Karen is an experienced litigator who practises across New Zealand and Australia in a broad range of civil and regulatory litigation and investigations. 

Her areas of practice include employment, discrimination and human rights, privacy, workplace health and safety, regulatory prosecution (Fair Trading), medico-legal and professional disciplinary matters, and general civil litigation. 

She has undertaken investigations for private institutes in response to complaints of discrimination, bullying, privacy breaches and whistle blower provisions, and provided policy advice to state government agencies, large corporations and tertiary education institutes. Karen has inquiry experience and is one of the lawyers appointed in the Dilworth Independent Inquiry.

Karen has a specialty in Trans-Tasman employment law. Having practised extensively in each jurisdiction, she is familiar with the legislative differences and the complications faced by employers and employees. She is able to advise clients in Australia and New Zealand on their respective employment and workplace obligations and clearly explain the legal framework that needs to be complied with.  She has acted for employers, employees, and Unions. Karen has collective bargaining experience in both New Zealand and Australia. 

Karen is practical and pragmatic. While she is perfectly comfortable in a court room advocating for her clients, she is conscious that often the best outcome is achieved through negotiation and alternative dispute resolution.

Karen is an adjunct lecturer for College of Law Australia (LLM: Applied Law Programme Government and Public Sector; Privacy) and College of Law NZ (Professional Legal Studies).

Prior to joining the NSW Independent Bar in 2014, Karen practised at a number of litigation firms specialising in employment, civil, and medico-legal litigation in Australia and New Zealand.