Mamata Patel
Mamata is a consultant solicitor at Askews Legal LLP. She is a member of The Law Society Children Panel and an Accredited Specialist Member of Resolution.
Mamata was admitted as a solicitor in the year 2000. She has practised in criminal law, mental health and family law assisting clients with all issues relating to relationship breakdown as well as parents and family members who had involvement of social services.
Since 2007, Mamata has exclusively worked in children law cases dealing with family disputes relating to children as well as cases where the social services are involved with families. She represents parents, extended family members, children and young persons in both public and private law cases. Mamata has experience of working in cases involving adoption, special guardianship applications, care and placement proceedings to include cases involving injuries to children, cases with foreign elements, abduction, domestic violence, CSE, parents with learning difficulties and mental health.
Mamata trained and worked as a Family Mediator prior to qualifying as a solicitor, the practices and principles of which along with Resolution principles, she adopts in her everyday work. She firmly believes that a mediatory approach and a non-confrontational line of communication with legal representatives and parties in cases, can often achieve resolutions which are not only children focused but also allows for parents, family members and (where relevant) social services to forge a good working relationship to meet the needs of the children long term, long after the courts and solicitors roles have ended. Mamata has an ability to engage with young people whom she represents.
“An ability to connect with your clients is vital as well as using simple language and straight forward talking to ensure that clients not only understand the proceedings but further what needs to be done to include on their part, to achieve a positive outcome for children and families”.
Mamata is fluent in Gujarati and Urdu/Hindi and has a thorough working knowledge of cultural and religious practices within minority ethnic groups which has proved to be a vital tool when working with people of differing backgrounds. “This knowledge allows us to identify areas where questions need to be asked”
In her spare time, Mamata is active within the local community which often involves working in a team to organise events to raise awareness of issues including health to the wider community, women, the elderly, young people and those considered vulnerable. Mamata encourages her two children to participate in voluntary and charity work when they’re able to including helping the homeless as well as supporting a local West Midlands Charity – Cancer Brown Dog founded by her husband. Mamata is a school governor at a local school where she resides. In her spare time, Mamata relishes attending concerts and theatre with family and friends and learning about different countries which was kick started when she studied at Berlin University during the second year of her degree programme. At this time she also took the opportunity to back pack through Europe. In the past, Mamata has appeared in a local newspaper and took part in a radio programme to raise awareness of family mediation. She has also been on a television debate programme dealing with issues concerning young people and a contemporary dance programme on BBC 2 which ran for 6 weeks.
