One Essex Court

Charles is a hugely experienced advocate and adviser in litigation and arbitration, with particular expertise in handling large-scale international arbitration concerning issues of contractual interpretation, energy disputes, construction projects, sale of goods, share purchase agreements, and breach of warranty claims. He has a wide experience of accounting issues, civil fraud and banking claims and many other aspects of commercial law.

Recent cases include:

SKAT (Skatteforvaltningen – the Danish Tax Authority) v Solo Capital Partners & ors [2023] EWHC 590 (Comm), [2023] EWHC 1413 (Comm), [2024] EWHC 19 (Comm) - 

Instructed by Pinsent Masons, Charles is acting for SKAT (the Danish Tax Authority) in relation to a set of consolidated claims in the Commercial Court in which SKAT is seeking the equivalent of approx £1.5 billion against over 100 defendants (including hedge funds, custodians and individuals based in England and Dubai) arising out of a fraud and a conspiracy or conspiracies that led to SKAT paying out sums to persons who were not entitled to them.

Charles has acted as one of the lead silks leading a team comprising other silks and multiple juniors. He acted as lead advocate (and cross-examined two Danish tax law experts) at the trial of one of the preliminary issues ordered in the case (see [2023] EWHC 590 (Comm)) and in relation to multiple interim & case management applications (see [2023] EWHC 1413 (Comm), [2024] EWHC 19 (Comm)).

Charles also conducted a substantial amount of oral advocacy and cross-examination of multiple factual witnesses at the main trial which lasted 1 year (from April 2024 to April 2025)

SKAT (Skatteforvaltningen – the Danish Tax Authority) v MCML Ltd [2024] EWHC 148 (Comm); [2024] EWCA Civ 371

Instructed by Pinsent Masons, Charles is acting for SKAT, the Danish tax authority, in relation to a second and separate claim brought by SKAT against ED&F Man (which subsequently changed its name to MCML Ltd) and in particular in relation to ED&F Man’s application to strike out that second claim on the grounds of (1) issue estoppel; and (2) abuse of process (Henderson v Henderson).

ED&F Man's application based on abuse of process was rejected by Bright J and the Court of Appeal.  The application based on issue estoppel was rejected by Bright J but an appeal against that order was allowed by the Court of Appeal.   The Supreme Court has given SKAT permission to appeal against that part of the decision of the Court of Appeal."

Qualified 1986, Middle Temple; QC 2003.

Wellington College; University College, Oxford (1984 Greats [Lit Hum] First Class); City University (1985 Diploma in Law).