Philip, a Chartered Legal Executive, specialises in advising parents and carers of disabled and vulnerable individuals with planning for the future. He has been practising law for over 35 years and is recognised as a leading expert in private client law by prestigious publications Chambers UK and Legal 500.
Getting to know each and every family he works with, Philip is considered one of the leading experts in his field nationwide. He combines his extensive legal experience with compassion and a skill in delivering straightforward, transparent advice to guide and support his clients.
He is passionate about empowering families and carers of disabled and vulnerable individuals, and championing their interests. Launching the Child Trust Fund Access Campaign in 2016, Philip continues to campaign for how CTFs are accessed by disabled young adults who lack mental capacity, and has been interviewed across national television, print and digital media extensively about this issue calling for change.
He regularly speaks at and holds webinars and events on behalf of many local and national charities including Mencap, Contact, RETT, Sense and Born at the Right Time. He also works with National Autistic Society, and others, on resources and projects to help expand access to specialist legal advice for families.
Philip holds the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients, a certification held by only specialist lawyers. He also holds a number of additional specialist memberships, including The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (ALL) and the Law Society Private Client Section.
Philip is chair of the STEP Sussex branch.
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2024 reports:““Philip is fantastic. He is professional, understanding, caring and knowledgeable and never makes you feel silly for asking questions.”
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2023 reports:“Philip has such a unique and expansive breadth of knowledge, compassion and professionalism in the area of disability. He is irreplaceable. I cannot praise or recommend him highly enough.”
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2022 reports: “Philip Warford is “an excellent practitioner and expert within the field of vulnerable persons,” says a source. An interviewee notes that Warford is “highly professional, approachable, and has the ability to focus on what needs to be done rather than noise that might be presented,” adding: “He is able to deal with complex matters.”
The Legal 500 2025 reports: “Philip Warford truly is an outstanding lawyer. It is very rare to find someone with all the qualities he has. He is highly professional, discreet, and exceptionally empathetic and incredibly knowledgeable in his field. You feel you are in very safe and knowledgeable hands with him and having him advocating for you provides a reassurance which is immeasurable. He is very easy to talk to and approach with any issue and also can refer to services out of his field which relate to the needs of families. He is passionate about making a difference not only to individual families, but to the disabled community as a whole. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”
The Legal 500 2024 reports: “This team offers an exceptional service to both private clients, and professionals who advise private clients, and has a particular expertise in advising vulnerable persons and those with learning disabilities. Advice is given on time and is cost effective.”
The Legal 500 2023 reports ‘What makes the practice unique is their sector focus. The firm concentrates on providing legal services to assist the disabled and vulnerable and they are good at it. They have a deeper knowledge of their field than other practitioners I have met.’
The Legal 500 2022 reports that Philip is “excellent at putting vulnerable people at ease.”
“Philip Warford is “an excellent practitioner and
expert within the field of vulnerable persons,”
If you were not a lawyer what job would you do?
Criminal psychologist. I find studying human behaviour really interesting, particularly in a criminal context when you can profile an offender.
If you were given a day off work where would we find you?
If I could click my fingers and be there, a remote beach with no wifi connection. In the real world, probably at the gym.
What can you do that no one else in the office can do?
The human flag. I set myself the goal of achieving something new each year after my 50th birthday and this was set on my 51st birthday. My next goal is training to walk on my hands.
If you could go back in history to a specific date or time, what would it be?
I’d go back to the moment when my grandmother saw a moving picture on a TV for the first time. I was told that she used to look around the TV to find out where the voices were coming from.
Where in the world would you most like to visit?
The Great Barrier Reef before we do too much damage to it, and to swim there in a shark tank.
