Allison Knapp and Sarah White set up the medicolegal service for the Priory Hospital in Bristol in 1995 and when the Priory Group changed direction in 2003 to focus on other areas of psychiatric care, they found a gap in the market to branch out on their own.
As a result they set up MSS Medicolegal to continue providing the excellent medicolegal work of the many psychiatric experts who worked at the Priory.
Since 2003, the original panel of experts established at MSS Medicolegal has expanded and MSS intends to continue to expand both the range of expertise and the geographical area it covers.
Meet the team
Allison is passionate about everything Bristol, and is so proud of our arty and musical city. She had a varied working career before MSS, across private healthcare and sales.
Both directors cover all aspects of the business as well as focusing on the strategic and operational decisions of the company and ensuring that the company meets its statutory obligations. Allison also oversees new business opportunities.
Allison’s life is all about family, friends, travel and music. She enjoys getting away in her campervan at every opportunity, holidays, going to gigs, holidays, and, did we mention, holidays!
Sarah has worked within the psychiatric medical field for over 20 years, previous to that based within assurance services.
Both directors cover all aspects of the business as well as focusing on the strategic and operational decisions of the company and ensuring that the company meets its statutory obligations. Sarah also deals with legislation, GDPR and the financial side of the business.
Sarah is Bristolian through and through and has two gorgeous labradors who take up a large chunk of her spare time. Her other passions are live music in any format and, in common with her fellow founder Allison, lots of travel.
Ils is a Belgian national who has lived in Bristol for over 20 years, with previous jobs as varied as Chemical Engineer and Project Leader. She started at MSS in 2007 and has experience and knowledge in most roles within the company.
As Office Manager, Ils arranges the day to day business, working to accommodate the instructing solicitors with court deadlines quickly and within the timescales as efficiently as possible and ensuring a great quality of service.
In her spare time she enjoys walking her dog, cooking and dining with friends and travelling with her husband and daughter.
Zoe moved to Bristol in 2001 and started with us in 2014. She has varied past careers including research chemist, administrator in a local prison, Body Shop at Home consultant and a crochet business.
Zoe is responsible for handling the day-to-day communication and record keeping for a wide selection of our consultants, including all matters from instruction to confirmed appointment and beyond. She has a keen eye for detail and anticipating what information and paperwork is needed for consultants and instructing solicitors, which streamlines the process.
Currently living in Stoke Gifford with her husband and teenage children, in Zoe’s spare time you’ll find her mostly taxiing the children around, as well as running a local community craft group and volunteering at Bristol Goddess Temple.
Maria joined the team in 2013 and her role is to ensure the smooth running of appointments so that everyone involved knows when and where they need to be with all appropriate resources.
She is also responsible for prompting solicitors when fees are due for payment and providing a liaison service between solicitors and consultants to ensure payments are not missed, as well as sending remittances to consultants.
Born in Bristol, Maria spends most of her spare time running around the country for her youngest son’s football matches and occasionally keeping fit by running!
Amy joined the team in 2021 following 13 years in the financial sector. Branch based and head office combined, Amy is very experienced in dealing with people and with sensitive information.
Amy is responsible for handling the day-to-day communication and record keeping for a wide selection of our consultants, including all matters from instruction to confirmed appointment and beyond. She has a keen eye for detail and anticipating what information and paperwork is needed for consultants and instructing solicitors, which streamlines the process.
When not at work, Amy can be found at the park or a softplay with her two young children. In her spare time Amy enjoys baking and going out with her husband.
Jennifer joined MSS in May 2022 after taking a career break to raise her three children, she has previously worked for the Ambulance Service & with children with special educational needs.
Jennifer’s main responsibilities are to ensure all new instructions are processed correctly and efficiently, along with logging records and communications, and answering the phones.
In her spare time Jennifer can be found at her allotment or in the garden with her chickens & ducks, she also enjoys music festivals, camping & Yoga.
Emma Webb (Medicolegal Administrator)
Emma joined MSS in May 2023 after 7 years in the roofing department of a Facilities Management Company, where she carried out a variety of administrative tasks. Prior to that she worked for the Road Haulage Association, working alongside the compliance team.
Emma’s main role is to assist in the organising of conferences and appointments, answering the phones and working with our consultants to ensure they have what they need when they need it.
When not at work, Emma spends her time with her children and husband making the most of them being young and making lots of memories. They love their family camping trips and summer holidays. She is also a qualified freestyle dance teacher which she put on hold to raise her children.