Financial Remedies; International Children Law; Private Children Law; Arbitration; Private FDR and Early Neutral Evaluation; Direct Access

Joint Head of Chambers of 4PB, the leading Family Law barristers Chambers in the UK.  Family law specialist advocate and Arbitrator, recognised as leading King’s Counsel in both, Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. Shortlisted as Silk of the Year, Legal 500, 2019, 2021 and 2022.

As a leading family KC with expertise in all aspects of financial, international and private law family cases, Charles is regularly instructed in international family disputes for high net worth individuals and often provides expert advice in foreign divorce matters. Charles has a reputation for dealing with the most complex cases involving financial disputes and trusts, also cases arising out of same sex/modern families disputes. As one of the few recognised leading family UK barristers in both matrimonial finance and children work, Charles is often instructed to represent high profile clients in all issues arising out of their separation. He is qualified to receive instructions directly from overseas lawyers and lead teams multi-jurisdictional cases.

Charles has a significant ADR practice. As an Arbitrator, a private FDR judge and early neutral evaluator in both finance and children cases, Charles offers the full spectrum for out of court solutions to complex family disputes.

Charles is a member of the Family Law Bar Association and was a National Committee member from 2004-2014 and an elected member of the Bar Council for 10 years. He was appointed to the International Committee of the Bar of England and Wales (2022). Charles is one of two KC’s appointed by the President of the Family Division to the Transparency Implementation Group (TIG).

He has previously lectured at Kingston University and regularly lectures domestically including to Resolution and at the Judicial College (the training college of UK family judges).  Internationally, Charles has lectured widely, including at the South African National Family Conference, in Dublin to the Irish Bar, and in the Cayman Islands and Jersey.  Charles writes thought leader articles in leading journals and publications and is often ask to provide comment to the media. He is a lead author of several chapters in Rayden and Jackson, Relationship Breakdown, Finance and Children (Butterworths LexisNexis).

A specialist family KC in finance, private law, children and international cases.

Private Children Law

Regularly instructed by HNW, celebrity, business clients and leading sports stars in respect of their children private law disputes including leave to remove (relocation) cases and domestic care arrangements.   Recent cases include:

Acting for a prominent international footballer over several years to secure a child arrangements order to reflect his wish to share the care of his daughter despite his career commitments.

Acting in a complex financial and relocation dispute involving a prominent Scandinavian family and international care/custody issues.

Re C (Parental Alienation: Instruction of Experts) [2023] EWHC 345 (Fam)  the leading authority on the instruction of experts in children proceedings. SM v PM [2023] EWHC 3446 (Fam). acting for the successful mother from a HNW Indian family who had been subjected to horrific sexual and other abuse (including during the litigation) and had fled to India with her children. Father ordered to pay all the costs of the proceedings.

Acting for the successful father in the Court of Appeal in Re T (Children: Non Disclosure [2024] EWCA Civ 241.

Public Children Law

Instructed in cases where private law disputes cross over into public law cases, in particular complex cases involving multiple experts or complex legal points (see HB v A Local Authority and Anor (Wardship – Costs Funding Order) [2017] EWHC 524 (Fam)

Family Finance

Leading finance silk involving in high net worth, complex cases involving family businesses, trusts, international finance, farms and pre/post nuptial agreements. Recent cases include, Teasdale v Carter and Teasdale [2024] Fam Law 51 a complex farming cases and VS v KS [2023] EWHC 3475 (Fam) acting for the successful husband in obtaining a stay of English divorce proceedings in favour of Monaco.

Also recently acted Pro Bono for parties in a trans divorce action for a declaration of nullity. UK government brought in as intervenors after an application was made to “read down” Section 11 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1979 (see P v P (Transgender Applicant for Decree of Nullity: Human Rights) [2024] EWHC 1197 (Fam)

International Children Law

Renowned international family KC involved in abduction, summary return and complex relocation cases where high significant advice and advocacy is required.  Fellow of the International Association of Family Lawyers and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association. Appointed to the International Committee of the Bar Council of England and Wales.  Often leads international teams where several jurisdiction are in play.  Recent examples including, an abduction/relocation case involving Curaçao, successfully defending a summary return application for a mother who had returned to her home country from London.

Acted for the father in the Supreme Court in Re C (Children) [2018] UKSC a leading authority on the interpretation of the Hague Convention 1980.

Non-court dispute resolution

Charles is a CIARB qualified arbitrator in both children and finance cases and regularly appears in arbitration cases. He sits as a private FDR judge and early neutral evaluator in children cases. He has lectured and trained family arbitrators internationally. Charles is also instructed on behalf of the Divorce Surgery to provide expert advice to both sides of a family dispute. He is recognised in the legal directories for his extensive practice in non-court based resolution.

Publications/Training

Lead author in Rayden and Jackson: Relationship Breakdown, Finance and Children. Regular lecture domestically and internationally including at the Judicial College training English Judges.  Regular contributor and commentator on practice and policy in family justice.

Year of Call: 1992 Year of Silk: 2014 Elected member of the Bar Council of England and Wales 2002 – 2012 Appointed to the President of the Family Division’s, Transparency Implementation Committee (2021 – ) Appointed member of the International Committee of the Bar Council (2022 –)

Fellow of the International Association of Family Lawyers (IAFL) Commonwealth Lawyer Association Family Law Bar Association Association of Lawyers for Children South Eastern Circuit Middle Temple

LLB (Hons) Blackstone Scholar Middle Temple Arbitrator (MCIArb)

All sports, wine and food, family.