Expertise

Katherine has acted for clients who have suffered severe brain injures arising from the treatment of stroke, abscess and aneurysms. She has successfully litigated claims involving spinal cord injuries including those arising from infection, haematoma, and surgical errors (read case reports here and here.)

Katherine also has experience of investigating and obtaining admissions of liability in cases where babies have sustained brain damage at birth.

Experience

• Lead fee earner in reported case Lesforis v Tolias, in which the claimant sustained a spinal cord injury due to post-operative management. This case was won at a High Court liability trial; the defendant’s appeal in the Court of Appeal was also successfully resisted.
• Recovered £5 million in damages for a client who sustained a spinal cord injury due to negligent management of epilepsy.
• Recovered over £2 million in damages for a client who sustained a stroke due to failure to diagnose a Transient Ischaemic Attack two days before.
• Advised the family of a client who sustained a severe brain injury as a result of delay in diagnosis of brain abscesses and obtained a multimillion pound settlement to help fund the future care he required.
• Obtained liability admissions and significant interim payments for a child who sustained cerebral palsy as a result of negligent treatment following his birth.
• Secured £2 million lump damages payment and life long periodical payments to provide care and support to client who sustained a spinal cord injury due to a delay in diagnosis of cervical stenosis.

Recognition

Katherine has been recognised in the Legal 500 as a key lawyer within Stewarts’ top ranked Clinical Negligence department for several years and has been described as “a very impressive litigator” who “runs her cases with calm and meticulous efficiency.” She has been referred to as “knowledgeable with good instincts” and recognised alongside the partners as having “great attention to detail, very strong client care and considerable experience of running the most complex cases.”

Career

Katherine previously worked at Irwin Mitchell for four years, joining their Clinical Negligence department after completing her training contract at Penningtons (now Penningtons Manches Cooper.) Katherine joined Stewarts in 2013, was promoted to Senior Associate in 2018 and made Partner in 2024.

Accreditations and Memberships

Member of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) and AvMA (Action against Medical Accidents).

Publications and Media

• Katherine presented at the APIL Advanced Brain and Spinal Cord injury conference at Celtic Manor in May 2022, reporting on her High Court trial success in the case of Lesforis v Tolias and advising on strategies to use with uninsured defendants. She also co-authored an article on this case in PI Focus.

Personal

Katherine enjoys sport in her spare time, particularly running. She has completed the London and Paris Marathons – the New York Marathon is still on the hit list. She loves planning and going on holidays with her family, often to Devon and Cornwall. She is now returning to travel further afield and hopes to introduce her two young children to skiing soon.