Katy Sheridan

Contact Katy: katysheridan@matrixlaw.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7404 3447

Contact Katy's Practice Team (Team X): TeamX@matrixlaw.co.uk

---

Katy joined Matrix in October 2021 following the successful completion of her traineeship. She welcomes instructions in all of Matrix’s practice areas; she practises primarily in public law and human rights, equality law, employment law, and education law.

Public Law and Human Rights

Katy has experience in a wide range of public law and human rights matters. She spent six months of her traineeship training in public law with Chris Buttler QC and Sarah Hannett QC. She has experience across all stages of proceedings, including pre-action advice, interim relief, and appeal. Some of Katy’s public law work since becoming a member includes: A successful challenge to a prosecution decision concerning a victim of trafficking: R (COL) v Director of Public Prosecutions [2022] EWHC 601 (Admin). The challenge to the Home Office’s ‘Pushbacks Policy’. The Secretary of State withdrew the policy a week before the substantive judicial review (news coverage here). Advisory work for NGOs, including (i) Liberty’s response to the Consultation to reform the Human Rights Act 1998, and (ii) advising an overseas LGBT charity on an intervention in judicial review proceedings concerning a civil partnerships regime. During traineeship Katy also advised an NGO on a policy challenge concerning freedom of expression and victimisation (assisting Sarah Hannett QC). Public law discrimination matters, including: (i) an Equality Act challenge to a charging policy for failing to make reasonable adjustments; (ii) a Thlimmenos discrimination claim concerning the application of a NRPF policy; (iii) a discrimination challenge to regulations concerning the provision of social security payments.   Before joining Matrix Katy worked in various public law roles, including: Various public and human rights appellate matters as Judicial Assistant to Lord Justice Simon in the Court of Appeal. Legal Advisor to Ofsted in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse. Public law paralegal at Simpson Millar LLP, where Katy’s work included community care matters, human trafficking claims, and age disputes. Research Fellow at the Public Law Project, where Katy’s work focused on algorithmic decision-making, and the relationship between judicial review, evidence, and technology.

Employment law

Katy accepts instructions in all areas of employment law, for both Claimants and Respondents. She has a particular interest in discrimination matters. During traineeship Katy undertook a seat in employment and equality law with Claire Darwin. Katy’s employment experience includes: Unfair dismissal (including redundancy), direct and indirect discrimination claims (including on the grounds of sex, disability, race, religion, and age), harassment, victimisation, equal pay, and whistleblowing cases. Katy’s recent trial experience has included (i) successfully representing a Claimant in a redundancy unfair dismissal, the Tribunal concluding that the entire redundancy process was a sham; (ii) successfully defending a four-day race discrimination trial. Advisory work, including: (i) advising on various matters involving TUPE (assisting Claire Darwin), (ii) advising on a reasonable adjustments claim in the legal services industry. Appellate matters concerning: (i) the correct approach to indirect sex discrimination and hypothetical group disadvantage, (ii) worker status, and (iii) the correct approach to postponements under the new ET Procedure Rules (all assisting Claire Darwin).

Equality law

Katy accepts instructions in all matters concerning equality and discrimination law. She has experience in Equality Act 2010 claims in judicial review proceedings, employment, education, and goods and services provision. Her recent experience includes: Good and services: discrimination claims arising out of the coronavirus pandemic, including in relation to face masks and track and trace. Education: (i) advising on disability discrimination claims in the FtT, (ii) advising on a potential race discrimination and breach of contract claim against an independent school (assisting Sarah Hannett QC).

Education law

Katy welcomes instructions across all areas of education law. Prior to traineeship, Katy was a Legal Advisor at Ofsted, where she advised Ofsted in respect of its role in several investigations in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), including the Residential Schools investigation. Katy also worked as a public and education law paralegal at Simpson Millar LLP. Her work covered issues such as unlawful exclusions, admissions, school transport, and SEND Tribunal work.

Qualifications, awards and memberships

BA (Jurisprudence), University of Oxford (2016) – First Class Bachelor of Civil Law, University of Oxford (2018) – Distinction BPTC, BPP University (2020) – Outstanding Scholarships and prizes include: Bedingfield Scholarship (Gray’s Inn) Hebe Plunkett Award (Gray’s Inn) Residential Scholarship (Gray’s Inn) Advocacy Scholarship (BPP University) Academic Excellence Scholarship (BPP University) Peter Duffy Scholar (Bar European Group) Law Faculty Prize for BCL Private Law and Fundamental Rights (University of Oxford) Academic scholar (New College, University of Oxford) Publications: Judicial review evidence in the era of the digital state’ Public Law (2020), Oct, 740-760 Memberships: Liberty ALBA ELA  

---

Katy's Privacy Notice

Katy is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to her clients, including advice and representation services, Katy needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes her client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which she is instructed. To read Katy’s privacy notice in full, please see here.

---