Gary Oliver
Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7325
Charles Flint is a respected neutral with wide experience in business and commercial disputes. He is a member of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (the judicial body responsible for oversight of the intelligence agencies), a director of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, Vice Chairman of the appeal chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (which judges cases under the financial fair play rules), President of the National Anti-Doping Panel (which judges doping cases in UK sport), chair of the independent panel established by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, and a former deputy chairman of the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund. He was a member of the panel assisting Sir William Blackburne in his independent review of complaints brought against Royal Bank of Scotland in relation to its Global Restructuring Group.
Charles acts as an arbitrator in commercial, banking and sports disputes.
In May 2018 Charles mediated the settlement of the claims brought against the Secret Intelligence Service by Abdul-Hakim Belhaj arising out of his rendition to Libya in 2004 (Financial Times 10 May 2018). In June 2019 he mediated the claims of Bank Mellat against HM Treasury, following the 2013 decision of the Supreme Court that the imposition of sanctions on the Iranian bank was unlawful (Financial Times 18 June 2019). In December 2019 Charles co-mediated the group litigation brought by 555 postmasters against the Post Office (The Times 12 December 2019).
Recent quotes include:
"A man with a heavyweight reputation, who is calm and shows great gravitas when handling mediations." -Chambers UK, 2023
"He remains a go-to, right at the pinnacle, and is a very punchy advocate." - Chambers UK, 2023
Charles acts as an arbitrator in commercial, banking, financial services and sports cases.
He is a Fellow of the Charted Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the LCIA.
As President of the UK National Anti-Doping Panel and as Chair of the International Tennis Federation tribunal Charles is responsible for the appointment and supervision of arbitration panels, as well as deciding a number of cases or issues referred to arbitration under the aegis of Sport Resolutions. He has also arbitrated a number of commercial disputes in football, under Rule K of the Football Association rules.
He has arbitrated commercial cases under ICC, LCIA and UNCITRAL rules.
Charles Flint KC was a leading specialised in the regulation of financial services under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. He has advised and acted for institutions, and the regulators, in regulatory proceedings and investigations and judicial review and was involved in many of the major regulatory cases which arose leading up to and after the financial crisis in 2009.
He has been retained by investment banks, fund managers, hedge funds, stockbrokers, insurers, retail banks and building societies in connection with regulatory investigations and proceedings relating to insider dealing and market abuse, market manipulation, endowment and derivative based product mis-selling, including interest rate swaps, split capital investment trusts and structured capital at risk products. He advised a number of the major banks on the LIBOR and FOREX investigations.
He has advised on senior management regulatory responsibilities arising out of the banking crisis, and acted on the first major case brought by the FSA in that area. He has also advised and acted for the regulatory bodies, FCA, PRA, FOS and FSCS.
He acted for Legal and General in the first major challenge in the Financial Services & Markets Tribunal to the powers of the FSA, the case which resulted in the complete overhaul of the FSA enforcement system. He acted for Philippe Jabre in the first market abuse case brought against a hedge fund, and for Winterfloods in the first market abuse case to reach the Court of Appeal.
He was a member of the Lawyers Consultative Group established by the FCA & PRA to advise on legal issues arising out of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. He was an invited speaker on the future of financial regulation at the City Debate 2002 organised by the Futures and Options Association. He is a contributor to "A Practitioner's Guide to FSA Investigations and Enforcement" (City & Financial Publishing).
In 1999 he was retained as leading counsel advising the Singapore Stock Exchange in its dispute with the Malaysian Central Depository over the freezing of the $4 billion CLOB portfolio.
Cases
Between 1988 and 1994 Charles Flint acted as counsel for the Arab Monetary Fund in a major fraud action in the Chancery Division, and on appeals to the Court of Appeal and House of Lords. In 2000 he acted for the defendant in the proceedings brought by the State of Brunei against HRH Prince Jefri Bolkiah claiming the return of assets of $15 billion. In 2008 he appeared in the House of Lords in HMRC v Total Network, a leading case on the law of conspiracy.
In 1991 he was appointed a Junior Counsel to the Crown (Common Law). He acted for Government Departments, particularly the Ministry of Defence, in contractual and public procurement disputes.
