Catherine Doran

Catherine has extensive experience of corporate and personal insolvency, with a particular interest in directors’ disqualification.

When Catherine was on HM Attorney General’s Panel she regularly acted for the Secretary of State and Official Receiver in disqualification claims, section 17 applications, BRO claims and public interest winding up petitions. She is therefore well placed to advise individuals against whom proceedings have been threatened or commenced, and is frequently instructed by directors.

Catherine’s practice includes drafting and appearing on winding up and bankruptcy petitions, applications relating to statutory demands, annulments, validation orders, applications for administration orders and injunctions to prevent presentation and advertisement.

Catherine acts for and against officeholders in transaction avoidance claims, misfeasance claims, possession claims, applications for private examination, remuneration applications and extending administrations.

Catherine has written chapters of Tolley’s Insolvency Law and the Insolvency Litigation Handbook. She was a member of the committee which drafted the Company Directors Disqualification Practice Direction.

Recent reported cases include:

• Re Kids Company – Official Receiver v Atkinson and others [2020] EWHC 2839 and [2021] EWHC 175 – acting for the trustees who successfully resisted a disqualification order
• Georgallides v Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy [2020] EWHC 768 – acting for a director seeking to rescind his disqualification undertakings
• Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills v Rahman [2017] EWHC 2468 (Ch) – acting in an appeal against a disqualification period
• Cook v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2017] B.P.I.R. 1468 – appearing in a bankruptcy annulment application
• Canning v Irwin Mitchell LLP [2017] EWHC Civ 718 – acting in an appeal in bankruptcy proceedings
• Pioneer Cladding Ltd v John Graham Construction Ltd [2015] EWHC 1314 (QB) – appearing in a case considering whether leave under section 130 Insolvency Act 1986 was required.

Catherine has considerable experience in the county courts and First Tier Tribunal (Residential Property) acting for landlords and tenants. She has appeared in cases involving trespassers, rent arrears, service charge disputes, breaches of covenant, section 168 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 determinations and forfeiture. She has advised on various issues arising from residential and business tenancies.

Catherine has advised on real property matters including boundary disputes, restrictive covenants and nuisance claims. She appeared in the Court of Appeal for the successful respondents in a neighbour dispute in Cocking v Eacott [2016] EWCA Civ 140.

Catherine often advises and appears for mortgagees in possession and forfeiture cases.

Catherine has considerable experience in the Companies Court, including unfair prejudice petitions, applications to extend time for the registration of charges and restoring companies to the Register. Catherine has acted for individuals seeking to trade under what would otherwise be a prohibited name, pursuant to section 216 Insolvency Act 1986 and wrote the chapter on prohibited names in the Insolvency Litigation Handbook.

Catherine has a particular interest in claims and applications involving directors’ disqualification.

Catherine has experience of in-person and remote mediations across the range of her practice areas

Catherine’s commercial practice includes breach of contract claims, shareholder disputes, guarantees, loan agreements and enforcement of judgments.

• Catherine gave an interview about the Kids Company case shortly after judgment was handed down. Watch the full interview here.
• Regular contributor to Tolley’s Insolvency Law
• Contributor to all editions of the Insolvency Litigation Handbook
• Author of Case Reports for Corporate Rescue and Insolvency journal
• Author of Case Analysis for Lexis Nexis PSL

• “Very easy to deal with and technically brilliant.” (Insolvency, Legal 500 UK Bar 2022)
• “Catherine is brilliant technically and is good with clients.” (Insolvency, Legal 500 UK Bar 2022)
• “Very knowledgeable and calm. She is able to cut through to the heart of issues and provide concise advice.” (Insolvency, Legal 500 UK Bar 2021)
• “She is extremely competent and lends weight to clients’ internal teams.” (Insolvency, Legal 500 UK Bar 2020)
• “She can pick up complex instructions and analyse evidence in a short space of time.” (Insolvency, The Legal 500 UK Bar 2019)

Catherine read law at Trinity College, Cambridge, where she was elected president of her college law society and was twice awarded the Lizette Bentwich prize. She was an Inner Temple Exhibitioner during her BVC year and was called to the Bar in 2008. She completed her pupillage at Radcliffe Chambers and became a full member in October 2009.

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