Katie Palms

Of Counsel
Katie comes up with a right-sized strategy to balance risk with our business priorities.
— Sanctions, Chambers and Partners, 2026
London
About
Katie is an experienced investigations, risk management and compliance lawyer with particular expertise in UK financial and trade sanctions. She is currently ranked Band 3 in Sanctions - Chambers and Partners, 2026. Katie provides clients with strategic advice and practical support across the full range of contexts in which sanctions issues arise, including crisis situations, potential disputes, internal and external investigations, complex transactions and day-to-day compliance management, including licence applications and regulatory notifications.


Katie brings to her sanctions advice a cross-border perspective developed over a decade of practice as an investigations lawyer in both the US and UK. In addition to supporting clients with questions on the interpretation and application of sanctions, she regularly helps clients engage with regulatory and criminal authorities, navigate multijurisdictional government and internal investigations and handle sensitive whistleblower situations. She also helps clients develop and implement effective compliance programmes and conduct transactional and counterparty due diligence and risk assessments.  

Areas of FocusFinanceEnergy and Natural ResourcesOil and GasHealthcareLife Sciences

EXPERIENCE

  • Lead adviser to multiple global companies and financial institutions on all aspects of Russia sanctions, with a particular focus on clients in the financial services, energy and natural resources and healthcare and life sciences sectors.
  • Developing programmes for and executing integrated anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering and sanctions due diligence and risk assessments for global financial investors, including in higher-risk contexts.
  • Representing an energy company in SFO, DOJ and SEC investigations relating to assets in Africa.
  • Advising a company on handling a potential HMRC investigation relating to alleged conduct by former management.
  • Advising an FCA-regulated financial institution on an internal investigation related to IT governance.
  • Advising and assisting a client facing one of the SFO's largest and most complex recent investigations.
  • Advising a major pharmaceutical company in relation to allegations of misconduct in its Asia business.
  • Advising a major pharmaceutical company in a multi-year DOJ and SEC FCPA investigation and related compliance and risk management.
  • Advising multiple companies on POCA self-reporting obligations, DAMLs and SARs.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

  • "Katie is extremely responsive, and expertly concise and clear with complex issues." Sanctions - Chambers and Partners, 2026
  • "She responds quickly, provides advice succinctly and gets to the heart of the matter. She also doesn't just tell you what the law says; she advises on how pragmatically to handle issues." Sanctions - Chambers and Partners, 2024
  • "Katie is an excellent and pragmatic lawyer. Her great skill is explaining clearly and simply how the complex sanctions framework applies to any, often difficult, situation. She is a pleasure to deal with." Sanctions - Chambers and Partners, 2024
  • "Katie has been outstanding in helping us navigate the economic sanctions landscape. She provides excellent levels of client service." Sanctions - Chambers and Partners, 2024
  • Band 3: Sanctions - Chambers and Partners, 2024
  • IFLR Rising Star - White Collar Crime, 2021
Education
  • Harvard Law School, J.D., 2009
  • Yale College, B.A., 2003

Publications and media

  • Section 2 notices against non-UK companies - what is within the SFO's direct reach? (R (KBR) v Director of the SFO) - LexisNexis, 8 February 2021

Prior Experience

  • 2015-2023 – Senior Associate and Counsel, London based international law firm
  • 2009-2014 – Associate, New York based international law firm

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Law Society of England and Wales
  • Qualified in the US (New York) 

My latest insights

News

DLA Piper advises WTW on acquisition of Cushon from NatWest and management

11 December 2025

Publication

18th package of EU sanctions against Russia

30 July 2025 .7 minute read

Publication
RY_String_Creative

DLA Piper's Sanctions Matrix quarterly update: June 2025

30 June 2025 .3 minute read

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Phone

+44 (0)20 7796 6276
(Work, London)