Nancy Collins

Nancy acts for families bereaved by deaths in custody or state care, prisoners and those who have suffered an injustice by public authorities. She has particular expertise in acting for people with learning disabilities who have suffered an abuse of their rights whilst detained or in the care of the state.

Nancy represents people who seek to hold to account those acting on behalf of the state. She has particular expertise in representing people whose loved ones have died in state care or detention, those who suffer injustice in prison and individuals with learning disabilities who are caught up in the criminal justice system.

Nancy specialises in acting for individuals with learning disabilities who have become caught up in the criminal justice system, people who have suffered discrimination on grounds of race, gender and disability, prisoners and the families of people who have died in police or prison custody or in mental health detention. She has a particular interest in challenging unlawful decisions by public authorities on behalf of political or campaigning groups in any of these areas.

After qualifying as a solicitor at Clifford Chance in 2000 Nancy moved to Liberty where she gained experience of claims against prison authorities, the police and deaths in custody. She became the senior solicitor at the Prisoners’ Advice Service in 2001 where Nancy developed her expertise in prison law. In 2007 She joined Bhatt Murphy Solicitors where over the course of 6 years Nancy expanded her knowledge of prison law, civil claims against detaining authorities and inquests.

Nancy joined the public law team as an Associate at Irwin Mitchell LLP in 2012 where she headed up the civil liberties team and worked on complex inquests into the deaths of individuals with learning disabilities held in mental health detention, claims against the police and public law challenges. Nancy joined Hodge Jones & Allen in 2016.