Catherine has an extensive commercial and chancery litigation practice and has long been highly recommended by the directories, regularly being nominated for various awards. Catherine was named Company/Insolvency Silk of the Year 2022 by Chambers UK and Insolvency Silk of the Year 2020 by Legal500 and was described by Chambers UK/Global (2021 - Dispute Resolution: Commercial Chancery) as "one of the cleverest people at the Bar” who "has a brilliant, encyclopedic knowledge of the law and is great to work with”.
In the Commercial Dispute Resolution field, Chambers UK recently described her as a “strong advocate”: “Rising in prominence as a silk in the cross-over space between insolvency, fraud and commercial disputes. Catherine is a superb team player, who is responsive and misses no detail in a case. She also has a great courtroom manner.”
Before taking silk Catherine was appointed to the Attorney General’s 'A' Panel and regularly advises and appears for government departments and public bodies as well as a wide range of private and commercial interests (including banks, retailers, service providers, shareholders, directors and other officeholders). She is an experienced advocate in a variety of courts and tribunals and is happy to accept arbitration and offshore litigation instructions.
She is currently recommended by Chambers Global in the fields of Restructuring/Insolvency, Dispute Resolution: Commercial Chancery and Dispute Resolution: Commercial, by Chambers UK in relation to Company, Chancery: Commercial, Restructuring/Insolvency and Commercial Dispute Resolution and by Legal 500 for Insolvency and Company.
Catherine has been a member of the Insolvency Rules Committee since 2013 and was appointed as a Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge in 2016. In 2021 she was appointed Standing Counsel to the Competition and Markets Authority.
Catherine is a Bencher of the Middle Temple (2014) and is one of the Inn’s Accredited Advocacy Trainers. She was formerly an elected member of the Bar Council (2001-2007) and the Chancery Bar Association representative on the Bar Council (2010-2012) and was a long-standing co-opted member of the Bar Council’s Ethics Committee. She was Chairman of the Young Barristers’ Committee in 2004, the Chairman of the Bar Conference (Human Rights – Taking Liberties) in 2007 and the elected Treasurer of the Chancery Bar Association from 2008-2012.
Catherine read law at Cambridge and went on to read the LLM in which she achieved a first. She was a Queen Mother Scholar and a Harmsworth Entrance Exhibitioner and has been in practice at what is now Maitland Chambers since completing pupillage in 1999.
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Expertise
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Commercial Litigation & Arbitration
Catherine is regularly instructed in relation to all manner of contentious business disputes and is recognised by Chambers UK and Chambers Global as a leading silk in Commercial Dispute Resolution and Chancery: Commercial matters.
She has much experience of a wide range of commercial litigation (including financial services and other disputed contractual claims, company law disputes, property and trust law matters, breach of directors’ duties claims, civil fraud and other asset recovery claims, shareholder disputes and conflicts of laws issues).
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Company & Partnership
Catherine was named Company/Insolvency Silk of the Year 2022 by Chambers UK and regularly advises and appears in relation to a wide range of contentious company, partnership and shareholder disputes.
Described in Chambers UK as “A very solid company law expert, who is very highly rated by peers and clients for the strength of her advocacy”, she is also a contributor to Gore Browne on Companies and a long-standing member of the Bankruptcy and Companies Court Users Committee.
Catherine has also frequently been instructed in relation to high profile claims under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 and is currently appointed as Standing Counsel to the Competition and Markets Authority in relation to such matters.
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Insolvency & Asset Recovery
Catherine has a particular interest in insolvency related work, both corporate and personal, having been appointed as a Deputy Insolvency and Companies Court Judge in 2016 and been a member of the Insolvency Rules Committee since 2013 (appointed pursuant to s413 of the Insolvency Act 1986 following an open competition).
In 2022, Catherine was named Company/Insolvency Silk of the Year by Chambers UK and as Insolvency Silk of the Year by Legal 500 in 2020. She has recently been described by Legal 500 as an “insolvency powerhouse” and as being “frighteningly bright but commercial, approachable and above all incredibly effective” with “a superb court room manner and a tenacious and persuasive advocate”. She is also recognised by Who’s Who Legal as a ‘thought leader’ in Restructuring & Insolvency, who note that Catherine “stands out for her top-tier work on personal and corporate insolvency cases across a broad range of industries and sectors”.
Catherine has been instructed to advise and appear for a variety of different interests (including officeholders and various government departments) in relation to numerous high profile insolvencies, including Barings, Spectrum Plus, Northern Rock (advising HM Treasury and the Bank of England), Lehman Brothers, Farepak, ‘Blockbusters’, GAME, Cambridge Analytica, Regis, Debenhams, Topshop, Carillion and Greensill.
She has also acted for the Secretary of State and Official Receiver in a number of director disqualification claims concerning companies in the public eye and is currently appointed as Standing Counsel to the Competition and Markets Authority in relation to their director disqualification work.
