I have worked alongside Jenny Kabala on a number of cases in the past three years. In all the dealings we have had together I have seen her professional and caring attitude with her clients. Jenny is someone who goes the extra mile when assisting those she is instructed by.
Mike Barnett, Orion Dog Services.
Jenny has briefed me in a number of firearm appeals. I have found her to be a pleasure to work with. She puts a great deal of care and attention into her instructions, and is fully engaged throughout the case. She is bright and clearly has a passion for the area of law. She works hard for her clients and is realistic in the advice she gives. I would recommend Jenny for this area of work.
Tom Orpin-Massey, QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers
I have worked with Ms. Kabala on a number of occasions. I have found her to be extremely diligent and very helpful in the preparation of a case and the provision of instructions. She displays an unparalleled level of client care and works tirelessly in achieving the best outcome for those that she is representing.
Rachel Oakdene, 7 Harrington Street Chambers
Jennifer Kabała is an Associate Solicitor in the Private Crime Team at Reeds, based in our Princes Risborough Office.
In addition to general crime, she is the head of both the Dog Law and Firearms Law departments at Reeds and is fast becoming recognised as one of the most authoritative experts in both these fields.
Jenny’s greatest power is her passion for her specialisms and her compassionate approach. Her clients regularly comment that she goes above and beyond to ensure that they are at ease and understand their position fully.
More About Jenny Kabała
Jenny specialises in criminal defence work, and qualified as a Duty Solicitor in October 2020. To date, she has represented both adults and youths in the magistrates’ and youth courts in a range of different cases. Jenny undertook increasing amounts of private work and is part of the Private Crime Team.
Jenny is known for her understanding and compassionate approach with clients and her down-to-earth manner. She is always willing to go the extra mile and is incredibly client focussed, ensuring each one receives the high quality of care and service they deserve. Her strong advocacy skills ensure that her clients receive the best results possible.
Jenny is Police Station accredited and a Duty Solicitor.
In accordance with the Solicitors’ Regulatory Transparency Rules for motoring offences we confirm that Jennifer Kabała charges Level B hourly rates.
Bella Kabała
[NOTE: Sadly, Bella passed away in 2025. She is greatly missed by both Jenny and Reeds Solicitors]
Bella is a 13-year-old Patterdale x Jack Russell Terrier who was adopted by Jenny in November 2017. She now lives with Jenny and her partner, Liam, in their home in Oxfordshire.
Bella is very much the poster-girl for dog law and a beloved mascot of the Dog Law Team. She is also an instrumental member of the Work from Home Support Team.
Paw-sitivity Ambassador
Bella excels at boosting morale and turning frowns upside down, with her infectious enthusiasm and offering endless cuddles.
We can always count on Bella to be on hand (or on your laptop!) as a furry little pick-me-up for our staff.
Expert Napper
Bella is highly skilled in the art of napping and regularly demonstrates quite how proficient she is, by napping in the most inconvenient places for her mum when she is trying to work.
She is a passionate advocate for increasing staff productivity through the power of rest.
Employee of the Month
Bella holds the prestigious title of employee of the month… and has done every month since she joined the firm. We can’t help it! She is just so darned cute and is extremely cheap (we pay her in treats!)
“Zoom-ies” Meeting Co-Ordinator
Boring virtual meetings are a thing of the past, with Bella’s waggy tail, loving kissing and complete lack of appreciation for personal space.
Accolades
- Chief Treat Tester/Connoisseur
- Squirrel Surveillance Specialist
- The “Bestest Girl” Award for Excellence in the Field of Furry Friendship
Reviews
“Bella has been together for a long time now and I cannot imagine my life without her. She is the most loyal and enthusiastic colleague and keeps me on my toes. Where would I be without those cold, early morning walks and constant demands for belly rubs and treats? Five stars from this proud paw-rent!”
(Jenny Kabała, Dog Mum)
“When she pulls those “puppy-dog” eyes, I can’t help but give her all the treats! I wish she could learn the meaning of weekends though!”
(Liam, Long-suffering Dog Daddy)
“Bella’s command of the intricacies surrounding dog law is exceptional. You will not find a more ‘in-the-know’ pooch. Of course, it helps that Bella is assisted by Jenny Kabała – in everything from correspondence (lack of opposable thumbs), client interviews (needs a translator), case preparation (can’t operate the ‘puter), and walks (can’t open the door). Whilst it is true that Jenny may be the brains behind the Dog Law department, Bella truly is the heart and soul.”
