Katherine Apps KC > Chambers of Charlie Cory-Wright KC and Richard Harwood KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

39 Essex Chambers is home to ‘an incredibly strong team of counsel‘ within the public law arena, with the set acting for a diverse range of public bodies and claimants. Recent work highlights include the ‘super‘ Jenni Richards KC, Catherine Dobson and Stephanie David acting for the claimant in Jennings v Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, involving an application for a declaration that it was lawful for the claimant to use an embryo with a surrogate following the death of the claimant’s wife. The claim was brought on the grounds that preventing the use of the posthumous embryo would act as a breach of the claimant’s Article 8 rights; the High Court permitted the declaration. In a separate matter, Richards KC successfully represented the claimant in R (Timson) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, a judicial review challenge to the DWP’s policy of allowing automatic deductions, without presenting the claimant with an opportunity to make representations, from welfare benefits to pay debts to utility providers. Katherine Apps KC and Nicola Greaney KC were elevated to silk in March 2023.

39 Essex Chambers‘ members are routinely instructed in high-profile professional disciplinary work. Gregory Treverton-Jones KC is a respected specialist in regulatory and disciplinary issues concerning the legal sector, while Eleanor Grey KC has an excellent track record in acting for the GMC in appeals before the High Court. Recent instructions for the team include Peter Mant successfully representing the GMC in an appeal brought by a doctor against the regulator’s decision to erase him from the medical register, following allegations that he drugged and raped a junior colleague; the appeal was refused. In a boost to chambers, Nicola Greaney KC and Katherine Apps KC both took silk in March 2023.

39 Essex Chambers covers the full range of matters from the world of sports with members showing particular experience in the areas of safeguarding, anti-doping and other disciplinary proceedings as well as personal injury cases in the sports context. For example, Nina Goolamali KC continues to represent World Rugby in the ongoing concussion litigation. Katherine Apps KC, who took silk in 2023, was recently particularly active in relation to safeguarding matters, while Jonathan Bellamy was appointed vice chair of the English Football League’s club financial review panel and has been active in a variety of football matters, including breach of contract, player-agent disputes, club-club transfer disputes and image and data rights issues.

39 Essex Chambers‘ members continue to act across a broad spectrum of complex EU law matters. Timothy Lyons KC is ‘a go-to person on EU law issues, particularly in a tax context‘, and Deok Joo Rhee KC is well known for handling EU law cases involving trade agreement matters and procurement issues. Christopher Staker‘s ‘advice has always been very on point, clear, well-researched, constructive and helpful‘. Newly appointed silk Katherine Apps KC ‘has every detail of a case at her fingertips, and can persuasively and masterfully deploy it with ease‘.