As the UK gears up for Mental Health Awareness Week (May 12–18), Leicester-based solicitor Ranjit Thaliwal is using the occasion to speak candidly about his decades-long work in the field of mental health law, and the broader cultural conversations that are finally beginning to take shape—especially within South Asian communities.
Thaliwal, of Sikh heritage and born in Leicester to a working-class family originally from Punjab, was the first in his family to go to university. His father worked in a steel foundry, and for Thaliwal, the path into law began with a love for English. Originally drawn to criminal law, he spent more than a decade in that arena before finding his calling in mental health law. Today, his firm, Welford Solicitors, is a key player across the Midlands, representing individuals detained under the Mental Health Act.
Picture credit: Pukaar News
“Our clients are people who have been sectioned—detained in hospital against their will. That’s a very serious step for the authorities to take,” he explains. “When someone is brought from their home or a public place into a psychiatric unit, it can be traumatic. But they have rights. They have the right to challenge that decision.”
And that’s where Thaliwal and his team come in. In these cases, courts are brought into hospitals—an unusual reversal of the typical legal process—to determine whether a patient should remain detained or be discharged. It’s a system that demands both legal precision and deep compassion.
With more than 30 years in practice, Thaliwal has witnessed the slow but significant shift in public understanding of mental health—particularly among communities that have traditionally shied away from the subject.
“Mental health used to be underground—there was fear, stigma, and a lack of understanding,” he says. “In the Asian community, it was often locked away. Families would try to handle it internally, to keep it private. But that delay can make things worse.”
He recalls a powerful mental health awareness poster from the 1980s by the charity Mind. “It showed a man with a broken arm surrounded by visitors. The next image was the same man, but with depression, sitting alone. That contrast captures it perfectly—how we react to physical illness versus mental illness.”
Working in Leicester—a city known for its diversity—Thaliwal sees first-hand how cultural context can shape mental health experiences. “Leicester has a large BAME population, so we see people from all backgrounds. The causes of mental health crises are often the same—bereavement, relationship breakdown, financial stress, trauma—but there are cultural nuances that influence how people respond.”
Language barriers, mistrust of services, and lack of representation can all deepen those challenges. But Thaliwal is optimistic. He points to progress in both service provision and cultural openness.
“There are now fantastic local initiatives like the Adhar Project, right here in Leicester, that are culturally sensitive and know how to navigate those complexities. And nationally, groups like Mind and The Samaritans are doing vital work.”
Still, he believes real change requires action on both sides: “If you’re struggling, talk to someone—family, friends, professionals. And if someone you know is struggling, reach out to them. The worst outcome of untreated mental illness is suicide, and it’s still tragically common. Over 6,000 suicides in England and Wales each year—three quarters are men. That’s 19 lives a day.”
Welford Solicitors now has both a mental health department and a court protection department, and the work is demanding. Some cases take a week, others months. Many clients are “revolving door” patients, in and out of hospital repeatedly. Still, Thaliwal and his team remain committed.
“We can’t afford to be silent,” he says. “Awareness weeks like this are important. They put mental health in the spotlight, and they remind people that support is out there. Our message is simple: don’t wait for a crisis. Talk. Listen. Act.”
