Charmaine accepts instructions across the full spectrum of family law, including public and private children, financial remedies and protective orders under the Family Law Act. 

Charmaine has a particular interest in public children law, and she has experience acting for local authorities, parents and children’s guardians at all stages of care proceedings. She has recently appeared in cases involving suspected non-accidental injury, neglect, domestic abuse and deprivation of liberty. She has particular expertise in forensically analysing expert medical evidence in the context of non-accidental injury matters.   

Charmaine has extensive experience in private children law having appeared for clients at all stages of the Child Arrangements Programme. She has been instructed in cases involving domestic abuse, parental alienation and internal relocation. She has a strong track record of securing findings of domestic abuse at fact-finding hearings. She has experience representing clients in cases where a rule 16.4 guardian has been appointed.

Charmaine has a growing financial remedies practice. She is regularly instructed in First Appointments and FDRs as well as final hearings. Her paper practice includes advising clients on issues such as such maintenance pending suit and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989.

Charmaine has completed the ICCA and FLBA Vulnerable Witness Training.

Recent Cases

• Re A [ongoing 2024]: Charmaine is representing the father in a complex contact case involving a convicted terrorist parent. The matter is being heard by Keehan J.
• Re I [2024]: led by Rachel Chan, Charmaine represented the father against whom findings were sought as a possible perpetrator. After careful cross-examination of the medical experts, the local authority withdrew its allegation of non-accidental injury.
• Re L, H and T [2024]: Charmaine represented the mother at a contested welfare hearing following concerns of parental substance misuse, domestic abuse and chronic neglect.  
• Re S, A and J [2023]: Charmaine represented the children at a contested welfare hearing following concerns of parental substance misuse, mental health, domestic abuse and neglect. Post-adoption contact was sanctioned for the youngest child.
• Re R [2023]: Charmaine represented the local authority at a fact-finding hearing, securing findings that the father caused 7 rib fractures, 2 metaphyseal fractures and 10 bruises to his two-month old baby.
• Re A [2022]: Charmaine represented the mother, successfully appealing a case management decision that neither a fact-finding hearing nor section 7 report was necessary notwithstanding significant allegations of domestic abuse. At the subsequent fact-finding hearing, she secured 9 findings of physical and emotional abuse.
• Re N and T [2022]: led by Gemma Farrington KC, Charmaine represented the children at a fact-finding hearing involving complex medical evidence in relation to possible Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Findings of serious inflicted injury were made.
• Re A, A, A and L [2022]: led in the High Court by Mark Chaloner, Charmaine represented the local authority at a 20-day fact-finding hearing. Findings of serious inflicted injury were made.