Charles practises in corporate and commercial law, as well as constitutional law.
He has a substantial trial and appellate practice, regularly appearing in large class actions as well as in matters raising complex legal issues. He is recognised in the legal guide The Legal 500 as a Leading Silk in Commercial Disputes in Australia, which describes him as “very strategic in his thinking and an outstanding advocate.”
Recent major trials include acting for: Mercedes dealers against Mercedes in relation to the agency model (see eg [2023] FCA 1022); Holden dealers against Holden in relation to GM’s decision to retire the Holden brand (see eg [2023] VSC 640).
Recent appellate court matters include: Thurin v Krongold Pty Ltd [2022] VSCA 226; KTC v David [2022] HCA Trans 183; Krongold Pty Ltd v Thurin [2023] VSCA 191; GTW Investments Pty Ltd v Pacreef Investments Pty Ltd [2023] VSCA 291; Millsave Holdings Pty Ltd v Connective Group Pty Ltd [2023] VSCA 326; Telstra Corporations Ltd v Prolearn Corporation Pty Ltd [2024] VSCA.
He has appeared in some of the largest civil litigation in Victoria, including the Black Saturday class actions, the Timbercorp Finance litigation and the Cargill litigation.
He is an editor of the Federal Court Practice loose-leaf.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Charles variously:
- was Associate to the Hon KM Hayne AC, then a justice of the High Court of Australia;
- practised as a solicitor in the litigation group at Freehills (now Herbert Smith Freehills);
- lectured at the Melbourne Law School;
- and was junior dean at Trinity College, Oxford.
He has published widely and is the author of Sir William Stawell and the Victorian Constitution (Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2004) and Bills of Rights and Decolonization (Oxford University Press, 2007). His published work has been cited in decisions of the High Court of Australia and in the Privy Council.
Charles studied law and history at the University of Melbourne, attended Kings College London on a Menzies Scholarship, and completed a doctorate at the University of Oxford on a Commonwealth Scholarship.
He is a member of the Victorian Bar’s Art and Collections Committee and a director of the Peter O’Callaghan QC gallery.
*Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation