Profile
Catherine has a broad practice with particular focus on extradition and public law.
“Whenever you see Catherine Brown in court, she is always polished, well prepared and someone who knows everything inside out.”
Chambers & Partners
“Catherine Brown is approachable, helpful and very good with clients.”
Chambers & Partners
“She is such a strong advocate. She knows the law, she has a great court manner, and she’s completely straight forward and trustworthy.”
Legal 500
“Excellent, clever, tenacious and highly experienced. Catherine is able to adapt to the needs of a particular case and combines the qualities of a good prosecutor with those of a good defender.”
Legal 500
“Formidable”, “Catherine is a highly proficient extradition practitioner. She has significant experience in all aspects of extradition, a good feel for cases and a strong grasp of principle. In court, she is a captivating and highly effective advocate. She is measured and dependable, a fighter, but one who picks her battles”.
Legal 500
“A conscientious and formidable opponent who has strong advocacy skills.”
Chambers & Partners
“Solid knowledge of case law.”, “Highly astute and never fazed while on her feet in difficult situations. She is tough in her responses, and her submissions have a level of forcefulness which is highly respected.”
Chambers & Partners
“A brilliant advocate who is a credit to the profession.”, “Very careful and accurate approach.”, “She is excellent in sensitive cases with vulnerable clients, and strong on mental health and child issues.”, “She is always very inclusive when it comes to talking through ideas and strategies.”
Chambers & Partners
Expertise
Catherine is highly sought after and regularly appears in serious and high-profile cases. She is regularly instructed both for requested persons and foreign governments from first instance to the Divisional Court in both in Part 1 and Part 2 requests. Catherine has received Part 2 instructions in extradition requests from the United States of America, Albania, Russia, Australia, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Singapore.
Those cases involve arguments of significant complexity. Catherine has been instructed in cases covering the full spectrum of issues that may arise in extradition proceedings including Human Rights, bars to extradition and technical arguments regarding dual criminality and sufficiency of particularisation.
Catherine advises on the use of Interpol Red Notices and in cases at the pre-arrest stage.
Catherine is ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading junior in extradition.
Catherine is appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil Panel of Counsel for Civil Litigation (B Panel).
Catherine undertakes a broad range of work on behalf of Government agencies in applications for judicial review, national security work, inquests and civil claims.
Catherine is currently instructed as junior Counsel for the Home Office in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
Catherine has represented professionals in proceedings before their professional bodies, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council and The Health and Care Professional Council, and in inquests.
Catherine is an experienced trial advocate who has prosecuted and defended in the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts in cases involving a wide spectrum of offences. She has been instructed in confiscation and asset forfeiture proceedings at all stages from restraint to enforcement.
Catherine has received instructions in Local Authority Health and Safety prosecutions and in prosecutions brought by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Before undertaking pupillage, Catherine volunteered as a panel member at Wandsworth Youth Offending Team where she implemented and reviewed youth referral orders. Since she began practice, she has gained considerable experience in dealing with young people within the criminal justice system.
- Extradition Lawyers Association.
- Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum (committee member).
- Criminal Bar Association.
- South Eastern Circuit (Assistant Treasurer), Surrey & South London Bar Mess (committee member).
- CPS Specialist Extradition Panel (Level 4).
- Attorney General’s C Panel.
- CPS Specialist Extradition Panel (Level 4)
- Attorney General’s B Panel of Counsel to the Crown (2021)
- Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel to the Crown (2016 to 2021)
To view Catherine Brown’s Privacy Notice, please click here.
Recognition
Specialist Areas
Notable cases
Roach v. Singapore [2020]
EWHC 229 (Admin) – Instructed on behalf of the Singaporean Government in an extradition request for offences arising out of a bank...
Cleveland v. Government of the United States of America [2019]
1 W.L.R. 4392 – Acted on behalf of the US Government. The Divisional Court judgment provided clarification on the proper approach to...
Germany v. Singh [2019]
EWHC 62 (Admin) – Instructed on behalf of the requested person at first instance and on appeal. The Divisional Court considered the...
Francis v. Government of the United States of America [2019]
EWHC 2033 (Admin) – Instructed on behalf of the US Government. The case involved argument on prison conditions and, specifically, the...
Visha v. Italy [2019] EWHC 400 (Admin)
Instructed on behalf of the Italian judicial authorities in the first case where the Divisional Court considered the issue of Italian...
Auzins v. Latvia[2017]
1 W.L.R. 2981 (Auzins No.2) – Acted on behalf of the Latvian authorities before the Divisional Court. The case involved complex arguments...
Auzins v. Latvia [2016]
4 W.L.R. 75 (Auzins No.1)– Acted on behalf of the Latvian authorities in this case which dealt with complex issues of law including issue...
Domi v. Italy and Dumitrache v. Italy
Acted on behalf of the Italian judicial authorities. The cases raised complex issues relating to re-trial rights and compliance with...
Related news
Attorney General’s Civil Panel Appointments
Chambers is delighted to announce that the following Members of Chambers have been appointed to the Attorney General’s Civil Panel: Catherine Brown and Richard Evans have been appointed to the A...
Judgment in Khan v Secretary of State
The High Court delivers judgment in Khan v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs EWHC 361 (Admin). The case involved a challenge to Ms Khan’s designation under the...
