Catherine Urquhart

Career

Catherine has wide experience of hearings in Employment Tribunals and County Courts across England and Wales. She also represents clients in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, the High Court and before panels such as the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and the National Midwifery Council.

She is regularly instructed in cases involving unfair and wrongful dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, hearings on employment status, applications for interim relief, costs arguments, and applications to strike out claims. She has a growing appellate practice in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, and outside court she is regularly instructed to draft pleadings and provide advice on a wide range of employment matters.

She represents both claimants and respondents. Recent clients include well-known supermarkets, charities, universities, airlines and hotel groups as well as individuals.

She regularly takes on pro bono work through the charity Advocate and the Employment Tribunal Litigants in Person Support Scheme (ELIPS).

In her former life, Catherine spent nearly 20 years as a journalist. She finds the skills she learned – such as interviewing and listening to people, arguing with the editor, and getting to grips with large amounts of information in a short time – translate well to her work as a barrister. Clients tell her that they value her wide experience of life and the workplace. She has a calm manner with nervous witnesses and understands that litigating to the bitter end is not always the answer – but if the fight is unavoidable, she is a strong advocate on her clients’ behalf.