# Solicitor's attendance at s117 meeting for patient who lacks capacity

**URL:** <https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/solicitors-attendance-at-s117-meeting-for-patient-who-lacks-capacity/4338>\
**Category:** Mental Health Act\
**Created:** [5 October 2025 07:31 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/solicitors-attendance-at-s117-meeting-for-patient-who-lacks-capacity/4338 "2025-10-05T07:31:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MetaphorMuse](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MetaphorMuse](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/u/MetaphorMuse)\
**Post date:** [5 October 2025 07:31 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/solicitors-attendance-at-s117-meeting-for-patient-who-lacks-capacity/4338/1 "2025-10-05T07:31:28Z")

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Where a person lacks capacity and is represented by a solicitor, should that solicitor be formally invited to attend the Section 117 aftercare meeting to ensure their legal rights and best interests are upheld?

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**Author:** ![CaptainWalker](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/user_avatar/forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/captainwalker/32/159_2.png) [@CaptainWalker](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/u/CaptainWalker)\
**Post date:** [5 October 2025 13:55 UTC](https://forum.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/t/solicitors-attendance-at-s117-meeting-for-patient-who-lacks-capacity/4338/2 "2025-10-05T13:55:17Z")

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That would seem sensible to me. But then again I am not ‘everybody’, nor is everybody me.

I invite solicitors anyway even if patients are not of capacity, to S117 meetings - and some invite themselves.

If there are written rules about this, I’d like to learn more.