Practice Areas
‘Extremely well prepared and thorough, and she deals with the most difficult and complex cases. Formidable with her cross-examination! Very approachable and communicates well with the clients.’
Chambers and Partners, 2025
Experience
Year of Call: 1985
Year of Silk: 2006
Education
LLB (Soton)
Languages
French
Profile
Kate specialises in serious and complex children cases both public and private law. In particular, Kate specialises in cases involving serious physical/fatal injuries to children; fabricated/induced illness behaviour; sexual abuse (including fabricated allegations and ‘false memory’); serious domestic violence; disabled parents, in particular parents with learning difficulties and serious psychiatric/psychological difficulties; intractable contact disputes and leave to remove.
For 18 years Kate was based on the Western Circuit practising in all areas of family law, in particular specialising in public law work for local authorities, parents and guardians and private client work, but also undertaking serious domestic and violent crime for both prosecution and defence.
Since moving to 4PB in 2002 and in particular since taking Silk in 2006, Kate has maintained her practice across all aspects of children law whilst developing a particular interest in cases involving non-accidental injury (including fatal injuries), neglect and FII behaviour. Kate’s cases frequently involve jurisdictional, religious and ethnic dimensions and she has developed a particular expertise in representing parents with physical and learning disabilities and serious psychiatric and psychological problems.
Kate also has a significant private law practice, having undertaken a number of important specific issue applications together with intractable contact disputes and application for leave to remove.
Kate has maintained her links with the Western Circuit, regularly presenting lectures for solicitors in-house, Resolutions and other organisations with an interest in issues relating to children law. Kate has a long-standing relationship with the Roberts Centre in Hampshire which provides family support services and staff and venues for short and long-term observed, supported and supervised contact and is a voluntary speaker for the Children’s Society.
Professional Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Western Circuit
Inner Temple
Wessex Family Law Bar Association
FLBA Committee – 2011
FLBA Fees Sub-Committee – 2011
FLBA Training, Diversity and Social Mobility Sub-Committee – 2011
Directories
“Extremely well prepared and thorough, and she deals with the most difficult and complex cases. Formidable with her cross-examination! Very approachable and communicates well with the clients.”
Chambers and Partners, 2025
“Kate is an exceptional barrister. Her strength lies in her encyclopedic knowledge of the law and medicine, with her empathetic approach to her clients. She is excellent at mastering the most difficult cases and has every page of her papers at her fingertips. Her advocacy is a masterclass in cross-examination.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Her client care skills are excellent – she can get information nobody else could and clients always feel looked after by her.”
“Always handles her cases pragmatically and ethically.”
Chambers and Partners, 2024
‘A consummate professional who combines a razor-sharp intellect with a graceful, sensitive and kind manner. She has a natural ability to put her lay clients at ease.’
Legal 500, 2022
‘Is an exceptional barrister. She is always very well prepared with every page at her fingertips, and her meticulous advocacy is outstanding.’
Legal 500, 2021
‘Kate is just a class act – from forensically detailed cross examination of expert medical witnesses to intuitive, empathetic exploration with a vulnerable witness, she can turn her hand to anything. ’
Legal 500, 2023
‘Unflappable when under even extreme pressure.’
Legal 500, 2020
‘Her humanity and warmth shine through in her client care.’
Legal 500, 2019
‘A true pleasure to work with.’
Legal 500, 2017
‘She is equally at home with a fiercely direct style as with the “iron hand in velvet glove” approach.’
Legal 500, 2016
‘A well-prepared, perceptive and persuasive advocate’
Legal 500, 2015
An extremely knowledgeable and thorough advocate.’
Legal 500, 2014
Recommended as a Leading Silk in the area of Children Law
Legal 500, 2013
Recommended as a Leading Silk in the area of Children Law
Legal 500, 2012