Call: 1994
Her standing in the professional negligence field is demonstrated by her nomination as Professional Negligence Junior of the Year 2026 by Legal 500 (and classification as a leading junior). The latest edition states “Kate manages situations with confidence and aplomb, providing reassurance, focus and firm guidance. Kate rises to the challenge of the unexpected, relishing the creative freedom and nailing her client’s objectives every time.”
Her professional negligence expertise covers most of the main professions, with particular emphasis on those involving solicitors, architects and engineers; but also surveyors, barristers and financial advisers. She is well versed in both advising at the pre-action stage and acting in litigation.
Kate is also ranked by Legal 500 as a leading junior in insurance, her practice in which is varied and extensive. In recent years, she has undertaken substantial repeat acting for a major insurer; a company engaged in managing insurance portfolios in run-off; and a company engaged in acting for policyholders in relation to both claims and policy renewal. That (ongoing) experience embraces advising on coverage-related issues of insurance law and policy interpretation; drafting revisions to policy wording as part of renewal negotiations; as well as assisting in the analysis and presentation of claims, not least regarding a number of business interruption policies in light of the FCA v Arch decision and subsequent jurisprudence.
As regards her wider commercial experience, Kate has deep and longstanding expertise in commercial litigation in a variety of contexts (including advising at the pre-action stage). She has recently appeared as junior counsel for a major energy supplier in a trial of four lead “energy commission” cases, successfully defending the SMEs’ claims for commission paid to brokers in relation to their energy supply. She is also instructed by the same energy supplier in respect of the related claims being pursued against it.
Kate undertakes financial services work, and has recently acted both for the FCA and for companies seeking advice on regulatory issues. She was junior counsel for the FCA in a recent three week final hearing before the Upper Tribunal, successfully resisting challenges by two individuals and a bank against Decision Notices imposing lifetime bans and financial penalties arising out of the preparation of a plan to destabilise a Middle Eastern economy by unlawful means. She has also advised a number of companies regarding compliance with FCA regulations.
Further, Kate has been engaged by two major retail banks in respect of two separate FCA Reviews, namely the review into mis-sold interest rate hedging products, where she advised on numerous consequential loss claims; and the review into one bank’s business support unit, where she was part of a panel determining appeals brought by customers against the bank’s determination of its claims under the review. She has also acted a number of times for respondents facing complaints to the Financial or Legal Ombudsman.
Kate has a broad and well-established professional negligence practice, as set out below.
Claims against solicitors
Claims against barristers
Claims against engineers
Claims against architects
Other construction-related claims
Claims against financial advisers
Claims against surveyors
Kate has considerable experience in the insurance field on a wide-ranging basis, as set out above.
Acting for a major construction company in relation to multiple (ongoing) claims regarding rectification of fire safety defects as a result of the Grenfell tragedy.
Advising the same construction company in relation to renewal of its Crime, D&O and Third Party Liability policies and drafting revisions to same.
Acting for claimants in (ongoing) claim against insurer arising out of storm and subsidence damage to residential property.
Advising a major insurer regarding the merits of application of a proportionate remedy in the context of a substantial personal injury claim.
Acting for a market-leading institutional investment platform in relation to three separate claims under its PI policy arising out of trades made in the period following the October 2022 mini-budget.
Undertaking a review of the Covid-19 business interruption claims brought against a major insurer.
Acting for subsidiary of major hotel chain in claim arising out of destruction by fire of a warehouse in Belgium.
Acting for insurers in relation to a substantial claim for indemnity arising out of the destruction by fire of claimant’s specialist car restoration business.
Acting for insurers in claim arising out of fatal accident at work.
Acting for insured in a potential claim for indemnity arising out of an unfair prejudice petition (“the petition”) proceeding in the High Court against the insured.
Challenging Covid-19 business interruption insurer declinature on behalf of various policyholders, including an international airport authority and a garden centre business with numerous locations throughout the UK.
Challenging insurer declinature in respect of various other (non-BI related) claims, including a major demolition company facing an adjudication arising out of asbestos removal; the director of a prosthetics company facing an Unfair Prejudice petition; and a leading IT service management company facing a claim arising out of the receipt/passing on of information regarding dangerous driving conditions following a serious accident.
