Our People

As solicitors working only in the specialist area of transport law our focus and expertise are driven towards getting the best result for you by understanding how your business really operates.

Focused on Assisting Operators

Since its inception in 2016, CE Transport Law has been focused upon assisting Operators, Transport Managers and drivers to keep their vehicles on the road. We have attended Public Inquiries in England, Scotland and Wales and represented clients before the Upper Tribunal in both UK jurisdictions. As solicitors working only in the specialist area of transport law our focus and expertise are driven towards getting the best result for you by understanding your operator licensing requirements.

Carolyn

Carolyn Evans

Legal Director

Founder of CE Transport Law with over a decade’s expertise in transport and regulatory law, trusted by operators nationwide.

View profile
CE Transport 57 of 83 scaled

Chris Harrington

Associate Legal Director

Experienced solicitor with a strong track record in criminal defence, regulatory enforcement, and DVSA cases.

View profile
CE Transport 61 of 83 scaled

Catherine Gilder

Associate Solicitor

Former Transport Manager turned solicitor, combining industry insight with legal expertise for client success.

View profile
CE Transport 66 of 83 scaled

Paul Mason

Consultant Solicitor

Accredited Fraud Supervisor and has extensive experience defending high-value and multi-jurisdictional fraud matters.

View profile
Laura Newton - CE Transport Law - Public Enquiry Representation, Transport Law, Fleet & Driver Conduct Hearings

Laura Newton

legal director

Qualified solicitor since 2010, specialising in UK and European Road Transport Law and criminal defence relating to transport matters.

View profile
Ranya

Ranya Tokatly

Solicitor Apprentice

First-class law graduate supporting the team with research, case preparation, and operator licensing matters.

View profile
Pooja

Pooja Dhariwal

Legal Assistant

Pooja joined C E Transport Law as a Legal Assistant in May 2026, bringing with her valuable experience gained in both private practice and public family law.

View profile
Emma 2

Emma Shovlin

Business Consultant

Business consultant with legal and finance background, supporting clients with strategic analysis and growth.

View profile
CE Transport 22 of 83 scaled

Leo

Office Companion

Call us today or contact our team for an initial consultation.

Contact an experienced transport lawyer to handle your case.

Carolyn Evans

Carolyn Evans – Director & Specialist Transport Lawyer

Carolyn qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and began her career in a niche criminal defence practice, where she rapidly gained advocacy experience. During this time, she achieved Duty Solicitor status and represented clients nationally in police stations and criminal courts.

 

In 2006, Carolyn joined Woodfines LLP in Milton Keynes, working in the firm’s Crime and Regulatory Department. She was recruited to advise and prosecute on behalf of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), developing a keen understanding of transport regulation from both prosecution and defence perspectives. After obtaining her Higher Rights of Audience (Criminal), she appeared as advocate in the Crown Court and represented clients in the Court of Appeal.

 

Carolyn was promoted to Partner in 2010 and went on to build a strong national reputation in road transport law. She represents operators, transport managers and professional drivers at Public Inquiries before Traffic Commissioners throughout the UK and has appeared before the Upper Tribunal in appeals involving complex regulatory decisions.

 

Alongside her legal practice, Carolyn is committed to professional development within the criminal and regulatory field. In 2013, she became an assessor for the Police Station and Duty Solicitor Accreditation Scheme at Swansea University, supporting the development of future criminal practitioners.

 

In October 2015, Carolyn was appointed by the Master of the Rolls and the Lord Chancellor to serve as a Legal Member of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT). She has presided over complex professional misconduct hearings involving solicitors and law firms across England and Wales. On 6 October 2025, she was further appointed to the Board of the SDT, reflecting her recognised judgment, integrity and commitment to upholding professional ethical standards.

 

Motivated to deliver specialist legal services with a personal and commercially focused approach, Carolyn founded CE Transport Law Ltd, where she continues to advise clients across the commercial road transport and logistics sector.

 

Chris Harrington

Solicitor

Chris joined CE Transport Law in October 2023 as a Solicitor, bringing with him over a decade of legal experience.

 

Qualifying as a Solicitor in August 2012, Chris began his career in general criminal practice, where he represented clients during PACE interviews and regularly appeared in the Magistrates’ Court defending a range of cases. His dedication and skill earned him higher rights of audience, allowing him to advocate on behalf of clients in the Crown Court.

 

Chris later transitioned into crime and regulatory roles, specialising in representing companies and drivers involved in complex road traffic collisions, including cases of serious injury and fatalities. His expertise extended across the Magistrates’ Court, Crown Court, and inquest proceedings. Additionally, Chris handled a broad spectrum of regulatory work, including private prosecutions, health and safety cases (involving both fatal and serious injuries), and trading standards offences.

 

In the public sector, Chris served as a Senior Crown Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, where he prosecuted some of the most serious offences, ranging from violent crimes and fatal road traffic collisions to cases of murder.

With his diverse background and comprehensive legal expertise, Chris brings a well-rounded skill set to CE Transport Law, enhancing the firm’s capabilities in both criminal defence and regulatory law.

Catherine Gilder

Solicitor

Catherine joined CE Transport Law in July 2021 and qualified as a Solicitor in July 2023.

 

With a long-standing passion for transport law and prior experience as a Transport Manager, Catherine brings a unique blend of legal knowledge and practical industry insight. This combination allows her to provide clients with comprehensive advice, particularly when facing Public Inquiries or Preliminary Hearings.

 

Catherine has successfully represented clients in hearings across the country, consistently achieving favourable outcomes and earning excellent client feedback. In addition to her client work, she has also represented the DVSA in Magistrates’ Courts, showcasing her versatility in both defence and prosecution roles.

