IMHL (formerly the Institute of Mental Health Law)
IMHL was founded in 1992 by Peter Edwards and Dave Sheppard. Over the years many thousands of delegates to IMHL events have learnt the practical application of mental health law. IMHL continues to deliver training based on the same successful format throughout England and Wales, and develop a number of new courses based on new developments in mental health law and the needs and requirements of organisations.
IMHL partners
Peter Edwards runs his own legal practice, Peter Edwards Law which obtained a ‘Category 1 Excellent’ Peer Review from the Legal Services Commission. The firm specialises in representing clients at Mental Health Review Tribunals, and litigation in relation to the civil rights aspects of mental health law, incapacity law and human rights. Peter has worked in this field for over 30 years. He was the chief Assessor for the Law Society of the Mental Health Review Tribunal Panel and a consultant to the World Health Organisation. He is a member of the human rights committee of the World Federation of Mental Health. He is a founder member of the Law Society Mental Health and Disability Committee, and is a member of the Law Society Mental Health panel. He was previously a legal member of the Mental Health Act Commission and chair of the mental health charity, Imagine. He is now their President. He was a member of the Law Society Mental Health Committee and President of the Mental Health Lawyers Association. He trains extensively in mental health law and is a director of NW Law conferences.
Dave Sheppard is an independent consultant who trains extensively on mental health law and practice. He left social work practice in 1989, having worked for 17 years in a variety of settings, including 12 years as a Mental Health Welfare Officer and Approved Social Worker, and as a manager. He worked for the next 3 years in the Legal and Parliamentary Unit of MIND. He has been a panel member on four inquiries following homicide and has conducted independent case reviews for both trusts and social services departments. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Mental Health Law and editorial consultant to Mental Health Law Reports.