Kate Staples
General counsel and secretary
Civil Aviation Authority
Kate Staples’ industry experience is broad and extensive: she joined the Civil Aviation Authority as general counsel and secretary in September 2010. Previously, she earned her stripes at the Department for Transport, with roles including head of aviation legal from May 2006, and head of railways legal.
She currently heads up a team of eight lawyers and says: ‘No two days are the same. I enjoy the variety and believe that clients are best served by a legal team that understands the objectives of the organisation and the context in which it operates.’
‘Where we appoint an external adviser, we will seek to work closely with them to ensure that our clients obtain the best possible service from all the lawyers involved,’ she says.
Law firms used: Allen & Overy, Fountain Court Chambers, Herbert Smith Freehills, Monckton Chambers, Reed Smith
2010–present: General counsel and secretary, Civil Aviation Authority
2003–10: Legal adviser, Department for Transport
1997-2003: Solicitor, CMS Cameron McKenna