Katherine Henry

Barrister

Date of Call: 2008

BSB Number: 53354

katherinehenry@no18chambers.com

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 (civil and family), sitting on the Western Circuit.

In 2023, Katie qualified as a Children Arbitrator under the IFLA scheme.

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Expertise

Family: Care & Children

Private Law 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.


No 18 Children’s Arbitration & Resolution

In 2023, Katie was appointed as a children arbitrator under the IFLA scheme. To view Katie’s IFLA profile click here https://ifla.org.uk/arbitrator/katherine-henry/


Qualifications

  • Cardiff University LLB Hons
  • Cardiff University BVC Outstanding

Membership

  • Resolution

  • Western Circuit

  • FLBA

  • Association of Children Lawyers

  • Institute of Family Law Arbitrators

Awards

  • International Development Grant 2016

  • Legal 500 2020

  • Legal 500 2021

  • Legal 500 2022

  • Legal 500 2023

Appointments

  • Deputy District Judge on the Western Circuit (2019)

  • Hampshire YRes Committee (2016-2018)

Publications / Seminars

  • World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights Singapore 2021
  • World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights Dublin 2017
  • FLBA Family Affairs Winter 2017
  • FLBA Family Affairs Winter 2016
No 18 Chambers Seminars

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.

Cases of note


M v F & Anor [2024] EWFC 34 (14 February 2024)

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/OJ/2024/34.html

News

What others say

Katie achieves fantastic results in the most difficult cases by combining fresh thinking with a pragmatic approach. She has the enviable skill of delivering clear advice about complex matters in simple terms, which makes it easy for clients, opponents and judiciary alike to follow her thinking. Well prepared, proactive and a delight to work with!

(Jennifer Williamson, Blake Morgan)

Katherine is an all-round class act. One of the best in conference with clients – she is so reassuring and empathetic. Her preparation for a case is meticulous, and her written documents are top-drawer. She is superb in court too – she gets to the heart of issues, is very persuasive, and the respect that judges have for her is obvious

(Legal 500)

Katie is an extremely talented barrister, beyond her qualified years. She offers absolutely first class service to her instructing solicitors. To her clients, she offers the vital mix of academic expertise and service in an open, friendly and practical way. She is very clear in her advice and knows when to fight and when to negotiate. She is equally tenacious in both approaches.

(Legal 500)

Katherine is a very committed barrister. She is a tireless worker who genuinely wishes to achieve the best result for her clients. She is extremely thorough in her preparation, but is able to be very pragmatic so that her clients have a realistic overview of their case from the start. She delivers difficult advice sensitively, a particular skill of hers, which means her clients respect her. (Tier 3).

(Legal 500)

Katie is approachable and has an attention to detail offering an expert, client focused service. I would highly recommend.

(Helen Clarkson Trethowans)

‘Katherine is a powerful advocate and meticulous in her preparation. She has in-depth expertise in Children Act cases. She is superb with clients, and gives reassurance and confidence to the most nervous of them. A fantastic communicator.' (Tier 2).

(Legal 500)

Particularly skilled with difficult Children Act cases

(Legal 500)

Katie is the go-to barrister if you want certainty that your counsel will be more than prepared on the day, take note of the fine detail of the case, be firm but fair, take a practical approach, think creatively and all at the same time as providing exceptional care to you or your client. Katie brings more than just professionalism to a case, she brings realism, promotes sensible outcomes and her service and quality of advice and guidance is consistent and always reliable

(Emilie Holland, Trethowans)

I always know that I am going to get exceptional service every time I instruct Katie. She is very approachable and her attention to detail is second to none. Her attendance notes are always sent through properly and are very clear and informative. I know that all my clients are in safe hands when Katie is there to represent them

(Lin Cumberlin, Parker Bullen )

I have been very impressed with Katie since my first instruction. She is knowledgeable but not intimidating, sympathetic but objective, looking for practical resolution but also a skilled advocate. Client’s like, trust and respect Katie and her service to her instructing solicitors is impeccable. She is clearly one to watch.

(Vicki Rawlins, Irwin Mitchell)

Katie is an extremely calm, determined barrister who constantly delivers. She understands her clients' needs and is a tireless worker.

(Lindsay Halliwell, Steele Raymond )

Katie has been a fantastic support from the moment she became involved in my client's case. Her straightforward and practical approach has enabled a great deal of progress to be made. Katie has been willing to offer advice between hearings when the circumstances have required it and my client has been particularly impressed by her commitment. I would not hesitate to instruct Katie again and have recommended her to colleagues and contemporaries

(Laura Bennett, Blake Morgan)

I have had the pleasure of instructing Katie for some years now, she is always well prepared and possess excellent client care skills which benefits both her professional and lay clients. Her advocacy skills are finely tuned with good attention to detail. Katie is particularly adept in cross examination and has proven success in dealing with fact finding hearings involving serious allegations.

(Paul Linsdell, Stowe Family Law )