Pinsent Masons Partner Suffered 'Acute Mental Health Crisis' Before Death, Coroner Says

Vanessa Heap, also known as Ford, had consumed "a significant amount of alcohol" prior to her death, according to the coroner.

A Pinsent Masons partner’s death in September 2023 occurred following an “acute mental health crisis”, a coroner’s inquest ruled on Monday.

Vanessa Ford, known professionally as Vanessa Heap, died on September 23, 2023, after being reported missing from her home earlier that same day.

In his conclusion, Ian Potter, assistant coroner for Inner North London, said that the medical cause of death was “multiple traumatic injuries” incurred following a fall onto train tracks and a subsequent collision with a train.

The coroner, in his short narrative conclusion, said that the death occurred after Ford had consumed “a significant amount of alcohol while undergoing an acute mental health crisis”. The court also heard evidence that Ford contacted a private health care provider in the hour before her death to seek help for alcohol consumption.

However, the coroner expressed that while there was “no doubt” that Ford had “taken her own life”, there was “insufficient evidence” that she fully intended to take her own life.

The inquest also heard from Pinsent Masons’ head of finance and restructuring, Matthew Morgan, who outlined the firm’s mental health provisions, in particular mentioning access to a 24 hour mental health helpline.

Managing partner at Pinsent Masons, Laura Cameron, said: “Vanessa was a talented and inspiring woman who was highly respected and admired by her colleagues and clients at Pinsent Masons. She is deeply missed. Our thoughts remain with her husband, sons, family and friends after their devastating loss.”

Ford’s death in the Hackney area of London was first described by Pinsents as a ‘fatal accident‘, wording which was later changed to ‘incident’.

Ford, who had been at Pinsents for 12 years, had played a key role on the sale of Everton football club shortly before her death.

The inquest heard that she had enjoyed a celebratory lunch in Manchester to toast the completion of the deal the day before her death.

A document published to Companies House shows that Heap had changed her name to Ford.

Ford started her career at legacy firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, now Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, where she remained for seven years and initially made partner, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In a LinkedIn tribute, the firm described Heap as “a talented and inspiring colleague”. According to the tribute, Heap is immediately survived by her husband and two young sons.

In October, a Pinsents’ spokesperson said that in the aftermath of the death the firm had been providing counselling and support to its people.