"‘very experienced and ... adept at dealing with a range of clients’. She specialises in complex and challenging personal immigration instructions, such as applications for Tier 1 applications, nationality and human rights matters, as well as international surrogacy and adoption issues."
Legal 500 2019
Katie is a senior associate in the immigration team and has over 10 years' experience across a wide spectrum of UK immigration matters, with particular expertise in applications made under Tier 1 of the Points Based System and complex personal immigration matters.
She regularly provides commentary on the workings of the UK Immigration Rules and is often involved in lobbying the Home Office, including in relation to the design of a future post-Brexit UK immigration system.
Katie works in the private client immigration team where she advises a broad range of clients.
Particular areas of Katie’s expertise include:
- preparing applications for investors, established entrepreneurs and those looking to start a business in the UK as well as family members of those in the UK or relocating here;
- partnering with Tech Nation to assist leading tech entrepreneurs with Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) applications;
- advising clients on the immigration implications of international surrogacy and adoption, working with colleagues in the family team;
- challenging the UK Home Office by way of appeal and through a number of successful judicial reviews; and
- assisting with asylum claims and human rights applications and appeals.
Recent work
- overturning the initial refusal of an application for entry clearance as an adult dependent relative due to misinterpretation of the rules, lack of regard to the best interests of the child and failure to consider Article 8. As a result of our representations, a successful outcome was obtained without the formal appeal proceeding;
- advising on a successful entry clearance application for indefinite leave to enter for an adopted child on the basis of a de facto adoption;
- assisting with an urgent Tier 1 (Investor) entry clearance application featuring an irrevocable gift of the investment funds and joint ownership of the funds with the applicant’s spouse; and
- advising a leading tech entrepreneur in relation to his successful application for leave to remain under the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category via Tech Nation.
What clients and directories have said
Advises on all aspects of UK immigration with an emphasis on complex personal cases."
Legal 500 UK 2017
Throughout the process you have been professional, knowledgeable, efficient and an absolute pleasure to work with; thanks!"
A Client
It has been a pleasure working with such an organised, dedicated solicitor like you are."
A Client
Professional societies and Memberships
- Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
- Law Society
- AIJA (Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats / Association of young lawyers)
Talks, interviews and articles published
Katie regularly gives talks and writes on immigration law matters, including:
- Law Commission proposals could transform international surrogacy, Free Movement, 11 June 2019
- UK Visa 180 day rule changes, The American Magazine, April 2018
- International surrogacy - the legal challenges for US nationals bringing a surrogate child to the UK, The American Magazine, April 2018
- UK Immigration Authorities complete a ‘180’ on absences from the UK, The American Magazine, April 2018
- Brexit Unspun Podcast - Katie, alongside the FT's public policy correspondent, discusses who will have the right to remain after Brexit, Financial Times, 6 November 2017
- AIJA's 55th Young Lawyers' Congress in Tokyo, August 2017
- Telling Stories, Not Statistics, TEDxYouth talk, June 2017
- Why Though? My thoughts on Retaining the Net Migration Target - HuffPost, 12 May 2017
- Mrs May Speech Leaves EU Citizens in Limbo, HuffPost, 19 January 2017
- Katie reflects on the impact of the UK’s recent & future hostile migration environment, New Law Journal, July 2016
- Q&A session and presentation on how Brexit may affect French nationals living in the UK, South Kensington in July 2016
- What should EEA citizens living in the UK do next? - LexisPSL Immigration interview, July 2016
- AIJA's Spring Half-Year Conference in Chicago, May 2016
- International surrogacy and the need for specialist advice, LexisPSL Immigration interview, December 2016
- Kingsley Napley's International Families & Investors event titled "Could Brexit spell High Net Worth exit" in July 2015
- Scots Family Law conference in Edinburgh, 2014
- IBC Citizenship by Investment & International Residence Summit in London, 2014
- AIJA's 52nd Congress in Prague, 2014
- Addressing the challenges of overseas surrogacy, LexisPSL Immigration interview, 2013
Further information
Katie read law at Pembroke College, Cambridge and completed her Legal Practice Course with distinction at the College of Law in Bloomsbury. She trained at a niche immigration firm in London before joining Kingsley Napley in January 2012.
Katie is establishing a strong reputation in the field for being “very, very good on the immigration side of international surrogacy and international adoption."
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2019
She’s very impressive, knowledgeable and hard-working."
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2019
Her input into the academic sphere does not go unnoticed, as peers recognise that the “articles and blogs she puts up illustrate her capabilities,” demonstrating that she “always has interesting and impressive points to say."
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2019
