Travel Law Seminar

Kate Abrahams is a Head of Intelligence at Weightmans, specialising in fraud and Intelligence.  She is renowned for her deep expertise in applying intelligence analytics across the industry including fraud, health, employment, and commercial environments. Kate has over 15 years’ experience in law enforcement and 15 years working in fraud and intelligence in law firms. Kate plays a pivotal role in advising clients across the insurance and legal sectors.  

A former Head of Analysis in the Police, Kate has a distinguished career that includes authoring the first manual for analysts across UK policing on analysing major crime, winning an international award for ‘Excellence in Professional Intelligence Analysis.’ This followed accolades for her part in convicting Ian Huntley for the Soham murders. As a national lead for major investigations in policing Kate travelled around the world advising on Intelligence work in policing. In her current role, Kate’s blend of front line and strategic intelligence experience, alongside deep data analytic skill empowers Weightmans’ clients to tackle fraud effectively.  

Kate leads the delivery of bespoke intelligence and data analytics solutions for clients – spanning incident analysis to advanced fraud screening.  She regularly delivers client training and chairs collaborative intelligence forums aimed at exposing organised fraudulent activity, optimising outcomes for clients.

Farina has a significant profile within the travel industry, frequently speaking at major conferences and contributing to leading industry publications. She is Band 1 ranked in Chambers & Partners for Travel: Regulatory & Commercial and is also named in the Legal 500, where she is described as “an exceptional lawyer specialising in the travel industry.”

Before joining Fox Williams in May 2023, Farina was Head of Travel at Deloitte UK, where she advised on high-value, strategic projects for major global travel businesses. Her blend of private practice and Big Four consulting experience provides clients with a unique perspective that combines deep legal expertise with commercial insight.

Farina’s experience, industry standing, and ability to deliver clear, practical legal solutions make her a highly sought-after advisor in the travel sector.

Sarah Barnes is a partner in the Marine team and advises on marine and travel related personal injury and fatal accident claims, which can include claims by passengers, crew, employees or third parties. She also handles land based personal injury claims whether employers’ liability or public liability claims for companies and their insurers.

Her clients are predominantly cruise, ferry, yacht and tour operators, offshore and shipping companies as well as port operators. She also acts for a variety of insurers, including P&I clubs and RSA.

Most of Sarah’s work is focused on high-value, sensitive and/or complex claims and can also involve jurisdictional issues, such as cross-border claims.

Sarah is a friendly and outgoing person, so she enjoys working collaboratively with clients, providing the support they need not only from her and her team but from colleagues in the wider firm. Where appropriate, she tries to be proactive and give commercial and practical advice, so clients achieve the best outcome.

She also enjoys travelling to meet clients, colleagues and associates and building relationships both internally and externally. Her clients would probably describe her as approachable, reliable, and committed to understanding their needs.

Separate to the day job, Sarah enjoys being involved in the trainee committee and seeing junior colleagues progress within the firm. She also enjoys travelling to new places, walking her dog, and cooking!

Krystene is a senior litigation specialist with a focus on commercial and contractual disputes, particularly within the travel and tech sectors. Since joining Travlaw in 2014, she has played a key role in the firm’s litigation team, advising on complex matters ranging from breach of contract and regulatory issues to cross-border debt recovery.

Her practice spans a wide range of contentious and advisory work, including contract reviews, dispute resolution, and the enforcement of high-value debts. Krystene has extensive experience advising tech-focused clients on B2B contractual conflicts, consumer complaints, service delivery disputes, and industry compliance — particularly where fast-moving innovation meets regulatory complexity.

A trusted adviser in both litigation and pre-action strategy, Krystene regularly represents clients in negotiations, mediations, and proceedings before the County Courts and High Court. She is also Travlaw’s lead on enforcement action, handling everything from charging orders and asset freezing to bankruptcy and winding-up petitions, both in the UK and internationally.

With over a decade of experience in debt recovery, Krystene is frequently the first point of contact for businesses seeking practical, commercially minded solutions to outstanding liabilities. Her success in securing favourable outcomes — including in matters escalated to the Royal Courts of Justice — makes her a go-to expert for high-stakes recovery work.

