Catherine Atkinson

Background

About Catherine Atkinson

Catherine is a barrister and social justice campaigner. Catherine is an experienced and confident court advocate who is approachable and pragmatic with clients and has a broad range of legal experience. Catherine manages a team of barristers on the Undercover Policing Inquiry and continues to undertake personal injury work, particularly work place accidents, criminal injuries compensation, inquest work and employment law. Catherine is National Chair of the Society of Labour Lawyers (SLL) which advises the Shadow Front Bench, campaigns on justice issues and runs a mentoring scheme. Catherine previously chaired the Socialist Societies Executive, twenty societies affiliated to the Labour Party including SLL, Fabians, SERA, Labour Housing Group. Catherine was the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Erewash in 2015, 2017 and 2019 and was Chair of Erewash Labour Party. She is a former Councillor and Chair of Governors and former Trustee of the Citizens Advice Bureau. Catherine graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a First Class degree in Divinity before undertaking the law conversion at City University. She was awarded the Lincoln’s Inn Gluckstein prize and was a Lord Haldane Scholar. Catherine has been a contributing author to books in Occupational Health, Employment Law and Clinical Negligence. She has also written articles on a wide range of topics from domestic violence and harassment to pirates. Catherine is a committed community activist involved in coordinating numerous campaigns including- Save Ashgate Nursery School- Save Long Eaton Fire Station- Save Hazlewood Care Home- Living Wage Campaign- Christmas Cards delivered identifying support services- Warm Welcome Appeal for hats, gloves & scarves for Refugees- NHS anti cuts campaigns in relation to Ilkeston Community Hospital, Minor Injuries Unit, Access to GP appointments and mental health services- Town Centre and Shop Local campaigns; and - Ran an apprenticeship fair which signed up 60 apprenticeships. Catherine has three children and is married to Dan, who runs a political research team, is a retained firefighter and a former army reservist.