Charlotte Hughes

Charlotte completed her pupillage at East Anglian Chambers in April 2019 and has since built up a wealth of experience in Family Law.

Before joining East Anglian Chambers, Charlotte worked as a paralegal and at the Criminal Cases Review Commission, whilst she studied her BPTC part-time. During and upon completion of her studies, Charlotte received several scholarships, from Inner Temple, University of Law and the Kalisher Trust, recognising her talent for advocacy and aptitude to succeed at the bar.

Since joining the bar, Charlotte has engaged in volunteer work with both local and national charities and organisations. She is a driven to support causes in which she strongly believes, such as access to justice, equality within the legal profession and ensuring that those who are survivors of sexual abuse get the support they need. As part of this, she has spoken on BBC Look East and on local radio stations representing Suffolk Rape Crisis as well as spoken on panels and organised events.

Charlotte is a passionate advocate who offers firm but empathetic advice to her clients.

Family

Charlotte frequently acts on Family Law Act and Children Act matters from FHDRAs to Final Hearings including fact findings, and she also undertakes care work on behalf of all parties involved, often on an urgent or short notice basis. She also has experience in dealing with non-molestation and occupation orders, as well as other ancillary applications. She has experience in both representing and cross examining vulnerable witnesses with mental health and capacity difficulties in sensitive situations including with selective mutism. Charlotte has dealt with extremely complex cases including:

• Multi-day fact finding and final hearings including psychical and emotional abuse, sexual abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour.
• Parental alienation issues including securing a transfer of residence for a 13-year-old child.
• Resisting sexual abuse allegations against the subject child, including obtaining a finding that the other parent had influenced the views of the child.
• Substance abuse, including obtaining findings that a parent’s use of alcohol was harmful despite hair strand testing not demonstrating chronic excessive use.
• Death of a child leading to care proceedings
• Cross-jurisdictional issues in care proceedings, including transfer of proceedings to other jurisdictions.
• Internal and external relocation including securing an order sanctioning the child relocating to the USA
• Advising on, preparing documentation and acting on appeals including successfully appealing an occupation order.

Charlotte appears in Courts of all levels, including the High Court, where she has been instructed in matters concerning Deprivation of Liberty and inherent jurisdiction.

Charlotte will always try to offer the fullest service to her clients, and she is available for informal advice throughout the duration of her involvement with a case, not just in the lead-up to a hearing.

Crime/Regulatory

Charlotte has built a practice in local government and regulatory matters and is available to act for local authorities and individuals in both trials and interlocutory hearings in this area, covering closure orders, health and safety prosecutions, noise abatement notices and committals.