Carolin Ott

LL & AU v Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council – a successful challenge on behalf of residents to Trafford local authority’s council tax reduction scheme. The High Court found the scheme to have been unlawfully adopted and discriminatory.  

Representing Oxfam in its intervention in a judicial review of the Government’s continuing approval of arms sales to Israel.  

Representing the family of Agnes Wanjiru regarding the failure to investigate her murder by British Soldiers in Kenya.  

Representing Asylum Aid in challenges to the lawfulness of the Home Secretary’s policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda.  

Freedom from Torture v Secretary of State for the Home Department – a successful challenge to the Home Secretary’s policy of turning around small boats and diverting them from UK territorial waters into French territorial waters (commonly referred to as the “pushback” policy).  

Representing TP and AR in a series of successful challenges in respect of the transitional provisions within the Universal Credit regime, for benefits claimants previously entitled to the Severe Disability Premium and Enhanced Disability Premium when in receipt of legacy benefits. 

R (Nichola Salvato) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – representing a single mother challenging the rule requiring proof of payment from working parents before they can receive childcare costs support through UC, which put families in hardship and debt. The High Court held that the rule was discriminatory and irrational, and found that it had disproportionately prejudicial effects on women. The matter is ongoing before the European Court of Human Rights. 

R (Coughlan) v Minister for the Cabinet Office - representing Essex resident Neil Coughlan in his Supreme Court appeal testing the legality of the government’s intention to run pilots in local elections, as part of a broader plan to introduce a requirement to show identification to vote. 

Representing John’s Campaign and others in relation to unlawful refusals to allow visiting in care homes in circumstances where the suspension of visits had a catastrophic effect on residents, particularly those with dementia. Subsequently, representing Core Participants John’s Campaign, Care Rights UK and the Patients Association in Modules 2, 3 and 6 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. 

RR v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – a successful appeal to the Supreme Court on behalf of RR relating to the application of the bedroom tax in which the Supreme Court confirmed that social welfare tribunals and local authorities have the power and duty to dis-apply regulations where applying them would result in a breach of human rights. 

Carolin was featured as the Law Gazette’s Lawyer in the News as a result of her successful challenge to Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council’s council tax scheme. 

Council tax reduction scheme “unlawfully adopted” and “discriminatory” against disabled people, High Court rules Local Government Lawyer 24.09.2025 

UK government faces legal action over not evacuating critically ill children from Gaza The Guardian 20.07.2025 

Carolin was listed as an ‘Associate to Know’ as a result of acting on behalf of Oxfam in Al Haq v Secretary of State for Business and Trade which was identified as one of the top cases of 2025.  

Blind South London doctor denied right to vote independently wins payout from council My London 11 March 2025.  

Carolin was recognised as the Times Lawyer of the Week as a result of her work on R (Nichola Salvato) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.