Charles Courtenay

Charles Courtenay is a Partner in the Commercial & Regulatory Disputes team.

Charles' practice focuses upon intellectual property and other complex disputes, with particular emphasis on cross border, technology and finance matters. He has litigated and advised in many major IP matters (including patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret cases) along with a number of important contract disputes in software and other technology and finance industries. He has taken key matters to trial and arbitration both in England and the United States, winning a number of important and valuable decisions. Charles is recommended in The Legal 500.

Before joining Michelmores, Charles led the European Intellectual Property Disputes team at Latham & Watkins. He spent eight years with the firm in Los Angeles, before moving to its London office.

Holding dual qualification, Charles was called to the bar in England and Wales in 1999 and joined the California bar in 2004. His hands-on experience across both jurisdictions allows him to represent and advise clients facing the most challenging legal issues, and makes him well-placed to support local, national and international clients.

Charles previously practiced as a Chancery barrister in Lincoln’s Inn, London. After completing an Art History Masters at St. John’s College, Cambridge, he completed his legal studies at the Inns of Court. In 1999 he was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple, before practicing from 9 Old Square, Chambers of Michael Driscoll, QC (now Maitland Chambers) where he is a door tenant.

Charles is also the Earl of Devon and independent of his work at Michelmores he owns and operates the Powderham Estate, near Exeter in Devon, with focus upon sustainable heritage and land management. Charles was also elected to the House of Lords as a Crossbench Hereditary Peer in 2018. In that role, Charles champions the interests of Devon, and has contributed extensively on Technology, Heritage, Agriculture and the Environment.