expertise, they know they can also rely on me to be empathetic, responsive, approachable and creative in finding solutions. The most rewarding aspect of my work is that all sides – whether that’s public bodies or those representing patients or service users – are working to achieve the best outcome.

My experience

• Represented the NHS Trust in Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust -v- PP [2025] EWHC 783 (Fam) – a High Court application for anticipatory declarations for treatment of an unborn child.
• Represented an ICB and private care provider in ICB -v- G & Ors [2024] EWCOP 13 – a lengthy fact-finding hearing heard by Mr Justice Hayden.
• Represented the NHS Trusts in Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust -v- KT & Ors [2023] EWCOP 46 / VA, Re (Medical Treatment) [2023] EWCA Civ 1190 – both concerning withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.
• Represented the NHS Trust in Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust -v- JS & Anor (Schedule 1A Mental Capacity Act 2005) [2023] EWCOP 33 – concerning the deprivation of liberty of a 17 year old and the interface between the MCA/MHA.
• Represented the NHS Trust in The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust -v- T & Anor [2023] EWCOP 20 – an application concerning obstetric treatment.

Awards and accolades

• The Legal 500: Rising Star (2020 – 2024)
• Liverpool Law Society Junior Lawyer of the Year: shortlist (2020)