Beyond her casework, Krystene is a recognised thought leader in the travel and tech industries. She regularly speaks at national events and has contributed to publications such as Travel Law Quarterly and Travel Weekly. Her recent panel appearances include the Barclays Travel Forum and Travlaw’s Big Tent Event, where she has spoken on subjects including ATOL Reform, Brexit, and regulatory shifts impacting service-based industries.
Outside of legal practice, Krystene also teaches it — delivering training and CPD-accredited sessions to other legal professionals through partnerships with Law Business Research and FOR Legal, with a particular focus on commercial litigation and debt recovery best practices.

Mike is a collaborative, decisive and innovative fraud, and financial crimes expert with an extensive background in intelligence, investigations, risk, and compliance, having worked in law enforcement and the regulatory and financial sectors.

He has a Masters’ Degree in Fraud Management, ICA Diploma in AML/TF and is a Fellow member of the International Compliance Association (ICA).  He is currently Deputy Chair of Insurance Fraud Investigators Group (IFIG), Vice President International Association of Special Investigations Unit (IASIU), and Board Panel member Keepl Social. Before joining Weightmans he was an active Management Board Member of the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED -City of London Police) and Member of CIFAS Intelligence Advisory Board.  

Mike joined Weightmans as Head of Fraud in May 2022 and has national responsibility for the management and development of the firm's fraud offering across the business, working closely with segment heads, sector leads and client partners to develop the fraud proposition for clients. His role includes developing value-added fraud propositions for clients to assist in the identification, defence, and where appropriate, prosecution of fraudsters.  He has chaired and presented various external fraud events within the UK and overseas. 
He has also participated in various media, TV, and radio broadcasts.

Mike has overseen many successful fraud cases and has received internal and external accolades for his efforts, and considerable experience of leading fraud investigations where civil proceeds are in play. He has held secure government vetting since 1999.

Alex’s practice encompasses 12KBW’s core areas with particular focus on travel, serious personal injury, clinical negligence, fraudulent claims and inquests.

Alex is recognised as a leading junior in Legal500 in travel law as “punching well above his weight and is already an established specialist in Athens Conventions claims”.

His passion remains in all forms of advocacy work, alongside his paper practice.

Alex has good working knowledge of German having read Law and German Law at Exeter University before completing a Masters in German Law at Saarland University, Germany. He enjoys learning from different jurisdictions and is an Honorary Member of the Tampa Bar, Florida, after taking part in an exchange programme there.

In his spare time, Alex enjoys baking, triathlon and skiing. He is a trained Level 2 Triathlon Coach and qualified to represent Team GB at age group level in the 2021 World Championships in Bermuda and the 2021 European Championships in Valencia. Alex brings his personal knowledge of sports coaching and procedures to his sports law practice.

Kate Bryan is a privacy and AI governance expert.  She set up Data Driven Legal in 2021 to offer specialist advice to companies on GDPR compliance. Having worked for inhouse for Royal Caribbean and Eurostar, Kate and her team are well placed to give tailored, practical advice to travel companies. 

Justin is a Partner in Kennedy's London office. He qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1996.

Justin represents tour operators, hotels, and other companies providing travel services to UK customers. He specialises in claims against tour operators under the package travel regulations worldwide, and also handles a whole range of employers’ and public liability matters.

He manages a range of personal injury matters. These include high profile matters, such as the inquests into the Tunisian beach massacre and associated civil claims, other high profile inquests, and advising and assisting with the management and strategic response to ‘holiday sickness’ claims.

Justin regularly speaks at industry events, for specific tour operators or through ABTA. He is an author of Kennedys’ Claims Handling Law and Practice Guide, and is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).

After a varied career in the industry ranging from hotel reservations to business travel, tour operations and travel law, Susan joined ABTA as a solicitor in 2016 and was subsequently appointed Director in 2019. She leads the Destinations and Sustainability teams in ABTA’s work on sustainable tourism, health, safety and security, operations and crisis management. Susan engages with destination and UK governments, tourist boards, trade associations and other stakeholders on behalf of Members in relation to travel industry matters.  

As well as being responsible for ABTA’s internal people development strategy, she also manages ABTA’s work on education, skills and career development, helping promote the travel industry as a great place to work.

Rhys advises clients on compliance with the laws and regulations which apply to the sale of travel services in Europe. As a sector specialist, Rhys brings with him a great deal of industry insight and knowledge which helps ensure that his advice is always commercial, practical and pragmatic. Rhys typically undertakes this work for online booking platforms, travel agents and tour operators.