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Civil Fraud
Catherine frequently acts, for claimants and defendants, in relation to civil fraud and asset recovery work and has particularly relevant experience in the insolvency arena
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Offshore & Trusts
Catherine has considerable experience of acting for international and offshore clients across a broad spectrum of commercial and insolvency disputes. She has spoken at a variety of international conferences and, where appropriate, is willing to accept instructions in respect of offshore litigation.
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Banking & Financial Services
Catherine has much experience of acting for domestic and international banks as well as having been instructed by the FCA in relation to a variety of commercial banking disputes.
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Professional Negligence
Catherine has acted for claimants and defendants in relation to professional negligence and regulatory proceedings concerning insolvency officeholders.
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Tax
Prior to taking silk, Catherine was a member of the Attorney General’s 'A' Panel, having first been appointed as Junior Counsel to the Crown in 2003. As such she was regularly instructed by HMRC in relation to a wide variety of tax recovery work. She acted for HMRC in the dispute with the Joint Administrators of Lehman Bros which reached the Supreme Court as well as for HMRC in the Ingenious Film Finance litigation.
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Real Estate
Catherine has particular experience in property law matters arising in the context of insolvency and was instructed by the landlords in the seminal case of GAME concerning rental obligations as administration expenses.
As former Junior Counsel to the Crown she has also been instructed in relation to a number of bona vacantia matters.
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ADR
Inevitably, Catherine’s contentious disputes’ practice often involves different forms of ADR and she is happy to accept instructions for such purposes.
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Directory Quotes
Chambers UK Commercial Dispute Resolution (2025 )
"She is just brilliant."
Chambers UK Commercial Dispute Resolution (2025)
"She is very collegiate, highly incisive and very strong in her advocacy."
Chambers UK Restructuring/Insolvency (2025)
"She has an incredible eye for detail and is all over every aspect of the cases she works on. She's a clear and structured advocate who is easy to follow and covers everything that is needed."
Chambers UK Restructuring/Insolvency (2025 )
"Catherine Addy is calm in a storm. She is able to handle complex matters and is amazing in court. She has total control of the room and everyone listens."
Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial (2025 )
"Catherine has such an incredible eye for detail and is just all over every single aspect of the cases she works on."
Chambers UK Company (2025 )
"Catherine is collaborative, good on the law and a good communicator. She doesn't just focus on the legal points: she also looks at how to apply the law in order to pursue client interests."
Chambers UK Company (2025)
"Catherine is a fantastic practitioner, who has an incredible eye for detail. Her advocacy is clear, structured and easy to follow – it covers absolutely everything that needs to be covered."
Chambers UK Restructuring/Insolvency (2025)
"Catherine Addy is incredible - she's the best silk I've worked with and is incredibly hard-working. Her advocacy is brilliant and she is trusted by the judges implicitly."
CHAMBERS UK COMMERCIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION (2024)
"Catherine Addy is very collaborative and focused on finding common ground. She is also industrious and rigorous in her approach."
CHAMBERS UK COMMERCIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION (2024)
"Phenomenally clever and incredibly hard working, she is a dream silk to work with."
CHAMBERS UK COMMERCIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION (2024)
"Catherine Addy thinks strategically about how to approach a case and, as an advocate, has an assured and confident manner."
LEGAL 500 INSOLVENCY (2024 )
"Very strong and well-prepared advocacy. The judges always listen to Catherine."
LEGAL 500 COMPANY (2024)
“Catherine is fantastic, a star, the perfect KC as she is great on her feet but also really immerses herself in the detail.”
Legal 500: Insolvency (2023 )
‘She is frighteningly bright but commercial, approachable and above all incredibly effective. Catherine has a superb court room manner and is a tenacious and persuasive advocate.’
Chambers UK Dispute Resolution (2023)
"She is a strong and user-friendly advocate who carefully prepares for court and thinks through the issues with care. Catherine is a bright and capable barrister."
Chambers UK Commercial Chancery (2023)
"Catherine is easy to work with and thinks through issues with care. She is also a strong advocate. Catherine is brilliant and has textbook knowledge."
Chambers UK Restructuring/Insolvency (2023)
"Catherine is easy to work with and thinks through issues with care. She is also a strong advocate. Catherine is brilliant and has textbook knowledge."
Chambers UK Commercial Dispute Resolution (2022)
“Rising in prominence as a silk in the cross-over space between insolvency, fraud and commercial disputes. Catherine is a superb team player, who is responsive and misses no detail in a case. She also has a great courtroom manner.”
Chambers UK Restructuring/Insolvency (2022)
“Catherine is very good - impressive, calm and unflappable." "An excellent barrister and a very good advocate.”
Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial (2022)
“An excellent insolvency and chancery lawyer. She is incredibly clever.”
Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial/Treasury Counsel (2021)
“One of the cleverest people at the Bar - she is extremely hard-working and has incredible attention to detail." "She has a brilliant, encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and is great to work with.”