Advising various policyholders on policy interpretation/coverage, including those referred to above but also others, e.g. a major property investment company making a claim under its D&O policy; a financial investment management company making claims under its D&O policy; and a global chemicals company making a claim under its Management Liability policy.
Reviewing and advising upon a number of claims brought in US states arising out of both damage to property/infrastructure following major weather incidents/other disasters and high-value personal injury claims.
Reviewing/revising/advising upon a number of draft claim notifications to ensure validity.
Kate has extensive experience of a great variety of commercial disputes, including those involving allegations of fraud.
Acting for energy supplier in recent successful “lead cases” claim (following week-long trial) by four SMEs for return of commission paid to brokers in relation to energy supply contracts.
Acting for same energy supplier in defending the other “energy commission” claims being pursued against it.
Acting for an Azerbaijani travel agency in a claim arising out of a failure to provide aircraft under a charter agreement (in which fraud allegations were prominent). Settled on eve of trial.
Acting for insurance intermediary in substantial claim brought against it by an insurer following termination of agreement governing broking of staff absence insurance business. Settled after nine days of two week trial.
Acting for farming partnership in high-value claim brought against it by neighbouring farmer arising out of transmission of bovine TB to claimant’s cow herd.
Acting for owner of pheasant shoot in longstanding (now settled) claim brought against it by neighbouring wine producer arising out of pheasant damage to grape crop.
Advising property investment company and its insurers regarding possible claim against management/security company in relation to recommendation/supply of alarm system at commercial premises.
Acting for bio-tech company in dispute regarding the manufacture and supply of herpes diagnostic testing kits.
Acting for leading provider of primary healthcare services in dispute arising out of termination of relationship with digital solution provider.
Acting for a solar panel company in two separate disputes regarding the design and supply of photovoltaic systems.
Acting for adhesives manufacturer in sale of goods/misrepresentation claim.
Acting for commercial bailee in claim arising out of theft of a number of high value cars.
Acting for supplier of medical equipment in sale of goods claim.
Acting on behalf of insurers in subrogated claim arising out of the destruction by fire of a thatched cottage.
Advising major brewery as to its obligations under a lease.
Acting for double glazing company in claim arising out of costs of compulsory relocation due to the London Olympics.
Acting for engineering company in claim for monies alleged to be due under contract for supply and manufacture of steel.
Acting for manufacturer of generators in claim arising out of alleged defective cooling units.
Kate has considerable experience of employment disputes, including acting for employers in unfair/constructive dismissal claims brought in the employment tribunal, as well as acting for and against employers in claims brought in the High Court, both for bonuses/holiday pay and for alleged breach of restrictive covenants.
Acting for major retailer in relation to a series of unfair dismissal claims brought by former employees.
Acting for employees in relation to claims for injunctive relief arising out of alleged breach of restrictive covenants.
Acting for major company in relation to a claim for injunctive relief arising out of alleged breach of restrictive covenants by an outgoing employee.
Acting for individual in relation to a bonus claim against an investment bank.
Acting for individual in relation to a claim for bonus/holiday pay against a former employer.
Advising major company regarding redundancy/unfair dismissal implications of intended dismissal of employees.
Advising company as to meaning/implications of a restrictive covenant in contract of employment of one of its employees.
Advising major oil company as to enforceability of relocation clauses in a series of international employment contracts.
Kate’s practice also extends to construction and engineering disputes, encompassing claims relating to employers, contractors, architects, engineers and surveyors. Her experience includes litigation in the Technology and Construction Court, adjudication and mediation.
Acting for engineers in claim arising out of alleged defective construction of student accommodation blocks at an English university.
Acting for contractor in a claim arising out of subsidence occurring at a factory in South Wales during the course of land reclamation work being undertaking on adjoining land.
Acting for the contractor in claim arising out of destruction of claimant’s property by fire during the course of renovation works. Preliminary issue taken to the Court of Appeal regarding question whether contractor’s standard terms and conditions could successfully be relied upon as an exemption clause.
Acting for engineers in claim arising out of alleged defective design of air conditioning system at commercial premises in London.
Acting for individual in application for summary enforcement of an adjudication decision.
Advising major construction company regarding interrelationship between a series of individual employment contracts and the Construction Industry Joint Council Working Rule Agreement.
Qualified to undertake Public Access work.
We are delighted to have received 19 nominations at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2026.…