(Paul Southwood, Marketing – assisted by his own pooch)
Recent and notable cases
Jenny was raised around dogs and, in her time, has been the owner of all sorts of animals; including, cats, snakes, spiders, lizards and scorpions. She is now a dog owner herself to Bella, a Patterdale x Jack Russell rescue. Her love of our canine companions is self-evident from the dedication she has invested in the Dog Law Team and her fierce defence of her clients.
She is regularly instructed in a range of dog related cases, including prohibited breeds, dangerous dogs and animal welfare cases.
Notable Dog Law Cases
EW & F – Owner/In charge of Dog Dangerously Out of Control Causing Injury
This was a police investigation into an allegation that the client’s dog had caused an injury to another member of the public, during an incident involving their dog.
Not only was the client a teacher, and so they could not afford to receive a criminal record, but the incident took place during the period of “media hype” surrounding the XL Bully ban and a number of high-profile dog attacks. Whilst the dog in question was not a prohibited breed, it was a large bull-breed type dog, causing concerns that the police may not be willing to deal with the matter without the need to proceed to court.
Through communication with both the client and the officer in the case, Jenny was able to secure a caution for the client. This is not a criminal conviction, meaning the client did not need to go to court and it was unlikely that the outcome would impact upon their work. This also meant that the client’s dog was safe and in no danger of being put to sleep.
The client said: “Jenny and the team have been fantastic in supporting me and my family in this time of need. I would highly recommend them to anyone who finds themselves in similar circumstances. Thank you :)”
GW & M – Dog Worrying Livestock
The police were investigating the client after an incident during which it was alleged that their dog had worried some sheep.
The client had been walking her dogs in a rural location when the dog in question disappeared. After a while, the dog did reappear and there was nothing to indicate to the client that anything untoward had taken place. A short while later the farmer approached the client, however, and informed them that the dog had been in his field, chasing his sheep.
In their attempts to escape from the dog, the sheep had tried to jump a fence, causing damage to it and resulting in two of them being injured. In addition to this, the farmer was claiming that one of the sheep, who was known to have 2 lambs each year, had later been found not to be pregnant. He attempted to claim compensation for the 2 “hypothetical” lambs and 4 hours of his time for having to repair the fence and treat the injuries to his sheep. He had placed a value of £35 per hour on his time, without any explanation as to how he had arrived at this figure.
Whist the client did not present a defence to the allegation, they did not feel that the farmer’s claims for compensation – specifically, for 2 lambs which he could not prove existed or 4 hours of his time at the rate of £35 per hour – were reasonable.
Jenny discussed the appropriateness of the farmer’s compensation claims with the officer in the case and it was later agreed that the client should receive a caution for the offence, with a condition that they would have to pay for the damage to the fence and the cost of treating the sheep only. This meant the client was not charged and did not receive a criminal conviction
R v JP & CM – Owner/In charge of Dog Dangerously Out of Control Causing Injury x 3
The clients are co-defendants, charged with being the owners of two dogs who were dangerously out of control causing injury to three members of the public, including a 9-year-old boy.
The clients were the owners of two American Bulldogs. Neither dog had ever shown any signs of aggression in the past and both clients had invested significant effort to ensure that they were both well trained.
Despite this, the dogs both managed to escape from the house on Sunday afternoon, got out into the street and proceeded to chase and attack the child. When the child’s father and a neighbour intervened, they were also attacked by the dogs and received injuries.
It was clear from the evidence that both clients did all they could to protect the child and other injured parties and made attempts to regain control of the dogs – even when the dogs turned on them – but the dogs managed to inflict serious injuries on the three victims before the clients managed to put them on leads and return them to their house.
Once home, one of the clients was subjected to yet another attack from one of the dogs and received significant injuries. So shocked were the clients by the completely uncharacteristic behaviour shown by both dogs, they contacted the police and consented for the dogs to be dispatched at the scene by a firearms unit immediately.
The clients were later interviewed by the police and accepted being the owners of both dogs. Unfortunately, the injuries to the victims were too serious for the police to deal with the matter out of court and the clients were later charged.
Both clients pleaded guilty to the offences alleged and are now awaiting sentence.
