Kathleen Harris is a London-based partner in the firm's White Collar Criminal Defense practice group where she represents companies in a wide range of industries, and individuals in criminal investigations and compliance matters involving allegations of complex economic fraud, bribery, money laundering, and tax and investment fraud. She is an accomplished litigator with extensive knowledge of and experience in matters involving risk assessments, investigations, and prosecutions under the UK Bribery Act, Proceeds of Crime Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act of 2005 (SOCPA), as well as experience of statutes providing investigative powers. Kathleen has broad experience advising government ministers on the development and implementation of policy and fraud strategy, and leading complex overseas enquiries and analyses.
Before joining Arnold & Porter LLP, Kathleen served as Head of Fraud Business Group and Head of Policy at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) (2008-2011), Senior Strategic Policy Adviser in the Attorney General's Office (2007-2008), and held positions in HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Department of Works and Pensions in the United Kingdom. Kathleen has led the prosecution of organisations involved in high-profile bribery investigations, complex financial crime, and tax evasion. At the SFO, she supervised and provided strategic oversight to a number of high-level investigations and prosecutions. Kathleen revamped the agency's critical policy function, headed the domain responsible for investment fraud, and was responsible for the SFO's use of the Regulations of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and its responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection Act (DPA) requests. She played a key role in developing seminal guidelines on critical issues, including plea negotiations, civil remedies, civil recovery, and corporate prosecutions. At the Attorney General's Office, she provided comprehensive legal and policy support, including providing specialist support for the Jessica de Grazia review, resulting in a major reorganisation of the SFO.
Kathleen has worked closely with law enforcement agencies both in the UK and internationally, including the SFO, the Attorney General's Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, HMRC, the Ministry of Justice, the US Department of Justice, and the US Securities & Exchange Commission, on all aspects of investigatory and fraud strategy. In 2010, Ms Harris was one of the official UK Examiners assigned to monitor the US government's compliance with its obligations under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) convention.
Education
Inns of Court School of Law, 1998
LLB, with honors, Thames Valley University, 1997
Diploma in Magisterial Law, with distinction, Kingsway College, 1992
Admissions
England and Wales