Kate has specialist and wide-ranging expertise in environmental law. She also practises generally in public international, European Union and human rights law. She has appeared as counsel before the International Court of Justice in cases relating to environmental issues and genocide. Her recent work includes advising states, NGOs and international organisations on climate emergency issues and advising UN agencies and NGOs on a range of fisheries related issues. She is currently advising on compliance with international standards relating to the protection of small scale fisheries and respect for rights impacted by large scale land acquisitions as well as the implications of the Paris Agreement for the agricultural sector. She regularly publishes and lectures on international and environmental issues, most recently on the best available science standard and on the progressive approach under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Notable public international law cases include:
- ICJ Croatia v Serbia (2014)
- ICJ Australia v Japan (“Antarctic Whaling”, 2013)
- ICJ Argentina v Uruguay (2009)
Before joining Matrix, Kate worked for six years as a lawyer in the former Department of the Environment (International & EC Division), where she gained extensive experience of European litigation and international negotiations.
She lectures and publishes widely on environmental law, the international law of development and human rights law. She is the sole author of Wildlife Law: Conservation and Biodiversity (Cameron May, 2004). Kate is a contributor to Human Rights Practice, ed. Simor (Sweet & Maxwell).
In 2009 Kate was involved in setting up the Legal Response Initiative (LRI) with a number of law firms and NGOs. The LRI provides pro bono support to Least Developed Countries at the UN Climate Change negotiations. Kate was appointed as Chair of the LRI in March 2015.
Professional Training and other experience:
Legal Advisor, Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, International & EC Legal Division (1993 – 2000)
1999/2000 LLM, New York University Law School (International Legal Studies)
Stage (Middle Temple: Bristow Award) with the Legal Service of the EC Commission and at the European Court of Justice (1991 – 1992)
Research officer with Industrial Relations Law Bulletin (IRS) (1993)
Publications
Judging ‘Best Available Science’: Emerging Issues and the Role of Experts
Kate accepts instructions under the Bar Council Standard Contractual Terms, details of which can be found here.
Privacy Notice
In order order to provide legal services to her clients, including advice and representation services, Kate needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes her client’s personal data and personal data about others who feature in the matter on which she is instructed. This Privacy Notice describes the personal information Kate collects, how it is used and shared, and your rights regarding it.
DIRECTORY RECOMMENDATIONS
WHAT THEY SAY:
Legal 500 2015 recommend Kate in Environment stating that she is “strong on environment matters involving
international and EU law.”
Chambers & Partners 2016 recommend Kate in Environment noting that “she really gets into the detail of
a case and is very easy and smooth to deal with.”
Legal 500 2014 recommend Kate as a leading junior in Environment saying that she has “A real depth of
experience in environmental law.”
Chambers & Partners 2014 recommend Kate as a leading junior in Environment Law stating that “Because she has a government background she understands what will fly with the government and what they wouldn’t consider.”
Legal 500 2013 recommend Kate as a leading junior in Environment, International Arbitration and Public International Law.