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Maria Mercedes Palomares is the partner in overall charge of our housing, public law and community care work. Maria specializes in access to housing and social services with focus on the rights of disabled people, migrant workers and asylum seekers. She has particular experience in representing mentally incapacitated people.

Maria was born in Colombia. After studying sociology she obtained post-graduate qualifications in the UK in welfare economics and housing/planning and trained as a social worker. She set up community organisations for Latin American women and has been involved in promoting the rights of migrant and refugee women as well as the promotion of international human rights.

From 1983 onwards Maria was employed in law centres as a housing adviser before becoming involved in setting up Ole Hansen and Co and qualifying as a solicitor in 1996. She is currently a Member of Human Rights Committee of the Law Society.