Background:

Kate read history at St John's College, Cambridge. She converted to law at City University and then completed the BVC at ICSL. She was called by Lincoln's Inn in October 2003.

After interning in Washington, DC for a non-profit organisation, Kate completed a criminal law pupillage and practised in criminal law until 2008 when she went in-house to work for Berrymans Lace Mawer solicitors. At BLM Kate worked on all aspects of professional negligence law, specialising in police law.

In July 2010 Kate accepted tenancy at chambers.

Personal injury

Kate is happy to advise on liability and quantum in personal injury cases.

Police Law

With both criminal and civil experience, Kate has a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and issues facing police forces in today’s litigious world, and she has the benefit of having appeared in jury trials, the Court of Appeal and the High Court in both civil and criminal contexts.

Kate has an extensive practice in police work, comprising all manner of civil claims including claims for wrongful arrest, assault, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, discrimination and misfeasance in public office. She has dealt with cases involving deaths in custody and recently successfully applied for strike out of a case involving negligence, Article 2 and Article 8 claims arising from an alleged failure properly to protect a vulnerable young man who went missing. She deals regularly with human rights issues, in particular arising out of protest.

Kate has a high success rate in striking out unmeritorious claims at the earliest possible stage, and of obtaining civil restraint orders against vexatious serial litigants.

Kate also has wide experience of proceeds of crime work, ASBOs (including multi-handed gang applications), SOPOs, Police Property Act claims and closure orders from both criminal and civil law perspectives, both in the first instance and on appeal.

Kate regularly advises and lectures on police policy, topical policing issues and key areas of new and established law, including police powers relating to protest and trespassory assemblies, disclosure and data protection, and the taking, retention and use of photographs without arrest or charge. Kate frequently contributes to chambers police law publications.

Inquests

Kate acts in inquests and has dealt with cases involving the particular vulnerabilities of the mentally ill and the impact of this on police powers and duties.

Employment

Kate has worked on cases involving unfair dismissal, discrimination and equal pay in a general employment context and specifically in the police field.

Licensing

Kate has experience of a variety of licensing areas. She regularly appears in taxi licensing, firearms licensing and alcohol and gambling licensing cases in both the magistrates’ and Crown courts and at licensing hearings before local councils.

Kate provides advice and representation at the first instance or on appeal, and has a particular expertise in firearms licensing.

Discipline

Kate has a strong practice in police disciplinary cases and regularly appears as presenting officer and as legal adviser to the panel. She deals with cases from their earliest stages, from initial advice and drafting the Regulation 21 notice through to misconduct hearings and to the Police Appeals Tribunal..

Kate has been commended on her witness handling in misconduct proceedings and was recently praised by the panel for her presentation of a high-profile case involving five Merseyside Matrix officers dismissed for gross misconduct following improper and unprofessional behaviour during a search.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14400790

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16043662

Kate was the presenting officer in the recent and widely reported case involving a Metropolitan Police officer dismissed without notice for seriously mishandling 999 calls.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/25/999-calls-met-officer-sacked?INTCMP=SRCH

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15445257

Kate also has experience of cases at the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal, and is a member of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers

Education

ICSL 2002-2003

City University 2001-2002

St John's College, Cambridge 1997-2000

Parrs Wood High School, Manchester 1995-1997

Tring School, Hertfordshire 1990-1995

Memberships

South Eastern Circuit, Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers, Professional Negligence Bar Association, Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association.

Interests

Reading, travel, rollercoasters, theatre