Chambers UK Insolvency/Corporate Recovery (2021)
“Technical, extremely knowledgeable and great to work with. She gives you a lot of confidence.” (2021)
Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial/Treasury Counsel (2020)
“The most erudite and sophisticated lawyer I've come across. She has a manner with judges that I've rarely seen with other counsel." "The quality of advice and commitment to service are outstanding and engender absolute confidence in the client and those instructing.”
Chambers UK Insolvency/Corporate Recovery (2020)
“She is really clever and very well respected – a real insolvency guru." "She is a superb advocate, and is very pleasant and approachable as well as highly intellectual and pragmatic.”Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial/Treasury Counsel (2019)
“When she speaks, judges listen as she has absolute confidence and certainty in what she says. When she says something, she is right. She really knows her stuff, is incredibly well prepared and is incredibly good at the law as well as the facts.” (
Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial/Treasury Counsel (2018)
“Has encyclopaedic knowledge when it comes to company law. She's a very clear drafter, who produces high-quality advocacy, and isn't afraid to put in a long shift and burn the midnight oil if necessary." "Very pleasant to deal with, she's very friendly and enthusiastic without being over the top.” (2018)
Chambers UK Insolvency/Corporate Recovery (2018)
“She is the government's go-to person. She has a very calm head and is very impressive." "She's a superb advocate - pleasant and approachable as well as highly intellectual and pragmatic.” (2018)
Chambers UK Chancery: Commercial/Treasury Counsel (2017)
“She is excellent and highly experienced. A barrister with a broad practice, she keeps plates spinning and speaks in a straightforward manner which clients can understand.”
Chambers UK Insolvency/Corporate Recovery (2017)
“Catherine is a superb advocate, extremely approachable, highly intellectual and pragmatic." "What she doesn't know about insolvency could be written on a postage stamp. She's absolutely superb on her feet, really impressive.”
Chambers Global (2017)
“She is very good technically and very good with clients in conference. In court she is thorough and measured.” (2017)
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Notable Cases
Catherine Addy KC's notable cases include:
- King v Stiefel (Wasted Costs) [2023] EWHC 453 (Comm).
- Advising the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry on bankruptcy issues (2023)
- Primekings Holding Ltd & Ors v King & Ors (Re Kings Solutions Group Ltd) [2021] EWCA Civ 1943
- King & Others v Stiefel & Others [2021] EWHC 1045 (Comm)
- In the matter of the Financial Conduct Authority v Carillion plc (in liquidation) [2020] EWHC 2146 (Ch)
- In the Matter of The Competition and Markets Authority v Michael Christopher Martin [2020] EWHC 1751 (Ch)
- King & Others v King Solutions Group Limited & Others [2020] EWHC 2861 (Ch)
- Ingenious Games v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (2019)
- Green & Newman (as Joint Administrators of each of the Respondent companies) v SCL Group Ltd (2019)
- Joint Administrators Of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (In Administration) v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (2019)
- Revenue & Customs (2016) v Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (In Administration) Sub Nom (1) Anthony Victor Lomas & Ors
- Commissioners for HMRC v Joint Administrators of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (“LBIE”) (in administration) (2017)
- UBS AG v Kommunale Wasserwerke Leipzig GMBH (2017)
- Ingenious Games & Inside Track Productions & Ingenious Film Partners v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (2017)
- In The Matter of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (In Administration) Sub Nom (1) Anthony Victor Lomas & Ors v Revenue & Customs (2016)
- Ingenious Games & Inside Track Productions & Ingenious Film Partners v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (2016)
- Anton David Taylor v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills (2016)
- UBS AG (London Branch) & Ors v Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg & Ors (2014)
- Pillar Denton Ltd v GAME Retail Ltd (2014)
- Mynt Ltd v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (2013)
- John Green & Paul Rowley v Royal Bank of Scotland Plc (2013)
- In the Matter of UKLI Ltd; Secretary of State v Baljinder Chohan (2013)
- In the Matter of Instant Access Properties Ltd v Maria Gifford (2011)
- In The Matter Of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (In Administration) (October 2009)
- Revenue & Customs Commissioners v Alan Blackburn Sports Ltd (2008)
- Revenue & Customs Commissioners v (1) Shaun Cassells (2) Nicholas Reed (2008)
- Halton International (Holdings) Sarl & Anor v Guernroy Ltd & Ors (2007)
- Constantgreen Ltd v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (VADT20303) (2007)
- Monks v Revenue & Customs Commissioners (2006)
- National Westminster Bank Plc v Spectrum Plus Ltd & Ors (2005)
- McCullough (HMIT) v Gurcharan Singh Ahluwalia (2004)
- National Westminster Bank PLC v Spectrum Plus Ltd (2004)
- National Westminster Bank PLC v Spectrum Plus Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation) (2004)
