Charlotte Hartley MCIArb
Call 2009
Chambers & Partners, 2025
Charlotte was shortlisted for Chambers and Partners Junior Family Barrister of the Year 2022. Her work includes high net worth financial remedies applications, private and international children cases, and jurisdiction disputes.
Charlotte is ranked in Band 1 of Chambers and Partners 2023 for Family: Matrimonial Finance, and Band 2 for Family: Children law (London Bar: Junior counsel). She is also the Secretary of the Family Law Bar Association.
Charlotte practises in all areas of family finance, including applications for financial remedies following the dissolution of a marriage or civil partnership, applications pursuant to Schedule One of the Children Act 1989 and applications pursuant to TOLATA 1996. She has experience acting in cases concerning ultra high net worth assets and financial disputes across multiple jurisdictions.
Charlotte also acts and advises in matters connected to financial proceedings, including interim remedies and freezing orders, pre- and post-nuptial agreements and nuptial trusts, and issues pertaining to enforcement.
Charlotte co-authored the first editions of ‘1KBW on Trusts in Matrimonial Finance Proceedings’ (published by Bloomsbury in 2019) and ‘1KBW on Enforcement in Financial Remedy Proceedings’ (published by Bloomsbury in 2023) and contributed to the 10th edition of ‘Jackson’s Matrimonial Finance (published by Lexis Nexis in 2019). Previously she contributed to practice notes for the Practical Law Company on topics including the operation of international nuptial agreements and enforcement of foreign maintenance orders pursuant to the European Maintenance regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009).
Charlotte also acts in cases involving a challenge to marital status, usually following a foreign marriage ceremony of disputed validity. She has experience of the procedure and practice in this technical and increasingly common area of work.
Reported Finance cases
- BR v BR [2024] EWFC 11 – use of single joint vs sole experts for business valuations in financial remedy proceedings
- RA v KS [2023] EWFC 102 – availability of interim orders for sale in financial remedy proceedings
- AZ v AG [2023] EWHC 2014 (Fam) – Part III award of £27.4million
- Akhmedova v Akhmedov & Ors [2020] EWHC 2257 (Fam) (18 August 2020) – variation and extension of freezing orders in a financial remedy claim worth £450 million.
- Akhmedova v Akhmedov & Ors [2020] EWHC 1526 (Fam) (12 June 2020) – enforcement proceedings in respect of the largest matrimonial award to be made in England and Wales
- S v S (Application to Prevent Solicitor Acting) [2017] EWHC 2660 (Fam) – an application for an injunction preventing a solicitor from acting for a party in family proceedings.
- Barnett v Barnett [2014] EWHC 2678 (Fam) – concerning a Part III MFPA 1984 application for financial remedy after overseas divorce.
- Galloway v Goldstein [2012] EWHC 60 (Fam); [2012] (Fam). 129; [2012] 2 W.L.R. 1003; [2012] 1 F.L.R. 1254; [2012] Fam. Law 521 – concerning the validity of a foreign marriage ceremony.
Charlotte represents parents in disputes concerning all issues of parental responsibility including child arrangements, schooling, health and welfare. She has experience of cases with an international element, including applications to remove children permanently from the jurisdiction.
Charlotte has experience dealing with cases with complex safeguarding issues, including allegations of international child trafficking, sexual, physical and emotional abuse, domestic violence, severe neglect and the causation of non-accidental injuries to a child.
Reported Cases
- A v R [2020] EWFC 87 (child arrangements in a non-Hague Convention country)
- A v R [2020] EWFC 88 (costs in private law children dispute).
- Re A (A Patient) [2016] EWCOP 38
- Re A (A Patient) (No 2) [2016] EWCOP 39
- Re S (Wardship: Summary return: non-Convention country) [2015] EWHC 176 (Fam)
- Re B (Child Evidence) [2014] EWCA Civ 1015 – concerning the evidence of a child within private law proceedings.
Charlotte is able to provide private FDRs to parties with a financial family dispute, either before or during proceedings.
Charlotte is able to provide specialist family law mediation. Her experience of both financial remedies and children work make her well placed to support family members through resolution of a wide range of issues arising from relationship breakdown.
Charlotte is qualified to arbitrate both financial remedies and children cases. She is a registered Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Reputation & Awards
"Charlotte is a rare advocate who seamlessly handles both children and finance work at the highest level." "Charlotte is brilliant."
CHAMBERS AND PARTNERS 2025
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“Her written work is outstanding and she is a persuasive force in court.” “She is also incredibly kind and empathic, as well as prodigiously clever.”
