Katherine Henry has appeared before numerous federal and state appellate courts, including en banc panels, on a wide variety of matters, including insurance coverage disputes. For example, in Clendenin Brothers, Inc. v. United States Fire Insurance Co. (Md. 2005), she represented both amicus Gases and Welding Distributors Association (the umbrella membership association for welding rod distributors and manufacturers), and the policyholder, Clendenin Brothers, Inc. in a dispute over the application of the absolute pollution exclusion to welding liability claims. Retained after the district court had already ruled against the policyholder, Katherine persuaded the district court to certify the question of first impression to the state court. She then successfully argued before Maryland’s highest court and obtained a ruling rejecting the insurer’s pollution exclusion defense. She subsequently also recovered her clients’ attorneys’ fees from the insurer. In CVCA, et al. v. FCC, Nos. 03-1010 and 03-1012 (consolidated with No. 02-1364) (D.C. Cir 2005), Katherine represented hundreds of independent payphone providers in a dispute over end user common line charges and crafted a strategy that led to the recovery of millions of dollars for those clients. Her representation included argument before the United State Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The appellate court affirmed a FCC ruling requiring defendants to refund end user common line charges wrongfully collected from her clients.
Katherine’s appellate skills were recognized early in her career. While just a second-year student at the University of Chicago School of Law, Katherine was awarded the law school’s two highest appellate advocacy honors by winning the Hinton Moot Court awards for best appellate advocacy and brief writing. She presented her final oral argument to appellate judges the Honorables Patricia Wald, John Minor Wisdom, and Robert Bork. After graduating from law school, Katherine obtained one of only four coveted clerkships at the Office of the Solicitor General of the United States. She then clerked for Judge Irving Goldberg on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. During her first two years of private practice after her clerkships, Katherine worked exclusively on appellate matters and acquired the skills that have served her in her many subsequent appeals before state and federal courts.