Expertise

Karen advises individuals, businesses and insolvency practitioners on high-value, complex disputes, frequently involving cross-border issues and multi-jurisdictional considerations. Her practice spans a broad range of commercial litigation and contentious insolvency matters, including contractual disputes, shareholder and partnership conflicts, professional negligence claims, fraud-related litigation and asset recovery proceedings.

A significant part of Karen’s practice focuses on acting for insolvency practitioners in disputes arising from alleged fraud, misconduct and breaches of duty. She regularly pursues claims against former directors, professional advisers, service providers and financial institutions, helping office holders maximise recoveries and protect creditor interests.

Karen is highly experienced in developing tailored funding solutions for large-scale disputes. She regularly advises clients on third-party litigation funding, after-the-event insurance and risk-sharing fee arrangements enabling them to manage litigation costs while pursuing complex, high-value claims from a position of financial strength.

Alongside her extensive trial experience, Karen is an advocate of alternative dispute resolution. She has successfully guided clients through mediation and other settlement processes, securing pragmatic and commercially focused outcomes while preserving value and minimising disruption wherever possible.

Career

Karen completed the Legal Practice course at Nottingham Law School after graduating with a degree in Law and Business from the University of Birmingham. She trained at Herbert Smith LLP and qualified there in September 2007, before joining Stewarts in 2010.

She has worked in a job-share arrangement with her fellow partner Francesca Berry since 2016.

Personal

Karen enjoys spending time with her children and, when not working, can usually be found supporting them from the sidelines of a hockey pitch, netball court or cricket field.