Lawyer in the news

Who? Catherine Hopkins, 47-year-old clinical negligence specialist at the Basingstoke office of 48-partner City-based Penningtons.

Why is she in the news? Acting for women who were told by staff at The Hampshire Clinic that their frozen embryos had been 'mislaid' by the embryologist.

Around 20 women have come forward so far.

Background: Worked as an NHS nurse for 20 years before taking a law degree at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge (1991-94) and the LPC at the College of Law in Guildford in 1994.

Qualified with Penningtons in 1997, where she has been ever since, specialising in clinical negligence work.

Route to the case: 'I took a phone call in mid-August from a woman who had just been told that the clinic had lost her frozen embryos.

After issuing a press release which got picked up by some papers, we have been receiving more and more phone calls from women who have been told similar things by the clinic.'

Thoughts on the case: 'The case is still in the very early stages, but we expect to put in claims for breach of contract and additional damages for suffering.

It's an important case because it highlights the lack of supervision in this line of work - the embryologist [who freezes the excess eggs taken from the woman] works alone.

If this can happen in this clinic, it can happen anywhere, so we are pressing for a full government review of existing guidelines allowing embryologists to work alone.'

Dealing with the media: 'Even though the case is only a week or so old, we've still had a lot of media interest, from The Guardian and ITN among others.

As it's such a sensitive and personal case, the original client was upset by the amount of publicity - we have to respect her desire for privacy and anonymity.'

Victoria MacCallum