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Karen's expertise in planning and environment sees her acting for developers, landowners and objectors.  Her experience working for a local planning authority gives her a unique perspective.  She works closely with most practice areas across the firm and has experience of contentious matters including judicial review and public inquiries. She is dual qualified in New York.

She has extensive experience of acting for third parties concerned by the impact of a proposed development, including judicial review proceedings.  She is accustomed to quickly interpreting development proposals and submitting objections to planning and listed building applications.  Her contentious experience also includes public inquiry work such as planning appeals and traffic order schemes. 

Karen has acted for third parties affected by compulsory purchase orders, including HS2 and TfL schemes.  She works closely with specialist counsel and CPO surveyors.

Karen also acts for a number of developers and has advised on the community infrastructure levy, local plans, section 106 agreements and related infrastructure, development and promotion agreements. 

Having worked for a local planning authority Karen is familiar with the approach of authorities to planning enforcement action, including listed buildings.  She regularly acts for clients affected by breaches of planning control and co-ordinates effectively with planning and heritage consultants to achieve a resolution. 

Karen also advises on applications for certificates of lawfulness, including proposed works to listed buildings. 

Clients appreciate Karen's ability to quickly grasp the key issues, often on matters that are time sensitive and the ability to manage local planning authorities effectively, particularly when there is a threat of enforcement action.  Karen is accustomed to working seamlessly with planning and other consultants and specialists around the firm such as our Property Disputes team. 

Karen qualified as a solicitor in 2000.

Testimonials

"Karen Phull is great at handling planning disputes." (Legal 500 2025)

"Karen Phull is highly knowledgeable of planning matters, her advice is commercially effective, being entirely focused on the essential issues under consideration." (Legal 500 2025)

"Karen Phull provides clear, pragmatic and helpful advice." (Legal 500 2024)

"Karen Phull provides excellent advice on town planning legal matters and is my go-to expert in this field." (Legal 500 2024)

"The breadth of experience, quality of legal advice and client care is exemplary. Karen Phull is a go-to for planning and property advice, including the financial implications of improving land value through planning." (Legal 500 2024)

"The ability to understand what is important in a given set of circumstances is critical. Having the knowledge and experience of the day-to-day operations of local authorities in planning matters is key. Having these attributes, Karen Phull continues to be enormously helpful." (Legal 500 2024)

"I was impressed by the quality and detail of Karen Phull’s instructions in a specialist area and her responsiveness to requests for further information; her ability to locate and access historic documents within a short period of time was a testament to her investigatory abilities." (Legal 500 2024)

"Karen Phull is first rate, having a local authority background which gives her a significant advantage over other planning lawyers." (Legal 500 2023)

"Karen Phull is excellent and very personable." (Legal 500 2023)

"Karen Phull is excellent at dealing with very demanding clients. She has a sense of calm management and a depth of planning knowledge. She is highly skilled in managing planning litigation, including judicial review." (Legal 500 2022)

"Karen Phull has demonstrated the excellent quality of Farrer & Co that I have found to exist whenever I have dealt with them." (Legal 500 2021)

"Karen Phull is very detail oriented without losing sight of the big picture. She is commercially astute and tenacious." (Legal 500 2021)

"If you have a problem or concern in the land planning or disputes just go to Karen Phull – no need to look elsewhere. Keep her on speed dial!" (Legal 500 2021)

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