Catherine is a dynamic market leading regulated public procurement lawyer, ranked Band One in Chambers & Partners.  She has focussed on delivering practical and commercial solutions to clients' regulatory issues for over 20 years.

Catherine leads a specialist team of Regulatory Disputes lawyers, focussed on delivering commercial solutions to businesses compliance and regulatory conundrums.

As a specialist regulated procurement lawyer, she draws on vast experience acting both for and against central government and wider public sector bodies. Catherine's priority is always to ensure that the procurement rules are a facilitator, not an impediment: a means to achieving the client's strategic goals, not an end in themselves. Catherine is recognised as one of the leading public procurement litigators and is ranked as a Band 1 lawyer in Chambers UK 2023.

Acting for clients in all sectors where there is a public / private interface, she is particularly well known for her extensive experience in Healthcare, Technology and Infrastructure procurement projects.

Catherine has been a Partner at Osborne Clarke since 2011.

Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world

I am so proud to lead an amazing diverse, dedicated team of regulatory lawyers who are respected by all the clients they work with.  We help clients shape and respond to regulatory changes being driven by the transformational changes of digitalisation, decarbonisation and urban dynamics.

The regulated procurement lawyers I work with are particularly recognised for their ability to use their advisory experience to deliver the best outcomes in litigation. Our forensic approach to dissecting tender documents and procurement processes is required in order to advise on the merits of a procurement challenges. We use this knowledge to approach major procurements for our clients (whether contracting authorities or suppliers) to challenge and test evaluation criteria and methodologies.  This broad contentious experience means we advise with a depth of knowledge on risk of challenge to a procurement process, so clients know where to focus their time and resources appropriately.  We also represent clients in repelling initial challenges to a procurement process and defending challenges which proceed to litigation.
 

Catherine Wolfenden is a go-to lawyer for procurement law advice. She is always amazingly responsive, a pleasure to deal with and has a wealth of expertise - this combined with her pragmatic advice is a winning combination."

An excellent procurement lawyer - very easy to work with."

 

Microsoft

Advising on the successful bid for the Met Offices 2020+ Supercomputer procurement.

Mitie

Working with Mitie to challenge a procurement run by the Ministry of Justice for a £multi million security and facilities management contract.

Siemens Mobility

Advising Siemens for nearly 10 years on its bids in major UK rolling stock procurements.

PwC

Supported PwC on a range of public procurement matters including a dispute over a multi-million pound Ministry of Defence outsourcing contract.

Babcock International Group

Advised the Marine & Technology Division and Defence & Security Division on complex regulated procurement issues relating to major Ministry of Defence contracts.

Blue Water Recoveries Ltd

Successfully challenging the Department for Transport in relation to a procurement for salvage contracts for WWII shipwrecks Blue Water Recoveries Ltd v Secretary of State for Transport [2014] EWHC 2970 (QB).

Gama Healthcare

Lead legal advisor for this rapidly growing health technology company, which produces infection prevention and control products, including antibacterial disinfectant wipes and personal hygiene products. The company is one of the largest suppliers of infection control products to the NHS in the UK.

Scottish & Southern Energy

Worked with the SSE legal and procurement teams on the application of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 and EU Treaty principles. Advised on the whole procurement process from pre-market engagement, PQQ, ITT and contract award.

European Investment Bank

Advised the EIB on European Union the procurement requirements for the investment of EU funds in the UK via groups of combined local authorities.

Nutricia Medical

Long standing sole adviser on NHS public procurement, including on bidding strategy and procurement challenges.

EE

Advised EE on the procurement aspects of its deal to provide a resilient 4G network to the Emergency Services as part of the Home Office’s £1.2bn procurement for a new Emergency Services mobile communications network in Britain.

Keepmoat Group

Advised on complex public procurement issues for numerous high value public sector construction and development contracts.

Microsoft

Acting in the competitive dialogue procurement run by the Met Office for its £1.5 billion supercomputing contract.

Grifols

Advising the UK business on Commercial Medicines Unit procurements for Grifols life saving products.

Mitie

Representing Mitie in its successful challenge against a £mulit-million Ministry of Justice procurement for FM services.