Two newly qualified solicitors have joined the team at Owen White solicitors, Catherine Morris and Kelly Van Der Watt who will be working with the franchising and corporate and commercial teams.
Catherine joined Owen White as a trainee solicitor in 2017 and qualified as a Solicitor in the litigation department in 2019. She advises on a range of commercial matters including breaches of franchise agreements, misrepresentation claims, commercial contract disputes and shareholder disputes. She has also represented employers and employees in a variety of employment disputes. She has provided assistance on unfair dismissal claims at the Employment Tribunal, settlement agreements and the enforcement of restrictive covenants in employment contracts.
Kelly previously worked at a national law firm in the technology, media and commercial team and has worked in-house for leading brands in the food services, hospitality and engineering and construction sectors, working closely with businesses to provide commercially appropriate advice. She joined Owen White as a trainee solicitor in 2017, principally working alongside Jane Masih in franchising, qualifying as a solicitor in March 2019.
She has worked with a variety of clients across a wide range of industry sectors, ranging from start-up businesses to multinational companies. She has experience advising on a variety of contractual and regulatory issues, including the supply and procurement of goods and services, distribution agreements, share and asset purchase agreements, SaaS agreements, terms and conditions of business, franchise agreements and sponsorship agreements. In addition, Kelly advises on all aspects of data protection and privacy, including direct marketing and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Managing director and head of the franchise team, Jane Masih said,
‘We would like to congratulate Catherine and Kelly on qualifying as solicitors and staying on with us at Owen White. Their addition is a sign of the strength, stability and growth of the firm. In recent months Owen White has helped secure the purchase of the former Holloway Prison site in a joint venture between London Square and Peabody and been appointed to the legal panel at Heathrow. We continue to be one of the most respected franchise solicitors in the UK working with franchisors and franchisees on a range of issues we and look forward to Catherine and Kelly contributing to our on-going success across the franchising and corporate and commercial teams.’
