Merry is a solicitor in Frances Swaine’s team in the Human Rights department, and specialises in actions under the Human Rights Act 1988 and judicial review, with a particular interest in claims arising in a healthcare and social welfare context. Merry also specialises in inquests and bringing claims on behalf of immigration detainees
Merry is currently involved in a broad range of work including:
- Claims in the European Court of Human Rights relating to the right to respect for private and family life and the right to a fair trial
- Judicial review and human rights challenges to the manner in which do not resuscitate orders are implemented, including representation of David Tracey
- Judicial reviews of healthcare authorities in relation to level of care provided
- Judicial review, equality and human rights challenges in relation to discrimination based on disability and fertility
- Claims for compensation following assaults during deportation attempts
- Claims for compensation following abuse while in the care of a local authority
- Inquests including deaths overseas
- Complaints to the General Medical Council concerning professional misconduct of doctors, often in relation to elderly or disabled persons
Merry works with both individuals, on legal aid, no-win no fee and a private basis, and with charities and NGOs. Recently Merry has worked on a case for Mencap themselves, as well as receiving referrals from their community advisers.
Merry has worked on the following recent successes in the department:
- Overturning the Attorney-General’s refusal to grant permission for a second inquest and successfully securing a second inquest
- Securing national change to Police policy regarding the information given to sexual assault victims
- Obtaining a large compensation settlement for a family of refugees after they were unlawfully removed from the UK, assaulted during that removal and falsely imprisoned
- Obtaining multiple awards of compensation for disability discrimination in the provision of services
- Successfully challenging reductions in care provided to disabled children and securing higher level of care
- Securing compensation for a large number of care workers who were barred from working with vulnerable adults without a fair trial
- Securing compensation for the wrongful disclosure of personal information by a local authority
Merry qualified in 2004, having trained at Linklaters, who seconded her to both Mary Ward Legal Centre and Liberty's Human Rights Litigation Unit. Having qualified, Merry spent several years working at Liberty, the human rights organisation, and as a social welfare solicitor focusing on homelessness and access to healthcare. Merry joined Leigh Day & Co as a solicitor in 2007.
Contact details:
Merry Varney
Solicitor
T: 020 7650 1200
E: mvarney@leighday.co.uk