Michael Sheehan, who joined Blocks in 1993 and is a partner in the firm, has recently been accorded the privileged status of Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Rights (Civil)) by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Michael will now be able to take cases through to the Court of Appeal and House of Lords should the circumstances and the cost justify it. “I am delighted to have been awarded this status,” commented Michael. “This means I can now accept instructions from clients and see the case through to trial or appeal in the higher courts. This will see continuity of service to my clients and avoid having to instruct a Barrister who may not have the experience or knowledge of the case that I do. We build relationships with our clients from the outset and it is good for them to know that they will have an informed choice to instruct us to see the case through or still brief a barrister if it is felt necessary.”
There is much talk and coverage in the media at present that the increase in the number of Solicitor-Advocates could be a threat to the existence of an independent Bar. However the feeling at Blocks is that there is still the need for specialist expertise and flexibility that the Bar can offer
Michael is a specialised litigation lawyer dealing with childcare and personal injury work. He is a longstanding member of the Law Society’s Children Panel as well as being a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
Senior Partner of Blocks, Ben French, commented: “We are privileged that we are now the only firm in Suffolk to have two solicitors with Higher Rights of Audience in the Civil Courts. Both Michael, and Martin Iller, who also has this status, will make us better equipped to deal with our clients needs, becoming involved in a case at a much earlier stage then would normally be the case when dealing with a barrister.”
