Catherine Hawkes
Senior Associate
Financial Services Sector | Employment
About Catherine
Catherine is a Senior Associate in our Employment & HR team based in our City of London office.
Catherine is an experienced employment lawyer, advising both organisations and senior executives on complex employment issues. Catherine frequently advises on discrimination matters as well as employee competition issues, including confidential information and post termination restraints.
Catherine qualified in September 2015 and joined RWK Goodman in March 2017. She read law at the University of Reading and spent a year in the Netherlands at the University of Maastricht where she read European and International law. Catherine trained and qualified at Gordon Dadds and also spent a year in the City in an in-house role specialising in corporate and employment law.
Catherine’s experience includes:
- Catherine advises C-suite executives and senior employees on all employment matters including negotiating complex departures, advising on high value discrimination and whistleblowing complaints and on disputes concerning the enforceability of restrictive covenants. Catherine also has extensive expertise in advising women who have been subjected to discrimination related to the menopause.
- Catherine represents employers in a range of sectors, including financial services, professional services, recruitment, and healthcare. She advises on the full range of employment issues, including negotiating employee entrances and exits, workplace investigations (including sexual harassment), discrimination and advising on the drafting of and enforcement of restrictive covenants.
- Catherine has extensive litigation experience when advising both senior executive and employers, dealing with complex and high-value discrimination and whistleblowing claims in the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal. Catherine also has experience in High Court litigation, including on employee competition matters, including on restrictive covenants, confidential information and team moves.
- Catherine regularly delivers employment and equality-related training and coaching for many clients.
Memberships:
- Employment Lawyers Association
‘I have worked with Catherine Hawkes. She is extremely professional and approachable in her presentation. Catherine is always well-researched and is able to assimilate knowledge in a particular matter quickly.’
'Catherine Hawkes’ work was far more efficient and effective than other solicitors that I approached with my situation. She quickly got to grips with the context and immediately presented an approach that was unambiguous that removed all unnecessary work. She was professional and knowledgeable, while always being clear, patient, and friendly. Her style was naturally neuro-inclusive and collaborative. I was grateful to have someone so competent by my side guiding me through such a difficult situation.'
I have instructed Catherine on numerous occasions over the past 7 years for support on a wide range of complex ER matters. Catherine combines a highly personable style with an incisive and analytical approach to unravelling the key issues and potential solutions to any issue. Her advice is always timely, considered, yet commercially focused achieving a pragmatic balance of best practice and business sense.
Catherine provides excellent support and advice to myself and the other HR professionals within the organisation. Catherine provides clear advice and highlights any risks without being risk averse. Catherine always sounds pleased to hear from me and I never feel like she is too busy to take time for me to talk things through.
Catherine was superb in handling all aspects of my successful whistleblowing and constructive dismissal claim against my former employer - diligent, smart, pragmatic and efficient. Attributes that were vital as she supported me to navigate the initial stages of my claim through to a full merit hearing and ultimately the EAT. What set Catherine apart was her ability to provide her professional advice with empathy during the weeks spent in court at tribunal hearings and case management discussions. She was unflappable, clear headed, and pragmatic. This was invaluable for me as a private citizen locked in a David and Goliath battle. I couldn’t recommend her more highly.
As a neurodivergent woman, Catherine helped me navigate a very challenging situation using a compassionate and supportive approach. Catherine created a psychologically safe space, where I felt heard and understood, and decoded and simplified, what could easily have ended up as, a complex situation. Catherine provided a professional, inclusive, and straightforward process, which was explained at every step and where all of my questions were answered patiently. I am immensely grateful that I found Catherine and would highly recommend her in a heartbeat.
Catherine was extremely helpful, diligent and effective in advising me regarding a Settlement Agreement. She helped negotiate significant financial and contractual improvements, was clear and efficient in all her communications and above all was friendly and reassuring during a stressful time. Catherine made a real effort to keep costs under control and overall they were fair and transparent. I would not hesitate to use Catherine and RWK Goodman in the future and recommend them without reservation.
