William Charles, a partner in Quinn Emanuel's London office, focuses on complex, high value commercial disputes and investigations. Will has exceptional experience across a range of sectors, including banking and financial services, private equity and credit, asset management, technology and energy.
Clients have praised Will as "outstanding," noting his "invaluable guidance" and "brilliant client service." Legal 500 highlights his practical, commercial approach to resolving disputes successfully, supported by his deep knowledge and exceptional technical ability, with clients noting that Will "stood out as very practical in his advice. To the point guidance, and a clear way of communicating", with “deep banking experience”, providing “a masterclass in legal knowledge and technique”. Another client describes him as "sharp, responsive, and easy to work with."
Will represents an impressive roster of clients, including leading global financial institutions, private equity and private credit firms, asset managers, investment funds, energy companies, and technology businesses. He also advises financial services professionals across all seniority levels, including C-suite executives.
His litigation experience spans high-stakes, complex cases before the English Courts, including shareholder, M&A, JV, asset management, civil fraud, contractual and securities disputes. He also has extensive experience of resolving disputes through expert determination and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Will also has very significant experience of handling internal and regulatory investigations (including cross-border and multi-agency proceedings) and associated disputes, including engaging with authorities in the UK (in particular, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)), EU and US. His experience covers a range of areas, including market abuse, antitrust/competition law, anti-money laundering compliance, mis-selling of financial products, and various other regulatory issues affecting firms, senior managers and others in the financial services sector.
Commercial Disputes:
- Representing a FTSE 100-listed alternative investment management firm, successfully defending claims against an investment vehicle brought by a co-investor in a high-profile shareholder dispute relating to a substantial private equity and credit investment in the technology sector (Maloney v Falcon VII Investment SARL [2025] EWHC 240 (Comm)). Cited by The Lawyer as one of the Top 20 cases of 2025.
- Representing a leading global investment management firm in the defence of a high-value Commercial Court claim brought by a UK pension fund alleging negligence and breaches of contract in relation to a c.£500 million investment in a portfolio including US mortgage-backed securities (MBS).
- Representing a major global private equity firm in confidential expert determination proceedings of substantial value following a major acquisition in the European energy sector.
- Representing a global asset management firm in relation to complex civil fraud and shareholder claims worth c.£180 million, brought in the English High Court against third party investment managers and numerous corporate entities located in several jurisdictions. Listed by The Lawyer as one of the Top 20 cases of 2014.
- Representing a senior investment banking executive co-defending (with the investment bank) complex civil fraud claims brought in the High Court of very substantial value relating to the high-profile collapse of the Icelandic bank, Kaupthing.
- Representing a global IT services Fortune 500 company in a substantial and sensitive dispute relating to a high-profile public procurement contract.
- Representing a global technology company in a substantial and sensitive dispute with a UK Government-owned organisation.
- Representing a major national retailer in relation to substantial fraud claims against an employee and related third parties.
Investigations:
- Representing an international financial services firm in relation to investigations by regulatory authorities in multiple jurisdictions and resulting enforcement action concerning alleged breaches of antitrust/competition law and market conduct rules in connection with trading certain financial products.
- Representing a global investment management firm in relation to an investigation by the FCA concerning alleged misuse of inside information and an employee’s personal account dealing.
- Representing numerous financial sector professionals involved in investigations by the FCA, SFO and other authorities (and/or internal investigations) concerning, among other things, alleged:
- breaches of the Senior Managers and Certification Regime;
- market abuse, including involvement in manipulative trading activity (including “spoofing”);
- other regulatory and/or internal breaches, including failings in relation to supervision and oversight, the protection of confidential information, and dealing openly and transparently with the FCA.
- Accounting & Financial Reporting Litigation
- Antitrust & Competition
- Artificial Intelligence
- Blockchain and Digital Asset Practice
- Class Action and Mass Arbitration Group
- Commodities and Derivatives
- Corporate Governance Litigation
- Environmental Litigation
- Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") Practice
- Government & Regulatory Litigation
- Government Contracts Litigation
- Insurance & Reinsurance Litigation
- International Disputes
- Investigations, Government Enforcement & White Collar Criminal Defense Practice
- Investment Fund Litigation
- Mergers & Acquisitions Litigation
- Securities Litigation
- Shareholder Activist Litigation
- Structured Finance & Derivatives Litigation
- University of Oxford, M.A. (Oxon)
- BPP University Law School, PgDL
- BPP University Law School, L.P.C.
- Solicitor, England and Wales
- Solicitor Advocate, Higher Rights of Audience (Civil)
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2026
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Commercial Litigation: Premium, 2026
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Financial Services: Contentious, 2026
- Up and Coming by Chambers UK for Financial Services: Contentious, 2024
- Up and Coming by Chambers UK for Financial Services: Contentious, 2023
- Next Generation Partner by Legal 500 UK for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2023
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Financial Services: Contentious, 2023
- Next Generation Partner by Legal 500 UK for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2022
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Commercial Litigation, 2022
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Financial Services: Contentious, 2022
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Commercial Litigation: Premium, 2021
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Financial Services: Contentious, 2021
- Rising Star by Legal 500 UK for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2020
- Next Generation Lawyer by Legal 500 UK for Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail, 2019
- Recognised by Legal 500 UK for Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation, 2019
Conference appearances:
- Panelist, Fraud Financial Services Summit, London (October 2026)
- Panelist, Fraud and Financial Crime Europe Summit, London (September 2022)
Articles:
- Will has frequently authored or contributed to articles on key developments in commercial litigation and regulatory investigations, including in publications such as FT Adviser, Corporate Disputes Magazine, Financier Worldwide, The Banking Law Journal, The Private Competition Enforcement Review, Law360 and The International Who’s Who of Commercial Litigation.