Stephenson Harwood

Intellectual property, tech & data

Katie leads the firm’s data protection practice. She has significant experience advising clients across a variety of sectors, including retail, transport, financial services, analytics and life sciences. She holds AI Governance Professional (AIGP), Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), Certified Information Privacy Professional Europe (CIPP/E) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) accreditations from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Recently awarded "Privacy Leader of the Year: Legal" (PICASSO Privacy Awards 2022), Katie is recognised as a Next Generation Partner for data protection, privacy and cyber security by The Legal 500 UK 2023, in which she is described as “a valued advisor in relation to EU and UK GDPR matters”. She is also ranked as an Up and Coming Lawyer for data protection and information law in the Chambers and Partners UK 2023 Guide, which states she "has excellent technical knowledge and provides clear, practical advice".

Katie has extensive experience leading international GDPR compliance projects and also advises on data protection contracts, transparency issues, international personal data transfers, data sharing, cyber security and personal data breaches. She also advises a variety of clients on direct marketing, ad tech, social media and cookies issues under the e-privacy regime.

Katie has also acted for clients facing ICO enforcement action on potential data protection and freedom of information law breaches, winning successful outcomes for her clients in relation to subject access requests, breach reporting and FOIA requests. She has helped clients with the data protection impacts of Brexit and coronavirus and has also advised on the complex legal issues in facial recognition, AI and profiling.

Katie is a member of the International Network of Privacy Law Professionals, a not-for-profit international network of qualified professionals providing expert counsel on legal and compliance issues relating to data privacy and associated matters.