The greatest issue Jenny has faced in this case was a statement received by the Crown Prosecution Service from a dog trainer who trained the dogs when they were very young. This person came forward after he heard in the community of the attack. This witness suggested that he had told the clients to have one of the dogs put down when it was very young, due to concerns surrounding its behaviour; however, despite being an ex-police officer and dog handler, the witness had not made any reports of his concerns to the police or even made a written record of them. There was conclusive evidence which suggested that the clients had continued to seek training with their dogs after their involvement with this trainer, but this single statement – which was rife with inconsistencies – formed the basis for the Prosecution to suggest that the clients had failed to address concerns relating to their dogs’ behaviour.
Jenny took instructions from the clients and located an expert dog behaviourist – who is himself an ex-police dog handler and Dog Legislation Officer – who was able to strongly discredit the statement of this witness.
The case remains ongoing and there remains a risk that the clients could receive prison sentences; however, due to Jenny’s hard work, this risk appears to have been reduced enormously.
On 15 September 2023, the Government announced the ban on American XL Bullys. Since this, Jenny has invested incredible levels of effort to reach and assist as many owners of these types of dogs (and similar dogs) as possible.
On 30 October 2023, Jenny appeared on the Welsh language programme, “Y Byd Ar Bedwar” to discuss the impact of Breed Specific Legislation and whether it had worked to reduce dog attacks since it was introduced in 1991.
Recognising the panic and confusion surrounding the announcement, Jenny set up two free webinars in which she, and a panel of other experts, discussed the ban and fielded questions from the audience. These ran on 12 December 2023 and 18 January 2024, but can be rewatched via the links below (please note, you will need to sign up to view the webinar)[currently offline – please contact us for access]:
- XL Bully Webinar – December 2023 – 1 of 2
- XL Bully Webinar – January 2024 – 2 of 2
Jenny also spearheaded the Virtual Quick Assessment (“VQA”) for XL Bullys, allowing owners to receive a preliminary view from an expert in “typing” prohibited breeds by sending in pictures and a video of their dogs in. This has been a colossal hit with clients, especially given the short period in which they had to decide whether they should exempt their dogs and the considerable expense involved in obtaining a full, in person, assessment.
Coming from a military background, the Firearms Licencing Department at Reeds has built on the robust foundation of Jenny’s own interest in firearms and shooting.
Firearms Licencing is a niche area of law which blurs the lines between criminal and civil law and, with multiple high-profile incidents involving the use of firearms in recent years, it is easier than ever for individuals to lose their licences for relatively minor reasons.
Jenny’s grasp of the topic is impressive and her ability to explain it, simply and succinctly, to her clients is remarkable.
After joining Reeds in July 2022, Jenny started the Firearms Licencing Triage Clinic. This allows clients who are contemplating appealing the decision to revoke or refuse their licence, to receive a preliminary view as to their prospects of achieving their desired result if they proceed to a full appeal.
Testimonials
Jenny was kind and caring throughout my case. She listened to my concerns and reassured me throughout the whole process. Jenny gave me all the information I needed and advised me of what was best to do. During the court hearing Jenny organised everything so it could all be dealt with on the day which helped me greatly. Having never been to court before, Jenny was very understanding to my predicament and helped put my mind at rest. Overall I was very happy with Jenny and everything she did for me. Would highly recommended Jenny.
Client
I am new to the legal process and found it daunting, but with your help I felt I had the advice I needed and the very best outcome I could have wished for. Jenny demystified the language and explained the options open to me with the relevant pros and cons. Many thanks.
Client
From my personal perspective you are a total superstar and everything that I prayed for at this difficult time for our family. Many thanks for your competence, your commitment and your willingness to help.
Client
Jenny is one of those people that you don’t come across very often. She is extremely hard working, through and has exceptional knowledge! She calmed me throughout my experience in a way I was not aware I needed, but it proved to be vital in the outcome of my case. She gave expert opinions and tried as hard as she possibly could to get the best for me in my situation. She was realistic as to the opportunities available to me and was forthcoming with ideas that I could pursue for the best result. I would highly recommend Jenny in any lawful situation and will most definitely be keeping hold of her details. I will always be grateful to have met Jenny and for the work she did for me and the effort she put in to it.
Client
Jenny Kabala was helpful and understanding from the start of the process with my sons additional needs . Jenny’s Thorough, in-depth work and knowledge surrounding the case was superb. We felt that Jenny went the extra mile in support, explanations and research. We could not recommend Jenny more highly, we were very grateful for being recommended Jenny as a solicitor thank you.
Client