A SENIOR partner at Sale-based Slater Heelis LLP has been handed a prestigious appointment to join the panel of Court of Protection Deputies by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

Chris Partington, who is also head of private client at Slater Heelis, has been invited to join the panel of expert Court of Protection Deputies following a rigorous selection process.

The position as one of only 60 appointed deputies in the UK serves as recognition of his continued and valuable work in the private client – and specifically Court of Protection – sector, together with his handpicked Court of Protection team at Slater Heelis.

The OPG is a government agency, which protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves. The appointment will allow Chris to continue and expand his work acting on behalf of the elderly and otherwise vulnerable or incapacitated individuals.

Chris said: “I’m thrilled to have received such high recognition for practice in an important area of law. I am able to make a real difference to the lives of underrepresented people and I’m honoured to have been awarded a position that will allow me to advance this offering.”

Chris, who joined Slater Heelis at the start of his legal career in 2003, was chosen to join the panel following an extensive four-stage selection process. Competing with over 900 registered applicants, he secured his position on the panel through the demonstration of his advanced knowledge, experience and commitment to client care.