Environment
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
![Ruth Armstrong](/cdn-cgi/image/width=256/https://www.legal500.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2022/11/Ruth-Armstrong.png)
Gateley Legal
Ruth is the Head of the Regulatory and Business Defence Unit at Gateley.
Ruth is a recognised leader in the regulatory field, advising on all regulatory disciplines ranging from fatal accidents to fraud and pollution to bribery.
She has over 25 years’ experience of regulatory and white collar defence work for businesses and senior office holders.
Ruth sits on the IOSH Environmental & Waste Management Group national committee and working party of the National Safety & Health Conference. She delivers strategic guidance and thought leadership to industry through her business defence work.
![Andrew Litchfield](/cdn-cgi/image/width=256/https://www.legal500.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2020/07/andrew-litchfield.jpg)
![David Egan](/cdn-cgi/image/width=256/https://www.legal500.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/07/3222_1117971.jpg)
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
![Kate Oliver](/cdn-cgi/image/width=256/https://www.legal500.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2020/07/Kate_Oliver.png)
Gateley Legal
Kate specialises in health & safety, environmental matters, white collar crime, Trading Standards, NCA, FCA and SOCA investigations.
Kate is a highly regarded legal director at Gateley and has been with the team for seven years. Kate specialises in defending all types of health & safety cases, environmental investigations, general criminal defence work and financial crime. Kate regularly attends Coroners Courts and Criminal Courts representing businesses and individuals facing all manner of health & safety investigations and prosecutions. Kate is at home in the Criminal Court arena having been a Court Duty Solicitor and accredited Police Station Representative for many years. Kate is able to bring her wealth of experience of general criminal defence work to health & safety/ regulatory investigations, a skillset that is often lacking in regulatory lawyers. Kate is client-focused and proactive, often resolving complex health & safety and regulatory investigations with out of Court disposals securing minimum fuss and limited reputational damage for the client. Clients often comment on Kate’s no-nonsense, practical approach and her insight in being able to anticipate the way in which a regulator will proceed with an investigation and be two steps ahead of them.
Kate is a focused lawyer and her ability to get into the detail of a case makes her unflappable, delivering excellent results every time.
Kate regularly writes blogs, social media posts and articles for health & safety publications.