New York barrister joins Cumbria legal team

A slice of LA Law has come to a Cumbria legal firm as New York barrister, Katie Wood, joins Burnetts’ employment law team.  

Katie, 25, is originally from Carlisle, but was called to the New York Bar in April 2004. Her interest in English employment law (and her Penrith partner) has brought her back to Cumbria.

Having read Law at the University of Manchester, Katie moved to London to join the Inns of Court School of Law. She was called to the English Bar in July 2003. The following April, she was called to the New York Bar and qualified to set up her own law practice in New York. Instead of immediately crossing the Atlantic, Katie spent six months working as Junior Counsel with a London barrister before moving to an Essex solicitors’ practice where she worked on employment law tribunal cases.

At the same time as taking the decision to specialise in employment law, Katie also acknowledged the increasing importance of a work/life balance. She chose to move out of the capital and back to the North.

She said, “Burnetts was an obvious choice because I knew the reputation of the employment law team. As well as being a busy firm with some big clients and lots of good and varied work, there was an added attraction in the level of Tribunal work. Many solicitors firms bring in barristers for Tribunal appearances, but Burnetts doesn’t. By joining a firm with a strong advocacy role, I can also continue to use my advocacy expertise.”

29th August, 2006