Janet Cragg hosted a special day of Family Law training in Kenworthy’s Chambers for a group of trainee child and adolescent Psychiatrists. 

Not only this, but we also had the honour of hosting guest speaker Robert Lizar, Founder and Director of Robert Lizar Solicitors. Robert specialises in mental health law and the rights of patients, representing clients before Mental Health Review Tribunals and Hospital Managers’ hearings. 

We caught up with Janet to find out how the training was received.

The Family Law Barrister and Mediator described the training as “an enjoyable day with mutual learning.” She went on to say that “Robert shared his experience as a lawyer representing people detained under the Mental Health Act at Tribunals over several decades.” 

“He focused on some sticky issues and highlighted the need for us to be conscious of the power we have as professionals, especially around the issue of ‘insight’. We shared examples of times when ‘patients’ have been described as delusional, but when you unpicked the belief, there could be an alternative way to view it.

“For example, a person who was described as paranoid because they said they believed their food was being poisoned. It turned out that that person's wife had been doctoring his food, adding medication he was refusing to take to his food because she thought that would be good for him. So, their belief that their food was being poisoned was not necessarily a delusional one!

“Robert also highlighted that in his experience, professionals often make assumptions about people with mental health problems without asking additional questions.”

What learning did Janet Cragg take away from Robert Lizar’s training?

“We should always question ourselves and our outlook”, noted the expert in public law children proceedings. 

We asked Janet what her personal highlights were in hosting training for the trainee child and adolescent Psychiatrists. She responded in kind, by saying “Our newly qualified Family and finance Barrister Zahra Khan joined us in the afternoon when her case finished at the Civil Justice Centre and had her group in hysterics doing the role-play cross-examination exercise.

“Plus, our lovely Clerks kept us topped up with tea, coffee, and tasty morsels throughout the day, and it was a good opportunity for me to spend the day in our new Chambers, get to know the new building, and enjoy the comfy surroundings with great views of the town hall and Albert Square.”

Thanks to Janet Cragg for telling us about her experience hosting training at Kenworthy’s Chambers.  

Kenworthy’s Barristers also provides external training for legal professionals. Read Haroon Rashid Presents MBL Seminars Providing CPD for Solicitors for more.

To check the availability of Barrister Janet Cragg for your Family Law case, call our Family Clerks Courtney Richards and Daniella Howarth on 0161 832 4036, email Courtney@kenworthys.co.uk, Daniella@kenworthys.co.uk, or fill out our contact form.