“Charlotte is a rare advocate who seamlessly handles both children and finance work at the highest level.” “Charlotte is brilliant.”
“Charlotte is an extraordinary advocate, who is wise beyond her years and able to take on the toughest KCs.”
“She has a very calming way with clients, and is endlessly creative in her approach.”
“She is incredibly bright yet down to earth, and manages any client with ease.”
Legal 500, 2025
‘Charlotte is first-class. She is commercially astute and her advocacy is intelligent and focused, so judges listen carefully to what she says and invariably agree with her.’
‘Charlotte is a dynamic and compelling barrister.’
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Exceptional on the detail and able to grasp facts and figures out of thin air. She’s incredibly thorough and also very human and understanding of the client.”
“Her client skills are amazing. Clients adore her and her advocacy and written work are incredible.”
“Charlotte has an excellent manner with clients and is adept at grappling with complex legal points. She provides calm and clear advice in a way that really helps clients understand their position.”
Legal 500, 2024
‘Charlotte is an absolute superstar. She is clever, astute, over detail and good with clients. She is highly respected by opponents and judges alike and is a standout.’
Chambers & Partners, 2023
“Charlotte’s style, intellect and persuasiveness always impress. She’s a really great barrister who is easy and fun to work with whilst delivering results.”
“Charlotte Hartley is extremely good. She’s well prepared, intelligent and user-friendly.”
Legal 500, 2023
‘Charlotte is able to cut to the nub of the case and explain the issues in an easy to understand way. She is an incredibly bright, numerate and highly persuasive advocate, with a wonderful bedside manner.’
‘Charlotte really is the complete package. She is fiercely intelligent, brilliantly prepared, her written work is flawless, and she has a wonderful manner with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive, and she is so quick on her feet.’
Legal 500, 2022
‘ An agile advocate with a steely determination, Charlotte is someone who can make a real difference to the outcome of the most difficult case. She is first-rate in terms of preparation and presentation, and has an eye for the correct, strategic approach. ’
‘Charlotte is brilliant – a fabulous advocate who has a wonderful bedside manner with clients. ’
Legal 500, 2021
‘Is a first-rate advocate and an excellent tactician.’
Chambers and Partners 2020
“Junior barrister with noted ability in financial remedy cases, who has a growing practice relating to multi-jurisdictional disputes. She has further experience in contested private children proceedings involving allegations of domestic violence and abuse, and is fast earning a reputation as a rising star. Strengths: “An excellent technical lawyer whom you tend to instruct when you’re dealing with niggly, complicated and spurious points of law.” “She’s empathetic, clever and able to predict the outcome of a case with uncanny accuracy.”
Chambers and Partners 2019
“She’s got that extra spark of magic that you want counsel to have, and is absolutely outstanding.” “An exceptional barrister whose skill belies her relatively recent call. She ticks all the boxes; she’s intelligent, great with clients and technically sound.”
Chambers and Partners 2018
Hartley is fast earning a reputation as a rising star.” Strengths: “She is a superb junior with a sophisticated grasp of both finance and children cases which belies her years.”
Chambers and Partners 2017
…noted ability in complex international financial remedy cases. She additionally possesses a growing practice relating to alternative family structures, including those concerning same-sex parentage.” Strengths: “She is a very good advocate who is thorough and is gaining an enviable reputation.”
Awards and Scholarships
- Prince of Wales Scholarship (Gray’s Inn, Bar Vocational Course)
- David Karmel Scholarship (Gray’s Inn, Graduate Diploma in Law)
- 2nd place in Lee Essay Prize (Gray’s Inn)
- Clare College Award (Final examinations)
Education
- Clare College, University of Cambridge: BA (Hons) Social and Political Sciences (Politics) First Class
- City University: Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction)
- Inns of Court School of Law: Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent).
Professional Memberships
- Secretary of the Family Law Bar Association
- Member of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
- Member of the Criminal Bar Association
- Member of the Child Abduction Lawyers Association
Publications
- Co-author of the first edition of ‘1KBW on Trusts in Matrimonial Finance Proceedings’ (published by Bloomsbury in 2019)
- Contributed to the 10th edition of ‘Jackson’s Matrimonial Finance (published by Lexis Nexis in 2019).
- Contributed to practice notes for the Practical Law Company on topics including the operation of international nuptial agreements and enforcement of foreign maintenance orders pursuant to the European Maintenance regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 4/2009).
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