He has appeared in the courts of Antigua, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, the Cayman Islands and the West Indies Court of Appeal, and in the court of the Dubai International Financial Centre, and in the Privy Council.
“"He remains a go-to, right at the pinnacle, and is a very punchy advocate."”
Chambers and Partners, 2023
“"Charles Flint's experience for and against the regulator is massive. He is very knowledgeable and has an incredibly calm and attractive way of presenting."”
Chambers and Partners, 2023
“He's a formidable player and intellectual. He's extremely respected.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“He's a formidable player and intellectual. He's extremely respected.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“He's so incredibly knowledgeable and immersed into this area, there's nothing he doesn't know.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“He's so incredibly knowledgeable and immersed into this area, there's nothing he doesn't know.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“A great name in the market: his advice is very clear, commercial and to the point, so he is very much in demand.”
Chambers and Partners, 2020
“His experience in financial services work is exceptional. His breadth and depth of knowledge in the sector is unmatched.”
Chambers and Partners, 2021
“A high-quality barrister.”
Legal 500, 2021
“Thinks on his feet and works well under pressure, he has a confident and reassuring manner with clients.”
Legal 500, 2019
“A first-rate lawyer who has the ear of the court and great experience”
Chambers and Partners, 2019
“Vast experience and bags of courage.”
Chambers and Partners, 2019
“Brings a great deal of authority to any matter in which he is instructed.”
Legal 500, 2018
“Absolutely first-rate for any financial regulatory matter.”
Chambers and Partners, 2018
“Absolutely brilliant. So sure-footed, so calm, and judges just love him because he's so reliable and he gets it right”
Chambers and Partners, 2017
“An excellent practitioner whose depth of experience is unrivalled.”
Legal 500, 2017
“His depth of knowledge and wisdom with regard to financial services regulation is invaluable”
Legal 500, 2016
Charles has been an accredited mediator for 20 years. He was included in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame for excellence as a mediator and in Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2015 Charles was rated as one of the five most highly regarded KC mediators. He is rated in Chambers and Partners 2020 and Legal 500 2019 as a leading mediator.
In May 2018 Charles mediated the settlement of the claims brought against the Secret Intelligence Service by Abdul-Hakim Belhaj arising out of his rendition to Libya in March 2004 (Financial Times 10 May 2018). In June 2019 he mediated the claims of Bank Mellat against HM Treasury, following the 2013 decision of the Supreme Court that the imposition of sanctions on the Iranian bank was unlawful (Financial Times 18 June 2019). In December 2019 Charles co-mediated the group litigation brought by 555 postmasters against the Post Office (The Times 12 December 2019).
In 1999 Charles qualified as an accredited mediator with CEDR in London. He has spoken at a number of mediation events including speaking on “Mediation and the FSA” to the Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers and at the Tony Curtis mediation debate in 2007 against the motion “Barristers are giving mediation a bad name”. Charles contributed the section on mediating financial services disputes to David Richbell’s book on Mastering Commercial Mediation (2015).
Charles' LinkedIn page can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-flint-qc-4729604a/?originalSubdomain=uk
“Charles is an excellent mediator who is very charming, great with clients and works hard to get a deal.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“Charles is an excellent mediator who is very charming, great with clients and works hard to get a deal.”
Chambers and Partners, 2022
“Calm and measured throughout, and able to identify the key issues and facilitate meetings between the parties.”
Legal 500, 2022
“His breadth and depth of knowledge in the sector is unmatched.”
Chambers and Partners, 2021
“Flint has established a strong reputation as a commercial and human rights mediator.”
Legal 500, 2021
“A financial services and regulatory specialist, he is highly experienced in mediating disputes arising in that sector.”
Chambers and Partners, 2020
“good operator with great presence and a stature that impresses people.”
Chambers and Partners, 2019
MA (Cantab), First in Law
Charles was joint head of Blackstone Chambers from 1997 – 2005.
VAT registration number: 245251577
Barristers regulated by the Bar Standards Board
Gary Oliver
Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7325
Derek Sutton
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7327
Adam Sloane
Deputy Senior Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7326
Dean Tolman
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7331
Billy Brian
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7339
Marc Armstrong
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7330
Adam Fuschillo
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7329
Danny Compton
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7338
Sophie Floydd
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7324
Rio Sully
Clerk
+44 (0) 207 822 7299