Rhys has significant experience in helping clients launch new products and enter new markets. He acts for well-known brands intending to launch or expand their own travel business, both domestically and internationally. Rhys uses his expertise of the regulation and the market to help clients structure their business efficiently and to negotiate the myriad of commercial and consumer contracts which are needed to operate. 

Rhys frequently represents clients in travel-related disputes, including in response to investigations and proceedings by regulators and industry trade associations. Most recently, Rhys has represented clients in response to investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority concerning compliance by various travel companies with the relevant travel regulation.

Willa leads the Core Consumer Rights team at the Department for Business and Trade, where she focuses on promoting fair trading, transparency, and stronger consumer protections, including in the travel sector. She is responsible for key areas of consumer policy, including the Package Travel Regulations and new legislation updating subscription contracts and to regulate secondary ticketing for live events.

She previously led the introduction of the UK’s Digital Competition regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Willa has held a range of roles across government, including at HM Treasury, the Intellectual Property Office, and DEFRA.
 

Themis Advisory was founded in 2018 by Joanna Kolatsis, a former partner in a City law firm, following 20 years providing legal services to the travel and aviation industries.  Following her decision to leave private practice, she founded Themis Advisory which was born out of a desire to provide current, pragmatic commercial solutions for the modern business world.

Joanna began her legal career as Group General Counsel for a vertically integrated tour operator in 1998. In 2008 she joined the boutique aviation practice, Gates and Partners, before joining Hill Dickinson as Partner and Head of Aviation and Travel in 2014 until July 2018.

Since qualification Joanna has specialised in the aviation and travel industries and her advice covers all aspects including airlines, tour operators, destination management companies, distribution and accommodation. Her expertise includes aviation and travel law, commercial and regulatory matters including the Package Travel Directive and ATOL compliance, aviation regulatory issues including passenger rights and general company commercial and contractual matters including booking terms and conditions, website compliance, charter agreements and complaints handling. She also assists companies with ABTA and ATOL licensing applications, regulatory investigations and compliance issues.

Joanna has specific expertise in risk management, crisis management and criminalisation in air and travel incidents, speaking frequently on this topic.  She has been involved in several high profile travel and aviation crises including air accidents and investigations, terrorist events and their impact, catastrophic weather incidents and high value injury claims. This particular skill set allows Joanna to provide strategic advice to assist with claims prevention, brand reputation and business resilience in an effort to reduce exposure to claims and aid efficient management of crises and claims when they do arise.

Joanna is a multi-award winning lawyer and is often in demand to speak at industry events for ABTA, IATA, Advantage Travel Partnership, Travel Weekly, Airlines UK and BARUK and contributes to a number of industry publications. She is Honorary Legal Counsel to Airlines UK and in 2017 she was appointed to the AWTE ‘Most Influential Women in Travel’ list. 

Paula qualified as a solicitor in 2000 at a commercial legal firm and then moved in-house to be an ABTA solicitor, before moving up to senior solicitor. She has over 20 years’ experience in travel law, including package travel, ATOL, consumer law, booking conditions, advertising and websites. She runs ABTA's code of conduct processes and writes the extensive, practical guidance available for Members on compliance with the Code and their legal obligations. In her spare time Paula loves travelling and football and believes that someday soon she'll be able to combine the two and go to a World Cup to support Scotland.

After an in-house career across the Australian insurance and banking sectors, Shannen relocated from Melbourne to London in 2023 to expand her global experience. She has since transitioned into the travel industry, where she now supports a fast-paced expedition cruising company.  At HX Expeditions, Shannen advises on a range of legal, governance, and compliance matters across the business.

Claire leads DWF’s travel team. She handles all manner of  travel liability issues and litigation arising from incidents including aircraft, cruise ships, multi-vehicle or coach collisions, drownings and injuries sustained in pools or from balcony falls, hurricanes, mountaineering and climbing accidents and sickness outbreaks.

In addition to defending claims she drafts tour operator and travel agents’ terms and conditions, supplier contracts, crisis manuals and health and safety addendums. She also has a wealth of inquest and regulatory expertise and advises management boards on risk management, and health and safety issues.

She is an expert in crisis management and provides her clients with a 24/7 crisis management response helpline. Chambers UK and The Legal 500 UK recognise Claire as a Leading Lawyer. Chambers UK report that "Claire Mulligan's extensive experience in the travel sector enables her to expertly handle claims concerning accidents abroad.", “Claire is the number one lawyer in the tour ops world. I would not want anyone else representing us” and The Legal 500 describes her as ‘invaluable’ and ‘a bright star on the travel scene’.