 

Looking ahead, Catherine aims to expand her criminal law practice and pursue her Higher Rights of Audience, enabling her to represent clients in the Crown Court.

Paul Mason

Consultant Solicitor

Paul Mason is a senior solicitor with over 40 years’ experience specialising in serious and complex crime, corporate investigations, and transport regulatory law. He has acted in some of the UK’s most challenging criminal and fraud cases and is recognised for his strategic insight and meticulous case preparation.

 

Paul is an accredited Fraud Supervisor with the Legal Services Commission’s Serious Fraud Panel and has extensive experience defending high-value and multi-jurisdictional fraud matters, including prosecutions brought by the SFO, HMRC, BIS and other regulatory authorities. His work has covered complex VAT frauds (MTIC), money laundering, tax evasion, Ponzi schemes and corporate governance offences.

 

In addition to his criminal expertise, Paul has a respected reputation in road transport law. He regularly represents HGV and PSV operators at Public Inquiries before the Traffic Commissioner and has successfully defended clients in cases involving operator licence issues, tachograph and drivers’ hours offences, vehicle condition prosecutions and transport-related fraud. He also advises businesses on regulatory compliance and risk management across the transport and logistics sector.

 

Paul’s client base includes SMEs, national transport companies and international corporate clients. Over the course of his career, he has advised major organisations including Renault UK, Bellway Homes, Coca-Cola and Sony. He has significant experience in compliance under the Bribery Act 2010 and has worked on matters involving the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

 

He also has notable expertise in Health and Safety law, acting in complex investigations involving workplace fatalities, corporate manslaughter allegations and HSE prosecutions. He is trusted to handle sensitive matters requiring robust defence strategies and discretion.

 

Calm under pressure and strategically focused, Paul is known for his ability to navigate complex legal problems while providing clear and commercially informed advice. He manages serious criminal and regulatory risk for his clients with tenacity and integrity.

 

Outside legal practice, Paul has been a governor at the Anglo European School for over 30 years, where he serves as Responsible Officer with oversight of financial and operational governance.

 

Laura Newton - CE Transport Law - Public Enquiry Representation, Transport Law, Fleet & Driver Conduct Hearings

Laura Newton

Solicitor

Laura qualified as a solicitor in 2010 and has developed her career specialising in road transport law and regulatory matters. Her practice focuses on the highly regulated HGV and PSV sectors, advising operators, transport managers and professional drivers on both UK and European road transport law.

 

Laura has extensive experience in operator licensing and Traffic Commissioner proceedings, MOT Disciplinary proceedings, representing clients at Public Inquiries and advising on matters involving operator licence compliance, transport manager repute and regulatory action. She works closely with clients to understand not only the legal issues they face, but also the practical and commercial impact that regulatory action can have on a transport operation.

Her experience includes representing operators and transport managers where concerns have arisen following DVSA investigations, maintenance shortcomings and compliance failures. Laura also advises on operator licence applications and variations and has acted in complex cases where the continued operation of a transport business has depended upon securing the appropriate licence. Recent work at CE Transport Law has included helping a new company secure an Operator’s Licence as part of a pre-pack sale, safeguarding more than 40 jobs.

Laura also has experience of appellate transport law work. She represented an operator in a 2024 Upper Tribunal appeal concerning the revocation of an Operator’s Licence, in which the appeal was allowed in part and the revocation set aside.

 

Alongside her regulatory practice, Laura represents professional drivers and clients facing criminal proceedings arising from transport and road traffic matters. Her combined knowledge of criminal defence and transport regulation enables her to consider both the immediate legal proceedings and the potential wider consequences for a client’s vocational entitlement, Operator’s Licence or livelihood.

 

Laura takes a practical and approachable approach to her work, helping clients understand complex regulatory issues and the steps required to move forward. This is reflected in recent client feedback, which highlights her clear communication, professionalism, attention to detail and supportive approach during stressful proceedings.

As Legal Director at CE Transport Law, Laura continues to advise and represent clients across the road transport sector, providing specialist support to operators, transport managers and professional drivers throughout the UK.

Ranya Tokatly

Paralegal

Ranya joined CE Transport Law as a Paralegal in September 2023, shortly after graduating from Aston University with an LLB Law degree, achieving First Class Honours. With a strong interest in transport law, she is eager to develop and broaden her expertise within the sector.

 

In addition to her passion for transport law, Ranya gained valuable experience in Private Client Services during her academic placement year at university. This role allowed her to deepen her legal knowledge and strengthen her practical skills across a range of legal matters.

 

Ranya is committed to advancing her legal career and is actively working towards qualifying as a Solicitor in the near future.

Pooja Dhariwal

Legal Assistant
Pooja joined C E Transport Law as a Legal Assistant in May 2026, bringing with her valuable experience gained in both private practice and public family law. Her background has provided her with a strong foundation in supporting legal teams, managing client matters and working closely with clients to achieve positive outcomes.
Alongside her role at the firm, Pooja is currently studying towards her LLB in Law and hopes to qualify as a Solicitor in the future. She is passionate about developing her legal knowledge and is excited to continue building her career within the specialist field of transport law.
Outside of work, Pooja enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and travelling.

Emma Shovlin

Business Consultant

Emma Shovlin is a business consultant with a background in law, finance, and strategic marketing.

 

A graduate of Leeds University (LLB) and UMIST(BSc), Emma spent ten years with HSBC in the City, working across retail, commercial, and technology divisions.

 

Her experience spans business development, client management, and strategic analysis, with a proven track record of improving customer engagement and driving business growth.