Coram Chambers

Children, international and dispute resolution

Kate started family cases in earnest long before the Children Act, in the days when wardship was the answer – whatever the question.  With over thirty years experience, it is hard to think of a type of case she has not had experience dealing with.  She was doing factitious illness cases when they were still called munchausens syndrome by proxy, she has been doing abuse cases since the days of ‘disclosure’ interviews and anatomically correct dolls and dealing with residence and contact disputes when they used to be known as custody and access.  Suffice it to say Kate has undertaken work in all types of family matters at all levels of court.  Throughout her career to date she has represented Local Authority’s, parents, children and other interested parties.

Kate was called to the Bar in 1981.  She started in a general common law chambers doing criminal, civil and family work.  In her criminal practise (pre-CPS days) she passed the ‘Scotland Yard test’ and so was authorised to prosecute for the Metropolitan police and did this to complement her defence work.  She was involved in numerous jury trials and also criminal appeals. Her civil practice was varied with perhaps her most notable achievement being successfully to represent a claimant in a fully contested personal injury claim in the High Court.  Kate also appeared in several coroner’s inquests.  It was however the family law that began to dominate and eventually take over her practise.

Kate taught advocacy on the Bar Vocational course at BPP for three years (2009-2012).

Deputy District Judge (PRFD) Recorder

Middle Temple Family Law Bar Association Association of Lawyers for Children Criminal Bar Association Kent Bar Mess

Bristol University LLB (Hons) Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Vocational Course)