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Kathryn Ward

Of Counsel
About

Kathryn has great knowledge in post accident legal liability, and has particular experience in handling the legal aftermath of major air accidents on behalf of airlines, operators, product manufacturers and MROs.

She also regularly represents airports and ground handlers in claims involving IATA standard ground handling agreements or otherwise. In addition, Kathryn is regularly instructed in the field of general aviation and on insurance coverage.

In a commercial context, Kathryn represents carriers and aviation service providers in contractual disputes and advises on issues surrounding aircraft ownership, leasing and re-possession.

Kathryn defends numerous carriers in passenger claims brought against them based on the Montreal Convention 1999, EU Regulation 261/04 and EU Regulation 1107/06. She advises on the bulk handling of passenger claims, enforcement action by regulatory bodies such as the CAA and has particular experience in representing carriers in claims in the English Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Kathryn has wide experience in both domestic and international litigation and has handled claims arising out of incidents and accidents in the UK, Europe, CIS, South America, Asia and Africa. In addition to litigation, Kathryn also represents parties in international arbitrations as well as alternative forms of dispute resolution, such as mediation and direct negotiation. She is a Spanish speaker and much of her work focuses on Latin America.

Experience

  • Representing reinsurers of various Russian operators/lessors in claims against them for loss of aircraft following the failure by Russian operators to return aircraft upon termination of the leasing as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
  • Representing a UK carrier in a dispute with the lessors of various aircraft intended to make up its fleet for failure to deliver the aircraft prior to the final delivery dates in the leases which prevented the carrier from operating several intended flights and cancelling routes in 2022.
  • Defending a Cuban lessee/operator and their parent company/guarantor in a claim by the lessor brought against them in 2020 for breach of six leases in respect of AN-158 aircraft and a separate claim by the Cuban parties for frustration of those leases on the grounds that the aircraft were unairworthy from the outset.
  • Defending an Indonesian ground handler in claims against it by two carriers which collided on the runway at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Jakarta in April 2016.
  • Representing a major helicopter manufacturer in respect of the heavy landing of a helicopter operated by the Cayman Police Force in 2019 causing injury to two of the occupants.
  • Representing reinsurers of the Argentine Province of Santiago del Estero in a coverage claim involving the fatal accident to two helicopters during the filming of a French reality TV programme, in which all contestants and production staff died.
  • Representing Cubana de Aviacion and its insurers in the crash of a Global Air operated B737 200 which crashed upon take off at Jose Marti International Airport, Havana, in May 2018.
  • Advising insurers of the operator of an Alpi Pioneer 400 aircraft which crashed on approach to Popham Airfield in January 2015.
  • Defending a UK carrier in a claim against a European carrier for failure to pay agreed rates pursuant to a re-protection agreement relating to the involuntary re-booking of passengers onto the UK carrier during a period of pilot strikes. The case involved the application of IATA Resolution 735d to re-bookings made within and outside the 24 hour window afforded by that Resolution in a situation where a separate re-protection agreement had been agreed.
  • Representing a UK carrier in multiple claims brought against it in various jurisdictions worldwide as a result of pricing errors made in 2015 when filing first class fares which led the carrier to cancel bookings on the basis that they were void due to unilateral mistake.
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Education

    Awards

    • Listed in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Aviation
    • Legal 500 2025 – "Kathryn Ward is sought after for representation in the aftermath of accidents, handling liability issues"
    • Ranked band 2 for Aviation Insurance in Chambers for the last 13 years.
    • Chambers 2025 quote clients as saying "Kathryn was on the best team I've ever used", "A long-serving, dedicated and very experienced member of the team", and "Fantastic to work with on all levels."

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