
Katherine Henry
Barrister
Date of Call: 2008
What others say

Particularly skilled with difficult Children Act cases
Barrister profile
Cases of note
Katie was educated at Ribston Hall High School in Gloucestershire, before beginning her legal education at Cardiff University. Following completion of her degree, Katie commenced her Bar Vocational Course and was graded as Outstanding.
In 2016, Katie was awarded a grant by the FLBA to attend the ABA Annual Conference in San Francisco.
In 2017, Katie was invited to speak at the World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights in Dublin on issues of access to justice.
In 2019, Katie was appointed as a Deputy District Judge, sitting on the Western Circuit.
In 2021, Katie will be speaking at the World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights in Singapore on issues of parental alienation.
Expertise
Family: Care & Children
Contact and Residence disputes under the Children Act 1989
Katie is a specialist children barrister and was recognised in Legal 500 as being “particularly skilled with difficult Children Act cases”. Katie has extensive experience in all aspects of private law ranging from matters of relocation, domestic abuse, child arrangement orders, prohibited steps orders, specific issue orders and enforcement.
Katie has vast experience in dealing with matters from the initial stage, through to fact find hearings, contested hearings and appeal hearings. Katie has regularly acted in cases involving implacable hostility and parental alienation. She accepts instructions from parents, grandparents and r 16.4 guardians.
Domestic violence & injunctions
Katie has considerable experience in injunctive proceedings under the Family Law Act 1996, dealing with both ex parte and on notice applications. Katie has represented and defended in non-molestation matters and occupation orders.
Public Law / Care and Adoption Proceedings
Katie has vast experience in public law matters representing parties in all aspects of care proceedings. She has undertaken cases involving issues of neglect, mental health, substance abuse, non- accidental injury and sexual abuse. Katie has a particular passion for representing vulnerable parents and children, having undertaken vulnerable witness training with Middle Temple in London.
Chancery and Commercial
Traditional Chancery
Court of Protection
Katherine has a growing Court of Protection practice and is able to deal sensitively and expertly with cases involving parents with learning difficulties or capacity issues. Katherine has experience of cases involving appointment/removal of deputies, personal welfare and financial matters.
No 18 Resolution
Cases of note
Harding v Van Lee (2013) Lawtel Document No. AM0202344
Qualifications
- Cardiff University LLB Hons
- Cardiff University BVC Outstanding
Membership
- Resolution
- Western Circuit
- FLBA
Awards
- International Development Grant (2016)
Appointments
-
Deputy District Judge on the Western Circuit (2019)
-
Hampshire YRes Committee (2016-2018)
Publications / Seminars
- FLBA Family Affairs Winter 2016
- FLBA Family Affairs Winter 2017
- World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights Dublin 2017
- World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights Singapore 2021
Personal Info
Katie has an interest in sport, travel and music. Katie is an avid rugby supporter and tries to watch as many live England and Gloucester Rugby games as possible.
News
- Re C and the dangers of remote hearings
- News Flash: Katie Henry invited to speak at the World Congress in Singapore in July 2020
- Stop Press: New Guidance on orders in Children cases
- STOP PRESS :Judicial Appointment in Chambers
- STOP PRESS: New guidance on children orders have been issued along with changes to PD27A
- STOP PRESS : Proceedings concerning parents with a learning disability
- Katherine Henry (2008) is published in family affairs with article on speaking at to speak at the World Congress on Family Law and Children Rights
- NEWS FLASH : The blame game…is it time to move to no fault divorce
- News Flash : Katherine Henry (2008) is invited to speak at the World Congress on Family Law and Children Rights
- Stop Press: The importance of sibling relationships
- Katherine Henry (2008) wins grant from Bar Council & Family Law Bar Association
- Wye Valley NHS Trust v B (Rev 1) [2015] EWCOP 60 – Individual autonomy succeeds against medical advice as to a patient’s best interests
- NEWS FLASH : The ‘tragic’ case of Re A (A child) [2015] EWCA Civ 910: Implacable hostility in contact cases
- STOP PRESS – Proactive role should be taken by the judiciary in the absence of representation and funding.
- STOP PRESS – JA (meaning of “access rights”) India [2015] UKUT 00225 (IAC)
Newsletter Articles
- Cafcass launch the Co-Parent Hub
- J (Children) EWCA Civ 115: Failure to have a fact-find hearing resulted in it being “now simply too late, and contrary to welfare interests of either of these two children, to contemplate a re-hearing”
- The arrival of Practice Direction 12J- Domestic Abuse is brought to the forefront
- World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights, Dublin, Ireland
- American Bar Association Conference, San Francisco, California
- Timescales in applying for Interim Care Orders for a newborn baby: Local Authority was “inexcusably late” in making an application, resulting in the “most spectacular and contumelious failure”
- Internal relocation- the child’s welfare is the paramount concern
- Wye Valley NHS Trust v B (Rev 1) [2015] EWCOP 60 – Individual autonomy succeeds against medical advice as to a patient’s best interests