A partner in a Newcastle law firm has been named as the Mental Health Lawyer of the Year at the 2012 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards.
Mike Bishop, a partner at David Gray Solicitors in Newcastle has been a mental health specialist throughout his career and has focused his work on helping people who have been detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Mr. Bishop represents patients at mental health review tribunal hearings, case reviews and manager review hearings.
Bishop said: “I am honoured and delighted to have received this award especially given the calibre of my fellow finalists.
“This award means a lot to me and I feel proud to have served the cause of publicly-funded legal services in the mental health field for over 15 years.
“I am grateful to everyone who supported my nomination and to my colleagues at David Gray for their support. This is a great tribute for the whole firm who all work hard to support the people that really need our help.”
The awards recognise those who have completed excellent legal work in the publicly funded sector and is organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.
Managing partner at David Gray LLP, Elspeth Thomson, said: “It is a testament to both his skill as a solicitor and his ongoing commitment to helping people suffering with mental health problems.”
“This prestigious award is a well deserved achievement and rightly recognises Mike as one of the UK’s leading mental health solicitors.”
Mental health professional Andrew Hope of the Northumberland Tyne and Wear Foundation National Health Trust supported Mr. Bishop’s nomination and said: “Mike’s reputation for representing and upholding the rights of detained patients in the region is well known, in fact I would go as far to say legendary.
“He is a great man who cares passionately for all people. He does not court awards or recognition and knows that a man is measured not by his wealth but his deeds.
“Nothing it appears has ever been a problem to Mike, whether it was working late into the night or giving up a weekend to visit a patient detained in hospital.”