Charlotte Symes

Director, Family/Matrimonial, Family Mediation

Charlotte is an experienced family solicitor, accredited mediator and collaborative practitioner. She deals with complex financial issues arising from divorce and separation and supports parents in relation to arrangements for their children. Her work has a strong international dimension. She speaks French and has particular expertise in advising on matters with a French element.

As a director, Charlotte is part of the leadership team at FLiP. She enjoys the variety that being both a family solicitor and mediator brings to her practice and strongly believes these skillsets complement each other. As a family solicitor she advises clients in contested court proceedings as well as through amicable negotiations (see below for examples). As a family mediator she works with couples to reach agreements with mediation sessions taking place either alongside or outside of the court process. Charlotte’s qualifications as a family solicitor, accredited family mediator and collaborative practitioner enable her to genuinely offer the process that is most appropriate for each individual.

Charlotte advises on all family law matters including:

jurisdiction disputes where individuals may be able to start proceedings in more than one country financial issues arising from divorce, often involving foreign lawyers, dealing with valuations of businesses, properties, pensions and investments, tax issues, and the treatment of trusts property issues arising from the separation of a cohabiting couple financial issues between separating unmarried parents freezing injunctions to protect assets worldwide variation of spousal maintenance orders pre- and post-nuptial agreements cohabitation agreements separation agreements parenting issues involving child arrangements relocation of children within England & Wales or abroad abduction of children to/from England & Wales.

Many of Charlotte’s clients are international. She has an appreciation of the legal and practical requirements in different jurisdictions, and a strong network of contacts worldwide to bring into matters, as required. Charlotte speaks French and has lived and worked in law firms in Paris. She is therefore regularly instructed by clients with links to France. She is familiar with the matrimonial property regimes in France and other European countries and is instructed to advise on pre- and post-nuptial agreements for clients needing to meet the legal requirements of both England and another country with a system of matrimonial property regimes.

Charlotte is often instructed by owners (or their partners) of businesses and property portfolios with assets in the UK and abroad, within complex corporate or trust structures. Having previously worked as a corporate lawyer, Charlotte draws on her knowledge of company and property structures when reviewing disclosure documents within the divorce context. She also supports separating parents in relation to child arrangements and requests for permission to relocate with children, both within England & Wales and abroad.

Charlotte is ranked as a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 directory. Feedback includes: ‘I chose Charlotte from personal recommendations and was not disappointed‘ and ‘Charlotte gives great technical advice. Despite it being a very technically challenging matter, Charlotte always remained available to talk to the client and provided clear and pragmatic advice throughout with a reassuring manner for the client in what could otherwise have been an extremely stressful situation‘.

Charlotte is also ranked as a Recommended Lawyer in Spear’s exclusive directory for HNW and UHNW clients. The directory notes her ‘diverse and international’ practice and describes Charlotte as a solicitor who goes ‘out of her way to make what can be a painful process as stress free as possible.’

University of Cambridge (2004-2008); BPP Law School (2008-2010)