DR CHARLOTTE PROUDMAN
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"Charlotte represents survivors of rape, domestic abuse and controlling behaviour in the family courts whilst also challenging misconceptions across the sector. She uses her knowledge and experience of the justice system to advocate for legal change and protect victims."
- Legal 500, Leading Junior Barrister
Charlotte is an award-winning barrister, academic, and campaigner.
"Charlotte Proudman specialises in representing women and children in family courts and her cases have helped define gas lighting and coercive control. Last year, she led a successful campaign by lawyers to end the Garrick Club’s all-male membership that prompted the resignation of five senior judges from the club ahead of its decision to admit women members. During the campaign she successfully applied to recuse two male judges from two cases because they were members of the Garrick club, arguing that this gave a perception of bias and unfairness, especially towards a rape victim who believed she would not have a fair hearing. These are believed to be the only cases of successful recusals regarding all-male institutions.
- Women and Diversity in Law Awards' Woman of the Year, 2025
Dr. Charlotte Proudman is a distinguished British barrister and academic who has established herself as a leading authority in family law, particularly in cases involving domestic abuse, coercive control, and gender-based violence. Operating from the prestigious Goldsmith Chambers in London, she combines her legal practice with academic research as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge.
Beyond her courtroom work, Dr. Proudman has emerged as a powerful advocate for systemic change in the family justice system. Her founding of the non-profit organisation Right to Equality demonstrates her commitment to advancing women's rights through both legal channels and grassroots activism. She has become a respected voice in legal reform, challenging existing frameworks and pushing for more effective protections for vulnerable individuals within family court proceedings.
Dr. Proudman's dual role as practitioner and academic allows her to bridge the gap between theoretical research and real-world application, making her insights particularly valuable in understanding and addressing the complexities of domestic violence cases within the legal system. Her work extends beyond individual cases to influence broader policy discussions and legal reforms aimed at better protecting survivors of abuse.
he said she said: truth, trauma and the struggle for justice in family court
If you and your family needed help, could you trust the law to be on your side?
Award-winning barrister Charlotte Proudman has dedicated her working life to representing women who find themselves in need of help from the family law courts. Time and again, she has watched as these women - many of whom have experienced the very worst traumas imaginable - are let down by the system that is supposed to protect them. Seeking only justice and safety, they have instead been met with cruelty and disdain, deemed unreliable witnesses compared to the men who abused them.
From family courts failing to protect victims from abusers to the misogynistic bullying Charlotte herself receives from senior members of her profession, the problem is clear: no matter their circumstances, women across the country are suffering at the hands of a legal system built by men.
But change is on the horizon. In He Said, She Said, Proudman gives voice to the women whose stories are all too often brushed aside in the name of giving abusers 'the benefit of the doubt'. Through real-life cases spanning forced marriage, domestic abuse, child abduction, and female genital mutilation, Proudman highlights the troubling biases and shocking prejudice that underlie our legal system - and in a book that is at once thrilling, engaging, and deeply compassionate, puts forward her own inspiring vision for long-term change.
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
