Charlene Hawkins

Charlene became a tenant after successfully completing pupillage at Littleton. She practises in the areas of commercial litigation, employment law and regulatory matters. Before coming to Littleton she obtained a First Class law degree from Oxford University and an LL.M from the University of Toronto, which included papers in Business Organisations, Intellectual Property, Labour Law and Discrimination.

Instructing solicitors describe Charlene as “intelligent”, “clear” and “approachable” and have commended her work as being “of the highest standard” demonstrating “maturity and good judgment”. They have been impressed by her “communication skills and ability to respond quickly and accurately”.

Commercial

Charlene is well equipped to deal with all aspects of contractual and other disputes and insolvency proceedings. After graduating in 2006, she gained commercial experience during a three month internship at one of Singapore’s largest law firms, Rajah and Tann. This included involvement in large scale litigation and commercial negotiations.

Charlene has experience of cases concerning breach of trust, breach of contract, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, conflict of interests, bribery and undue influence. She has appeared in a variety of matters in the High Court, Companies Court and County Courts, as well as drafting pleadings and other documents and advising in respect of commercial disputes.

employment

Charlene has been instructed by both claimants and respondents at all stages of proceedings, including sucessfully appearing in the EAT. She has gained experience in a wide array of employment cases in the following areas:

unfair dismissal;
sex, race, disability, religion/belief and age discrimination;
whistleblowing;
TUPE transfers (including the large scale collapse of a company resulting in a claim being brought by over 300 employees);
employee status;
fixed term employees;
working time;
unlawful deductions from wages;
equal pay;
unjustifiable discipline by a trade union; and
commercial employment disputes including restrictive covenants, employment issues in insolvency scenarios, and industrial action.

disciplinary/regulatory

Charlene benefits from experience and pragmatism in conducting disciplinary/grievance procedures and regulatory matters. She has also been instructed to carry out a delicate whistleblowing investigation concerning allegations of, inter alia, disability discrimination. She is well versed in managing such situations efficiently and cost effectively whilst exercising the utmost sensitivity and confidentiality.

education and awards

Education

First Class BA (Jurisprudence), Oxford University
LL.M, University of Toronto
Bar Vocational Course, ICSL (2007-2008)

Awards

Harold G Fox Scholarship, Middle Temple
Astbury Award, BVC Major Scholarship, Middle Temple
Littleton Chambers Prize for the best performance in the Labour Law FHS paper
Quarrell-Read Prize, Exeter College, Oxford

professional memberships

ELBA

Call: 2008
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