Brain Injury Training for Solicitors

APIL Accredited – Equivalent to 2.5 CPD points

About the Trainers

Diane Watson is a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist and Practice Educator with over 25 years’ experience working with adults with Acquired Brain Injury. She has particular expertise in Alcohol-Related Brain Damage (ARBD), including developing community outreach services, contributing to published research with Queen’s University Belfast, and working with the UK ARBD Network on national guidance for ARBD management.

Training Description

Our Brain Injury Training for Solicitors provides legal professionals with essential knowledge about acquired and traumatic brain injuries, their causes, and their wide-ranging impact on individuals, families, and society. This course is designed to junior solicitors or solicitors with limited experience in working with brain injury survivors.

The course places particular emphasis on the continuum of care, exploring the medical, rehabilitative, social, and vocational considerations that should be weighed when assessing the extent of loss and the level of support required. It also examines the economic implications of brain injury, including considerations around return to work and long-term rehabilitation needs.

Through a structured and practical approach, the training supports solicitors to better understand the complexities of brain injury, enhancing their capacity to represent and support clients effectively in legal and compensation contexts.

All participants will receive a digital handout covering the session’s topics.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand key statistics relating to acquired and traumatic brain injury

• Describe the foundations of brain anatomy relevant to injury and function

• Understand common mechanisms of brain injury

• Understand the medical treatment pathway from injury through to discharge

• Gain a foundational understanding of neuroimaging and its role in brain injury

• Recognise commonly used neuropsychological screening tools (e.g. ACE, FAB)

• Identify hidden cognitive difficulties, including fatigue, attention, memory, and executive functioning impairments

• Understand long-term rehabilitation needs and the continuum of care

• Recognise the role of vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work considerations

• Apply this knowledge when assessing loss, care needs, and compensation claims