Working in Court of Protection can involve significant responsibility from relatively early in your career.
Whether you’re supporting clients with property and financial affairs, working on complex deputyship matters or developing experience in health and welfare, the work requires technical knowledge, sensitivity and sound professional judgement.
And with ongoing client needs, important deadlines and detailed administrative responsibilities, it’s easy for your working week to become very busy.
But is that workload helping you develop the experience you’ll need for your next career step?
For junior and mid-level Court of Protection lawyers, it’s an important question to consider.
A busy caseload doesn’t always mean broader experience
Court of Protection work can be highly specialised, and there are many different ways to develop a successful career within it.
Some lawyers focus predominantly on property and affairs, managing finances, investments, property transactions and decisions on behalf of vulnerable clients.
Others develop expertise in health and welfare matters, including complex decisions about care, residence and capacity.
Depending on your role, you may also gain experience in contested applications, advocacy or working alongside litigation teams.
Specialisation can be a real strength. But it’s worth considering whether your current caseload is developing the skills you want for the future.
For example, if most of your time is spent on routine financial administration, are you also getting opportunities to understand the more complex legal and strategic aspects of deputyship work?
And if you’re interested in health and welfare or contentious Court of Protection matters, are there opportunities to gain exposure to that work?
What does valuable experience look like in Court of Protection?
That depends on the career you’re hoping to build.
For lawyers specialising in property and affairs, development might involve managing increasingly complex deputyship matters, dealing with significant assets, overseeing property transactions or developing greater independence in decision-making.
For those interested in health and welfare, valuable experience could include working on complex capacity disputes, contested applications or cases involving challenging care arrangements.
Advocacy experience may also be relevant for lawyers interested in developing a more contentious practice.
But progression isn’t necessarily about moving between every area of Court of Protection.
You might want to become a recognised specialist within property and affairs, develop expertise in a particular type of client work or move towards a supervisory or leadership position.
The important thing is understanding what experience will support your ambitions.
Are you developing professional judgement and autonomy?
One of the most important aspects of career development in Court of Protection is learning how to exercise professional judgement.
That goes beyond completing tasks or progressing matters efficiently.
Are you gaining confidence making recommendations, identifying risks and understanding the wider implications of decisions affecting vulnerable clients?
Do you have opportunities to work alongside experienced colleagues on complex matters?
Are you receiving feedback that helps you develop your judgement and take on greater responsibility?
Strong supervision is particularly valuable in this area of law. It should give you the support you need while gradually building your independence.
Is administration taking up too much of your time?
Administrative work is an essential part of many Court of Protection roles, particularly in property and affairs.
But it’s worth considering how your responsibilities are balanced.
If you’re spending most of your working week on routine tasks, you may have limited time to develop more complex legal skills, take on additional responsibility or gain exposure to different types of matters.
Of course, some Court of Protection professionals choose to build successful careers focused on specialist case management and financial administration.
The question is whether your current responsibilities align with the career you want.
If you’re hoping to develop towards a more technical legal role, it may be worth discussing opportunities to become involved in more complex applications, strategic decisions or specialist work.
What experience will you want to have in two years?
Imagine you’re considering a more senior Court of Protection position.
What would you want to demonstrate?
Perhaps greater independence managing complex deputyship matters, experience dealing with challenging capacity issues or confidence supervising junior colleagues.
Maybe you’d like to have developed a recognised specialism or gained experience in a different area of Court of Protection.
Consider whether your current caseload is giving you opportunities to build those skills.
If not, it doesn’t automatically mean you need to change firms.
A conversation about your development, additional training or a different balance of work may help you move in the right direction.
Understand your Court of Protection career options
Court of Protection careers don’t all follow the same route, and the experience needed for progression can vary considerably between firms and teams.
At Realm, our specialist Court of Protection recruiters understand those differences and can help you assess how your current experience aligns with your longer-term ambitions.
Whether you’re interested in developing your technical expertise, broadening your caseload or understanding your future progression options, we’re here to offer insight into your specialist market.
If you’d like to explore what valuable experience looks like in Court of Protection, get in touch for a confidential conversation. No CV is needed, and there’s no expectation that you’re looking to move.
