Law Society Professional Training is to host a live webinar next month looking at the impact of legislation on assisted decision-making six months after it came into effect.

Any profits from the event will go to the Attracta O’Regan Ovarian Cancer PhD Scholarship.

The webinar takes place on 12 December (12.30pm to 1.30pm), and is worth one general CPD hour.

Early detection

Attracta O’Regan, the head of Law Society Professional Training, passed away in July 2023 because of complications relating to ovarian cancer. There is currently no accurate test for the early detection of this type of cancer.

In Attracta’s memory, her husband Ultan Bannon and family have partnered with Breakthrough Cancer Research to launch a research scholarship targeting the early detection of ovarian cancer.

Fund-raising now begins for the three-year €149,000 scholarship.

Ultan, their son Ian, and friends are cycling from Paris to Nice in September 2024 in memory of Attracta, as she completed this cycle in 2017, but also to raise money for this essential need in women's healthcare research.

Implications for practitioners

The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 commenced in April 2023 and had wide-ranging implications for practitioners.

The webinar will explore the practical effect on practice six months on, and will be an opportunity to hear from two expert practitioners with in-depth knowledge and experience of the new legislation:

• Áine Hynes (St John Solicitors) currently chairs the Law Society’s Mental Health Law and Capacity Taskforce, and has made extensive submissions to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on appropriate amendments to the 2015 legislation.
• Richard Hammond SC (Hammond Good Solicitors) is a member of the Council of the Law Society and has been involved in a number of its committees – including the Mental Health Law and Capacity Task Force.