Practice Areas

Direct Access

Direct Access

Awards

LexisNexis shortlist: “Family Law Young Barrister of the Year” (2018)
Hubert Greenland Scholarship (2016)
Winner of the Bar Council’s Law Reform Essay Competition (2014)
Finalist (Runner-Up), International Children’s Rights Moot (2014)
Family Law Prize, Kaplan (2014)
ICC Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn (2014)
Lord Denning Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn (2014)
Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln’s Inn (2014)

‘Charlotte is a tenacious and formidable advocate while possessing the skills to understand and empathise with her clients. She has a phenomenal knowledge of the law. Her advice and input into a case are always invaluable. As an advocate, she is fearless. She is always well-prepared and strategic in her approach, her cross-examination is meticulous, and she leaves no stone unturned.’
Legal 500, 2024

Experience

Year of Call: 2014

Education

Kaplan Law School, Bar Professional Training Course
The University of Law (Chester), Graduate Diploma in Law
University of St Andrews, MA (Hons) English Literature

Profile

Charlotte specialises in children law proceedings, particularly those with an international element. She is regularly instructed in abduction matters, jurisdiction disputes, internal and international relocation cases, and proceedings involving serious allegations of domestic and sexual abuse, forced marriage and FGM.

Since becoming a tenant at 4PB in 2017, Charlotte has been instructed in some of the key cases instrumental in shaping children law and practice, including:

  • the application of the 1980 Hague Convention to proceedings regarding the return of two children to Ireland and the defence of the subsequent application from the respondent to set aside the return order where permission to appeal the decision was refused by the Court of Appeal.
  • the application of the 1980 Hague Convention, including its relationship with BIIA, habitual residence, repudiatory retention and the Court’s ability to order a return to a “third state”;
  • the interplay between asylum and abduction law;
  • the obligation to recognise and enforce orders of an EU Member State when faced with both enforcement and welfare applications;
  • summary returns under the inherent jurisdiction;
  • the Family Court’s approach to controlling and coercive behaviour;
  • IICSA’s investigation into child sexual exploitation by organised networks; and
  • transparency in the Family Court the rights of victims of domestic abuse to share their
    experiences and tell their story.

Charlotte is known for her “immaculate preparation” and forensic approach. She is a robust and persuasive advocate, often appearing against more senior counsel. She is acutely aware that many of her clients meet her at a very difficult time in their lives and is known for maintaining a kind and sensitive approach whilst delivering pragmatic and proactive advice.

In addition to her court work, Charlotte volunteers on the Rights of Women legal advice line and is a member of the Centre for Women’s Justice legal reference panel. She is part of the committee for the Child Abduction Lawyers Association and contributes to the “Jurisdiction over children” chapter in Rayden & Jackson, a task she took over just in time to update matters post-Brexit.

Charlotte is ranked as a leading junior in Chambers & Partners and has twice been ranked as a rising star in the Legal 500. In 2018 (her first year of practice) Charlotte was shortlisted for the “Family Law Young Barrister of the Year” in the LexisNexis Family Law Awards.


Other experience

Prior to becoming a barrister, Charlotte co-founded an initiative designed to raise awareness of forced marriage in schools. She has delivered workshops for Teach First and has spoken at several conferences on forced marriage, the law and education. In October 2016, she organised the inaugural National Schools’ Conference on Combatting “Honour” Based Violence alongside IKWRO and Youth for Change.

In 2014, Charlotte was awarded a Lincoln’s Inn scholarship to undertake a six-month internship at the International Criminal Court in The Hague where she worked in the Trial Division (Chambers) assisting the judges on a number of cases, including: The Prosecutor v. President Kenyatta, Ruto & Sang, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, and Gbagbo & Blé Goudé. Whilst at the ICC, she was the runner-up in the International Children’s Rights Moot organised by UNICEF and Leiden University.

Awards

  • 2018: Shortlisted for “Family Law Young Barrister of the Year” in the LexisNexis Family Law Awards in her first year of practice
  • 2016: Hubert Greenland Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
  • 2014: Winner, The Law Reform Essay Competition, The Bar Council: ‘Womb for Improvement: Enforcing Surrogacy Agreements in England and Wales’
  • 2014: Finalist (Runner-Up), International Children’s Rights Moot, UNICEF & Leiden    University
  • 2014: Family Law Prize, Kaplan Law School
  • 2014: Lincoln’s Inn Scholarship to the International Criminal Court, The Hague
  • 2013: Lord Denning Scholarship and Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln’s Inn

Professional Memberships

Family Law Bar Association
Association of Lawyers for Children
Child Abduction Lawyers Association

Directories

‘Charlotte is a tenacious and formidable advocate while possessing the skills to understand and empathise with her clients. She has a phenomenal knowledge of the law. Her advice and input into a case are always invaluable. As an advocate, she is fearless. She is always well-prepared and strategic in her approach, her cross-examination is meticulous, and she leaves no stone unturned.’
Legal 500, 2024

“Extremely intelligent and takes a forensic approach to cases. Her advocacy skills are excellent and her submissions are very impressive.”

“Charlotte is a force of nature. Clients feel that she stands up for their interests and she is tenacious in getting a successful outcome for them. She doesn’t sugar-coat issues for clients and they know where they stand with her: what you see is what you get.”

“She’s very thorough and her paperwork is just as good as her advocacy.”
Chambers and Partners, 2024

“Charlotte Baker is a capable children’s junior whom clients warm to as she’s very approachable. She’s both good at the paperwork and on her feet in court.”
“Charlotte’s client care is very strong. She’s on top of everything and always keeps the solicitor updated.”
Chambers and Partners, 2023

‘Charlotte is a master of detail and picks up relevant points very quickly. She is very supportive of those instructing her in preparing any case.’
Legal 500, 2023

Family law barrister gaining recognition for her children law practice. She is praised for advising on modern family matters including surrogacy, and is notable for her work on wardship cases. She also concentrates her practice on cross-border abduction and leave to remove disputes.
Strengths: “Sympathetic but proactive in advising on how to move cases forward. She is full of sensible, pragmatic advice.” “Charlotte is empathetic, reassuring, responsive and someone who has the clients’ best interests at the forefront of her mind.” “Charlotte Baker is kind, understanding and able to calm client nerves.”
Recent work: Represented Bristol City Council in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Chambers & Partners, 2022

‘An exemplary junior with an outstanding knowledge of international matters. Charlotte is a go-to barrister for advice in relation to relocation matters and cross-border disputes.’
Legal 500, 2022
Top Tier
Rising Star


‘Is simply fantastic; a very skilled advocate, immaculately prepared and totally client-focused.’
Legal 500, 2021
Top Tier
Rising Star

15/12/23
[2022] EWHC 3692 (Fam)
15/12/23
[2023] EWHC 2128 (Fam)
15/12/23
[2023] EWHC 2129 (Fam)
20/12/22
2022] EWHC 3397 (Fam)
10/05/22
[2022] EWHC 1073 (Fam)
19/03/21
[2021] UKSC 9
29/06/20
[2020] EWHC 1782 (Fam)
18/10/18
[2018] EWHC 2980 (Fam)