Alex is a director of Hextalls Law and has worked with the travel industry for over 20 years on a wide range of legal issues. He specialises in dispute resolution and assists tour operators, travel agents and their insurers in handling all types of litigation and disputes. He also advises on regulatory issues such as ATOL compliance. 

Sarah undertakes high value, complex and sensitive personal injury claims of all kinds, acting both for claimants and for defendants. As well as being lauded by the directories for her courtroom advocacy and legal knowledge, she is well known to leading firms as a skilled negotiator, and is valued by clients for her sensitive handling of difficult cases.

In the last year Sarah has represented claimants in claims in respect of catastrophic injuries arising from accidents at work, leisure accidents, and road traffic accidents, as well as accidents abroad; and has defended similar claims, often involving spinal injuries of the utmost severity and/or serious brain injuries. She has conducted a number of cases raising issues of borderline and fluctuating capacity. She is also experienced in claims of the utmost sensitivity raising allegations of sexual assault.

Sarah specialises in travel law claims, including claims under the Package Travel Regulations 2018, the Athens and Montreal Conventions, and at common law; she also has a particular expertise in all aspects of conflict of law and jurisdiction. Together with other team members Matthew Chapman KC, Jack Harding, Dominique Smith, Thomas Yarrow and Henk Soede, Sarah co-wrote the most recent editions of Saggerson on Travel Law and Litigation, the leading textbook in this field. Sarah also finds the time to update the chapter of the Encyclopaedia of Insurance Law on the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.

Sarah was invited to join the Consultative Group of Experts to the UNWTO Committee for the Development of an International Code for the Protection of Tourists; the Code has now been adopted by the UNWTO and is being implemented internationally. In addition, she is an academic collaborator of the UNWTO Observatory for Latin America and the Carribean. She has also been co-opted to the Admiralty Court Users’ Committee as a representative of the personal injury Bar.

Sarah supports her Inn’s efforts to expand membership of the Bar more equitably, and has acted as a judge in the inter-Inns debating competition at both quarter- and semi-final stages. She is taking her interest in supporting students further with involvement in the Young Citizens mock trial scheme and other educational outreach, including marking the Inner Temple Students Association essay competition and qualifying as an advocacy trainer. She is also a qualified exam invigilator.

Dan Saxby has a substantial common law practice, with a particular speciality in both personal injury and travel law, fields in which he has long been recognised as a leading junior.

He also has an extensive inquest practice and is regularly instructed in such matters, including those of the highest profile and sensitivity.
Dan is particularly noted in the directories for his thorough and meticulous approach, and for the excellence of his advocacy. He is regularly instructed in complex and high value matters in each of his specialist areas, often litigating against silks.

Travel & Cross Border Claims

Dan has a very extensive travel law practice and accepts instructions in all areas in the field, including those arising from the Package Travel Regulations, accidents and illnesses occurring during the course of air travel, and aboard cruise ships. Dan also regularly advises upon and acts in claims where jurisdiction is in issue.

Dan has acted for almost all major tour operators and airlines and has a wealth of litigation experience in this respect, including (but not limited to):
•    injury claims arising during the course of a holiday or excursion (in numerous cases, where severe or catastrophic injury has been sustained, including brain injury and paraplegia);
•    gastric illness claims (including cases where claims have been brought by several hundred claimants, as well as individual claims of particularly high value and/or medical complexity);
•    legionella claims;
•    claims where there is alleged to have been an outbreak of a particular pathogen and/or illness in resort;
•    and, recovery actions brought against hotel chains or local suppliers

Dominique Smith is an experienced and outstanding advocate who is regularly instructed and led in complex and catastrophic injury claims for both claimants and defendants.

She is ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners across four practice areas, namely: inquests and inquiries, travel law, personal injury, and clinical negligence. She has also been ranked in Who’s Who Legal – UK Bar 2025 for aviation and travel. She is described as being “excellent at what she does” (Chambers and Partners 2025) and is noted for her “ability to put the client at considerable ease” (Legal 500 2025). She is often instructed in high profile cases and is currently the Team Leader of Junior Counsel to the Inquests into the Deaths of the Patients of Ian Paterson.

Dominique is a co-author of the leading textbook, Saggerson on Travel Law and Litigation (7th Edition), and has authored A Practical Guide to Cross-Border Clinical Negligence Claims.

