Louise Bragg
Principal AssociateBiography
Louise qualified as a solicitor in 2010, having completed her training contract in local government. She joined Weightmans in May 2022.
Louise began to specialise in child protection matters as a trainee solicitor and has since worked in-house as a solicitor at Wirral Borough Council, Wigan Borough Council and Lancashire County Council.
Her breadth of authentic local authority experience gives her exceptional insight into local authority structure and function, and a true understanding of the pressures, procedural requirements and constraints that local authority legal and social work teams face on the ground.
Louise is experienced in advising on a wide range of issues, from neglect to more complex cases involving non-accidental injuries, parental alienation and cases with an international element.
Louise is professional, friendly and approachable, and is able to establish excellent working relationships with social care client departments and legal professionals alike.
Louise is flexible and creative in her approach to her work, being well aware that there cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ approach in this area of law.
Louise is an experienced advocate and demonstrates excellent attention to detail when drafting court orders, thresholds and other important documents.
Louise is able to advise and act on a wide range of instructions, including:
- Legal planning meetings
- Threshold
- General advice
- Pre-proceedings
- Care planning
- Care proceedings
- Emergency Protection Orders
- Private law matters
- Placement Orders and Revocation of Placement Orders
- Adoption
- Contact
- Designation
- Secure accommodation
- Fostering
- Advising local authority panels
- Deprivation of liberty
- Independent advice to IROs
Louise also has a keen interest in education matters and has previously been the lead legal advisor for a local authority in respect of school attendance procedures and prosecutions. She also has experience in advising schools in respect of child protection matters, and assisting with admission appeals and SEND matters.
