Nicola Hawes
Nicola joined Wace Morgan in September 2004 and soon after became a Graduate Member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.
Upon completion of her exams and practical training requirements, Nicola qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive (FCILEx) in November 2010.
Nicola specialises in advising clients on:
- Community Care Law issues relating to adults, such as allocation of personal budgets, choice of accommodation being offered by Local Authority Social Services teams, direct payments, and issues arising in respect of discharge from hospital;
- Funding of long-term care issues, such as challenging requests by Councils for Third Party “Top Ups”, advising on Deferred Payment Agreements and navigating the means-tested financial assessment process;
- NHS Continuing Healthcare Appeals;
- Mental capacity law, drafting Lasting Powers of Attorney and Advanced Medical Decisions;
- Attorneyship administration.
Nicola is also a member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers, which is a national association of lawyers who are concerned with improving the availability of specialist legal advice to older and vulnerable people and their families.
She is friendly and approachable with a sympathetic and sensitive approach in dealing with elderly care matters.
When she is not busy working, she has been involved in supporting local charities and community groups in providing talks and information to support carers, patients and their families better understand their rights and to navigate what can be a very daunting and confusing system of care and support rules. She has also been involved in many local legal groups and had been Chairperson of CILEx Shropshire & Mid Wales Branch for a number of years.
“A real pleasure to have been a client of Nicola! A consummate professional, superb to have had her support. Can’t thank her enough!”
“My family and I had the absolute privilege to engage with the services of Nicola Hawes at Wace Morgan, and I can honestly say that the investment made was absolutely priceless! When it comes to Elderly Care and Care Funding, there are all sorts of things that one needs to be aware of in terms of the legislation, and Nicola was absolutely superb in advising and guiding us through the legislation, to make sure that we did not fall into the traps that so many people in the UK fall into when it comes to their options for elderly care and associated funding. Her expert and really clear advice and guidance ensured that we were able to afford and provide the appropriate level of care for our elderly loved ones. That advice is also combined with her compassion and complete understanding of what your loved ones are going through. Anyone who needs advice in this area absolutely MUST contact Nicola Hawes. As I said, the advice is priceless!”
“Over the last months, I have valued your support at such a difficult time and found it very reassuring that you were there with such real knowledge of the ‘system’ – to guide me through.”
“I wanted to thank you for all of the effort and professional advice you have given me over the past years during a time of much stress and confusion. You gave understandable and friendly advice which is so important in distressing circumstances and has been appreciated right to the end. I would certainly recommend you and Wace Morgan to all I know”.