Dominique is also an elected member of the Inner Temple’s Bar Liaison Committee (BLC) and a committee member of the Inns of Court Alliance for Women.

Mark Smith opened Purdy Smith for business in July 2017 having spent a number of years working at leading City law firms Fieldfisher and Osborne Clarke. He provides advice to a range of leading brands and other businesses on a variety of matters including commercial contracts, intellectual property rights, consumer law, package travel legislation, data protection, e-commerce issues and the regulation of advertising and marketing. 

He has considerable experience in dealing with regulators and has enjoyed working on numerous international projects throughout his career in partnership with his broad network of overseas contacts.  Mark has a long history of acting for clients in the travel industry, including some of the world's most famous travel brands, and earlier in his career  spent time on secondment at both Eurostar and Expedia.

Mark has been quoted in publications including Campaign and The Independent, appeared on both radio and television as a legal expert, and regularly speaks at seminars and conferences both nationally and internationally.  He was nominated for both the "Sole Practitioner of the Year" award at the Law Society Excellence Awards in 2019 and the "Rising Star – Private Practice" award at the British Legal Awards 2020.  He is recommended in both The Legal 500 UK and Chambers & Partners UK.

John Snyder is General Counsel of Carnival UK, with responsibility for legal support across the UK-based brands operated and sold by the business in the UK, including P&O Cruises, Cunard, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn.

In his role, John advises on a broad range of legal and regulatory matters, spanning commercial sales and marketing, consumer and advertising compliance, contracting across all departments, maritime and operational issues, and complex litigation. He works closely with senior leadership to support commercial decision-making while managing legal risk in a highly regulated, consumer-facing industry.

Before joining Carnival UK in 2004, John practised as a commercial lawyer at Bond Pearce (now Womble Bond Dickinson), where he was seconded to major retail clients including B&Q plc, Superdrug plc and Virgin. 
 

Jessica Stonehouse is Senior Legal Counsel at On the Beach Group plc where she supports all areas of the business on a broad variety of legal and compliance matters with a focus on commercial contracts, marketing and advertising, and consumer law.  Before joining On the Beach in 2021, Jessica trained at Ward Hadaway where she was seconded to Virgin Money and Nissan and, after qualifying, spent a number of years working for Priority Pass and BT. 

Rebecca’s work covers all areas of employment law including support on contract and policy frameworks, Employment Tribunal representation, developing and delivering in-house training, employee relations issues and senior executive termination arrangements.

She works extensively in the travel sector with tour operators, membership organisations and travel technology providers. She contributes to ABTA’s Travel Law Today bulletin and is a regular speaker at industry events.

Rebecca works primarily in the DMH Stallard London office but also collaborates closely with colleagues in their other locations.

Rebecca acts for senior executives across all business areas and regularly advises individuals in the luxury retail, media and aviation sectors.

She builds close relationships with her clients to ensure an in-depth understanding of their business ensuring employee potential is maximised and employment related risks are minimised.

Rebecca qualified as a solicitor in 1992.

Matt Vaggers is Legal Director for the dnata Travel Group in Europe. Matt is a highly experienced commercial lawyer, and has worked in the travel industry for the last 9 years. He provides the dnata Travel brands (including several UK B2B and B2C Tour Operators, OTAs and a Dubai-based global bedbank) with a wide spectrum of commercial legal and regulatory advice, including in relation to product supply, agency, distribution, IT and general procurement contracts, business strategy, and customer issues (including Package Travel and general consumer law compliance). 
 

Kirsteen Vickerstaff is General Counsel and Company Secretary of On the Beach Group plc. She qualified as a corporate finance lawyer and has more than 20 years’ post-qualification experience across private, private equity-backed and listed businesses.

Since joining On the Beach in 2015, she has played a leading role in the company’s response to legal and regulatory change in the travel sector, including overseeing its transition into scope of the Package Travel Regulations in 2018. She has since been closely involved in the operation of the regime, including Regulation 29 litigation and engagement on PTR reform, and has led wider strategic competition litigation affecting the travel sector. She has also been closely involved in policy work with government and regulators, including through her membership of ATIPAC from 2015 to 2025. More broadly, she advises the business on major corporate and commercial matters, leads the Group’s legal, risk and governance functions, and has helped steer the company through significant industry disruption, including two major airline failures and the COVID-19 pandemic.