Gabriella Isamah-Opene

Gabriella Isamah-Opene qualified as a solicitor on the 15/12/09 specialising in Mental Health and Capacity Law. She is aware that mental health issues can affect any one of us at any time in our lives. She became interested in mental health law because she is passionate about helping vulnerable individuals with mental health needs who are unable to communicate their wishes effectively by themselves. She ensures that such individuals are treated fairly, whilst strongly defending and protecting their rights.

Gabriella joined TV Edwards LLP in September 2019. Prior to joining TV Edwards LLP, Gabriella worked as an Associate Mental Health Solicitor and helped set up the mental health department in another Legal 500 law firm in South East London. She has been a member of the Mental Health Panel Accreditation Scheme since December 2012. This means that she is a specialist within this particular area of law. In total, Gabriella has more than 15 years’ experience representing vulnerable individuals subject to the Mental Health Act provisions.

Gabriella has a vast amount of experience representing clients in Mental Health Tribunal hearings. She also has extensive experience of providing advice and assistance before Hospital Managers’ hearings, Care Pathway Approach meetings and generally in respect of mental health patients both in and out of hospital. She has dealt with aftercare arrangements and complex forensic cases. Gabriella has also represented the relatives of and those individuals subject to the Deprivation of Liberty safeguards. She has been regularly appointed by the Mental Health Tribunal Service to represent patients who lack capacity to instruct a solicitor.

Working with particularly sensitive clients including minors and the elderly Gabriella has proven herself able to maintain a confident and professional service. She places great importance on ensuring a good rapport with her clients from the outset. She believes that a good working relationship results in the best outcome for clients and having their objectives met. She is able to work effectively with both her clients and mental health professionals to ensure these positive outcomes and provides detailed advice to her clients on a regular basis to help ensure their objectives are met quickly.

Gabriella was appointed a Legal Aid Peer Reviewer in Mental Health law in 2017. This means she is trusted by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) to carry out file reviews of other law firms to ensure standards of high quality across the profession. Her own case work is produced to the same high standard expected by the LAA in the pursuance of representing her clients to the best of her abilities.

Priding herself in excellent client care and providing a sensitive client focused approach Gabriella feels it is important to find out what her clients are seeking from the outset and to work together with them to see how that can be best achieved. She spends time with her clients to obtain their detailed instructions and to keep them fully informed as their case progresses. She finds that creating a long-term professional relationship with her clients is extremely beneficial to fostering trust and understanding. This also allows her clients to be able to call on her whenever needed and she will respond quickly to their needs. She always undertakes her own mental health case load and endeavours to represent all her clients personally.

Gabriella is an avid supporter of cancer research and has fundraised for McMillan and Cancer Research. She has actively participated in a number of running events to raise funds and awareness for mental health charities.

Awards

Gabriella has been acknowledged as a Rising Star in Mental Health in the Super Lawyers Magazine for 2014 and 2015 as recognised by Thomson Reuters.

Panel Memberships

• Mental Health Panel Accreditation Scheme since December 2012

Associations, Committees and Rep Groups

• Member of the Mental Health Lawyers Association
• Foundation Governor for a London Borough of Croydon School (she sits in the Education Admissions and Resources Committees and is Chair for the Ethos committee)

Languages

• Fluent English
• Fluent Ibo
• Basic German

Recommendations

“Gabriella is a good listener and pays attention to the smallest detail. I was very impressed with the representation provide.”

– Client

“Gabriella is committed to her clients and working in their best interests.”

– Mental Health Tribunal Judge

“I have been discharged and would like to update you. I really honestly appreciate your assistance in my case and will never forget it.”

– Client

“If I ever need help in the future I will certainly get in touch, and i know at least 4 other people that often find themselves in similar circumstances to what I did, so you cab be assured, that as much as I would rather the people I care about did not find themselves as I did, I shall be highly recommending your services to them, and anyone else I come to know in the future. I’m pretty good when it comes to reading people, and it was immediately apparent to me the first time we spoke, that the high pressured job you do, has not dehumanised you (as it is often the case with many solicitors) but done the very opposite! You are a true empath, and the empathy you have with your clients is remarkably beautiful, and I am truly grateful to have come to know you in this small but special way. I worked for 3 different attorneys when I lived in Florida as both a paralegal and legal secretary, so I’m speaking from a place of which I am very knowledgeable, which is why I can make the comments about you that I have.”

– Client

“Gabriella Isamah-Opene enabled me to have a Mental Health Tribunal, and personally came to the ward to speak to me. I felt reassured and continue to be grateful to her, and Kerry Lynch, for their representation, during a frightening time.“

– Client

“Dear Gabriella, Your kind advice to me last week was invaluable. I followed your counsel and pleased to let you know I was released from the Section 52. Hopefully my mid life blip is behind me. I thank you so much.”

– Charlie Hockley