OVERVIEW

Charles specialises in competition damages litigation, with a strong focus on collective actions before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal. He trained and qualified at Hausfeld in 2017, following a six-month secondment in banking litigation, and was promoted to Counsel in January 2025.

He has been a key member of legal teams representing European car manufacturers in cartel damages claims involving price-fixing in the automotive sector. Charles has also acted for class representatives in some of the most prominent collective proceedings in recent years, including actions against Apple, Amazon, Qualcomm, and rail franchises, brought on behalf of millions of UK consumers. His experience includes advising a diverse range of claimants – from SMEs to household names – in claims relating to cartels affecting purchases from trucks to feed phosphates and oranges.

Bilingual in French and English, Charles has lived and worked on both sides of the Channel.

EDUCATION

Legal Practice Course, College of Law
Graduate Diploma in Law, College of Law
BA (Hons) Politics and Modern History, University of Manchester

BAR ADMISSIONS

Solicitor, England & Wales, 2017

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Legal Business Awards 2019

Hausfeld was nominated as 'Competition Team of the Year' for its innovative work with Peugeot-Citroën (PSA Group) against two European and four Japanese manufacturers of automotive bearings, found guilty of price-fixing in 2014.

The Lawyer

In 2019, The Lawyer nominated the Trucks cartel case as one of their Top 20 Cases for 2019. In the UK, Hausfeld represents Wolseley UK Ltd & Ors, Suez Groupe SAS & Ors and Veolia Environnement S.A. & Ors. “The trucks litigation is one of the most significant follow-on damages cases being heard in the English courts”, said The Lawyer, “Lining up to defend the manufacturers from further damages are some of biggest names in litigation.”

In 2018, the aforementioned Peugeot-Citroën claim against the bearings cartel was pinpointed by The Lawyer as one of their Top 20 Cases to watch. The case ultimately settled before trial.

Experience

Antitrust/Competition

Charles played a key role as part of the legal team dealing with ground breaking claims as follows:

Trains - The very first collective claim filed by Hausfeld back in February 2019, with co-counsel Charles Lyndon. It was also the first collective claim brought before the CAT on a standalone basis. Crucially for the regime more generally, in July 2022 the Court of Appeal held in Trains that liability can be determined on an aggregate basis in collective proceedings, which was a very important ruling for collective proceedings in the UK. We helped progress the case over 5 years during which the claim benefited from our competition litigation expertise.
Acting on behalf of Christine Riefa Class Representative Limited, an SPV established by Professor Christine Riefa for the purpose of bringing a claim against Apple and Amazon on behalf of millions of UK consumers who purchased Apple products. The collective action seeks damages of at least £500m for UK consumers who paid higher prices for Apple products due to a secret deal between the global corporations, which saw Amazon restricting sales of Apple products by independent merchants on its marketplace.
Representing a UK Automotive client against two defendant cartelists guilty of forming a cartel in the market for deep sea transport of new cars, trucks and other large vehicles, on various routes.

Charles has been part of the legal teams working with car manufacturers on recovering damages as the result of the following cartels: