Caroline Bowler
Partner
Caroline Bowler is a partner in our Dispute Resolution team and an equine law specialist at Rothera Bray, which is the Official Legal Partner to British Dressage and The British Show Pony Society. She works from our Lace Market office and has been described as “one of the best equine lawyers” in the Legal 500.
Expertise
- Commercial disputes and litigation
- Professional negligence including claims against the veterinary profession
- Equine law including horse sale and purchase disputes, veterinary negligence claims, co-ownership disputes. In addition to litigation, her practice also includes preparation of various agreements including sale and purchase contracts, livery agreements, loan agreements and co-ownership agreements.
- Property litigation including rights of way and boundary disputes
- Partnership disputes
- Financial services litigation
- Adverse possession
- Building work disputes
- Commercial contract disputes
- Faulty products or services
- Personal disputes
Approach
Caroline is a Dispute Resolution Partner and has a passion for equine law. She is instructed by individuals and businesses and is experienced in resolving disputes using alternative dispute resolution methods including mediation, as well as traditional court proceedings.
Equine Law
Caroline advises on a broad range of matters relating to equine law including disputes relating to the sale and purchase of horses, co-ownership of horses, and negligence claims predominantly involving the veterinary profession. Caroline has a close relationship with British Dressage, with Rothera Bray being the Official Legal Partner to British Dressage.
Caroline is acknowledged by Legal 500 for her work in equine law, where she is recognised as having “notable expertise in equine disputes and leverages additional experience in professional negligence litigation to act in claims against veterinary professionals”.
Background with Horses
Caroline was riding ponies before she could walk – having been brought up at her family’s riding school, she’s always had horses in her life.
Caroline is currently kept busy with her collection of 12 horses and ponies, ranging from young Connemara ponies to her retired working hunter horse – who is now in her late 20’s.
Caroline began competing in affiliated show jumping competitions on ponies as a child, moving on to horses as she grew older. She then enjoyed success in the show ring, concentrating on working hunter and show hunter classes at county level. As a result, Caroline has achieved a national working hunter title on her 16.3hh Hanovarian x, Maatilda.
In recent years Caroline has accumulated an impressive collection of Connemara ponies, making regular “shopping” trips to Ireland. She now competes these ponies in ridden and working hunter competitions on a regular basis. She has enjoyed success at Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International Horse with her ponies. She has also in recent years started a breeding programme using her own connemara stallion.
Rothera Bray LLP are Official Legal Partners to British Dressage and The British Show Pony Society
Property Disputes
Caroline also handles a large number of property disputes, including adverse possession, rights of way, and boundary disputes. She worked on a landmark case in the High Court involving the interpretation of an agricultural right of way. She has also been recognised in Legal 500 for her “expertise in property litigation”.
Professional Negligence Claims
Caroline regularly advises on complex high-value professional negligence claims against solicitors, accountants and other professionals. Her negligence work also includes claims against the veterinary profession.
Commercial Litigation
Caroline is regularly instructed in commercial litigation matters including contractual disputes and disputes arising in the context of the financial services sector. She has in recent years been instructed on several high profile matters relating to peer to peer lending. Her commercial work also encompasses partnership disputes.
Career Highlights
- Caroline began her career in law at another local Nottingham law firm, commencing her training contract in 2005 and qualifying as a solicitor in 2007. She was an associate solicitor at the same firm from 2013 to 2017 and in August 2017 was appointed a director and head of the Dispute Resolution department
- Caroline joined Rothera Bray as a partner in September 2022
Experience
Experience
15 years
- The Lace Market
- c.bowler@rotherabray.co.uk
- 0115 8963467
Experience
Experience
15 years
Employment law update: what’s changing from 6 April 2026?
From 6 April 2026 employers will face a number of changes to statutory payment rates and employment law compensation limits. These changes, which are the result of both annual rate adjustments and wider reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025, will increase employer costs, expand eligibility for workers, and require updates to payroll processes, policies and budgeting.
National Minimum Wage increase 2026: what UK employers need to know
Nearly 400 employers have been failing to pay the National Minimum Wage in findings published by the Government recently. This has resulted in them being told to repay almost £7.3 million in wages owed to workers as well as the almost £12.6 million which they will have to pay in penalties.
Conduct in financial remedy proceedings: are we seeing a shift in judicial approach?
Ewan Paton from our Family Law team provides comment for legal practitioners on recent case law developments, and whether the courts may be adopting a more nuanced approach to conduct in financial remedy proceedings.
A hat-trick of commercial property deals
It’s been a busy year for Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property team, including Partner Russell Thompson, who has completed a standout hat-trick of deals that illustrate perfectly the range and complexity of work handled by the team.