Karen possesses extensive expertise in employment law and is adept at managing complex cases. She conducts cases for both Claimants and Respondents with an emphasis on discrimination law. She has experience in Whistleblowing and TUPE and is particularly interested in protected disclosures relating to discrimination.

Karen acts for both claimants and respondents, with an emphasis on discrimination law. She also has experience of whistleblowing and TUPE, and is particularly interested in protected disclosures relating to discrimination. She also has extensive experience in judicial mediation and interim relief.

Karen began her working life in the Disability Policy Division of the DfEE, the department responsible for setting up the Disability Rights Commission and implementing the then Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Her interest in discrimination law led her to the Bar, and her cross-examination combines sensitivity with a firm hand. She is also a qualified teacher, and her time teaching in secondary schools gives her a distinctive insight into disputes in the education sector, where she regularly acts for universities and schools.

Karen practised for ten years at Ely Place Chambers, mainly in employment and commercial law. After a career break, she returned to the Bar in late 2024 and joined 42BR in March 2025, since when she has built a busy employment practice with a strong record of success for both employers and employees. She has many years’ experience of delivering training on all aspects of employment and discrimination law.

Recent Cases:

Sunman v Nottingham Trent University [2026]

Karen successfully represented the Respondent at an eight-day Tribunal hearing of two claims of disability discrimination, harassment, victimisation and unfair dismissal. These included a challenge to the validity of an ACAS COT3 settlement. Every claim was dismissed.

Norgate v Veolia ES (UK) Ltd [2026]

Karen successfully defended an unfair dismissal claim arising from an ill-health capability dismissal. The Tribunal found the employer’s consultation and return-to-work plan to be entirely reasonable.

McGrath v The Essential Housewares Ltd [2026]

Karen successfully represented the Claimant in an unfair dismissal claim involving technical fire safety and health and safety issues. She showed that the employer’s consultancy-led investigation had not properly established the facts, and the Claimant was awarded over £50,000.

Hamilton v Gatwick Airport Ltd [2026]

Karen successfully defended a complex disability discrimination claim in which the evidence spanned over five years of medical history.

Neale v Mitie Ltd [2026]

Karen obtained a strike-out of the parts of the claim that relitigated an earlier dismissed claim as an abuse of process, then secured the dismissal of all remaining claims at trial against a litigant in person.

Harper v Gatwick Airport Ltd [2025]

Karen successfully defended an unfair dismissal claim arising from a conduct dismissal, against a litigant in person. The Claimant’s appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal did not pass the sift.

Dalkiran v British Airways plc [2025]

Karen successfully represented the Claimant in an unfair dismissal claim. The employer had prejudged a gross misconduct allegation and failed to investigate it reasonably, ignoring the Claimant’s acquittal in the magistrates’ court. The case attracted national press coverage.

Halikowski-Smith v Swansea University [2025]

Karen represented the Respondent in a series of successful strike-out applications against an academic litigant in person, bringing clarity and efficiency to a difficult case.

Carruthers v Transport for London and E Norman [2025]

Karen successfully defended a complex disability discrimination claim involving multi-billion-pound project management in the public sector.

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Osinaike [2010]

Karen successfully appealed to the Employment Appeal Tribunal on behalf of the Metropolitan Police on harassment on grounds of race and the burden of proof (UKEAT/0373/09).

Earlier in her career, Karen also won an indirect sex discrimination claim against American Airlines arising from check-in desk timetabling, and a disability and pregnancy discrimination claim for a care home worker who had been kept on statutory sick pay although fit to work with adjustments.