At FTB, his practice was primarily focused on licensing where he was a highly valued member of the Licensing Group.

In November 2024, Charles was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Licensing in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of licensing and the work of the institute.

In presenting the award to Charles, FTB colleague Gary Grant paid tribute to Charles’ contribution and commitment to licensing as both a colleague and a friend:

“Charles is the licensing lawyer’s licensing lawyer. He’s the barrister that other barristers turn to when facing a particularly tricky or novel legal issue and this is for two reasons. Firstly, because he has the supreme ability to wield his near encyclopaedic knowledge of the law of licensing, blended with a deep familiarity of so many other legal fields, to find creative and novel solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Secondly, and just as importantly, because he unfailingly displays a generosity of spirit to pause his own work so he can help his less knowledgeable or gifted enquiring colleagues. Whether it be forwarding an obscure case precedent from some Victorian-era Judge who was barely known to others even when he sat on the Bench,  or a more recent one from the Chancery division, where the Court was probably considering the hereditary rights of giant tortoises to roam a particular beach on the Galapagos Island during the Winter months  whilst drinking a margarita (or similar niche point) in which a Judge made a passing reference to a principle that might help to illuminate whether a temporary event notice could be granted by Croydon’s licensing sub-committee. 

When challenged, he is invariably “the man who can”. And that is why he has attracted so much quality licensing work from so many fortunate and grateful clients. That work includes appearing for one party or the other in landmark licensing decisions of the senior Courts ranging from the Uber litigation to the role of morality in sex entertainment licensing (an oxymoron if there ever was one).

Over the years Charles has distinguished himself among the very best and has devoted countless hours to furthering the Institute through his work with Leo Charalambides as a Deputy Editor of the Journal of Licensing and as a frequent contributor at Institute events. It is no fluke that during the Covid months when The Spectator magazine needed a legal commentator to explain whether or not a Scotch egg was a substantial meal they turned to Charles.  

Licensing is distinctive, because to be among colleagues is to be among friends – and despite being among the most self-effacing of barristers, perhaps because of that fine and rare quality, you are among many, many friends here tonight. And you have made a greater positive impact on us than you can ever imagine.”

Speaking on behalf of chambers, Head of Chambers, Simon Bird KC commented, “Charles will be a huge loss to the profession and Chambers will miss him terribly.  He bore his final illness with great courage and all our thoughts are with Charles’ family and friends.”