“Kate is a strong advocate, who always goes above and beyond for the people she represents.”
Legal 500, 2025“She can hold her own against silks without any difficulty.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
About
Kate is a specialist family law practitioner who has huge experience both in terms of years of practice and in the breadth of work she undertakes. She brings massive experience, sound judgment, thorough preparation and fearless advocacy to her cases as well as having excellent client care skills.
Experience
The primary focus of Kate’s practice is public law children cases. Over the last thirty years she has specialized in this area she has built up vast experience in dealing with complex cases involving non accidental injuries, factitious illness, Female Genital Mutilation, forced marriage, addicted parents, domestic abuse and chronic neglect. As well as care proceedings, she deals with wardship, adoption, cases where there are related criminal proceedings, removal from the jurisdiction and other cases with a foreign element. She is regularly instructed by the National Youth Advisory Service to represent children in complex private law proceedings. Kate acts for local authorities, parents, children (either with or without a Guardian) and other interested parties. She is able to bring her years of experience to her cases allowing her to assess what she can do to promote her client’s interests and achieve the best outcome.
Kate was appointed Deputy District Judge at the Principal Registry of the Family Division in 1999. She was made an Assistant Recorder on the London/South Eastern Circuit in 2000 and then made Recorder in 2001. At that time of her appointment as Assistant Recorder, all Recorders were required to sit in Crime so that’s what she did. In the last 10 years or so she has moved to sitting in Family cases.
Testimonials
“Kate is a strong advocate, who always goes above and beyond for the people she represents.” Legal 500, 2025 Tier 6
“Kate has a wealth of experience and takes even complicated cases very much in her stride.” Chambers & Partners, 2025. Band 3
“She goes above and beyond for the clients she represents.” Chambers & Partners, 2025. Band 3
“She can hold her own against silks without any difficulty.” Chambers & Partners, 2025. Band 3
“Kate is a superb advocate, who is brilliant on her feet and produces documents to a high standard.” Chambers & Partners, 2025. Band 3
“She’s been around a very long time, and is part of the Family Bar furniture. There’s nothing she hasn’t seen and figured out how to deal with.” Chambers and Partners 2023
Practice Areas
Public Law Children
Private Law Children
Education and Professional Memberships
Bristol University LLB (Hons)
Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Vocational Course)
Middle Temple
Family Law Bar Association
Association of Lawyers for Children
Criminal Bar Association
Kent Bar Mess
Appointments
Deputy District Judge (PRFD)
Recorder
Cases
A London Borough v A and others [2013] EWHC 96 (Fam)
Re R (Care Proceedings: Appeal) [2011] EWCA Civ 1795
A County Council v SB, MA and AA [2010] EWHC 2528 (Fam)
Re N (McKenzie Friend: Rights of Audience) [2008] EWHC 2042 (Fam)
RE W (Care: Leave to Place Outside Jurisdiction) [1994] 2 FLR 1087
RE W (Secure Accommodation Order: Attendance At Court) [1994] 2 FLR 1092
Hounslow London Borough Council v A [1993] 1 FLR 702