Fee Earner Q&A with Charlotte Mills

Charlotte Mills (pictured), joined Bermans in March 2024 and is a partner in our Corporate team. We spoke to her to learn more about her and her work. 

1. Can you give us a brief summary of your career so far? 

Having trained at a commercial firm in the South-East, I relocated to the North-West when I qualified back in 2006. I spent several years honing my corporate skills working in mid-sized practices in Manchester and Lancashire before joining the MAPD group of law firms in 2021 and moving into Bermans a few years later.  

2. What area of the law do you specialise in and why? 

I always knew I wanted to work in a business-related area of law, and when I did my training seat in corporate it was clear that’s what I wanted to do in the long term.  

As much as a lawyer’s role in a business sale or purchase is based in law, that’s only a tiny part of what we do. Supporting clients, negotiating terms, resolving inevitable hiccups and generally project managing to achieve the client’s goal, they’re the everyday elements of a corporate lawyer’s job. Those aspects are the ones that motivate me, rather than the legal ones. 

 3. Is there a case or a particular piece of work you were proud to be involved with, if so why? 

I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing clients. The most rewarding transactions are usually where I’ve acted for a seller who has built a successful business over many years of hard work, risk and effort. When you complete on a deal like that, it’s a real privilege to be able to tell a client they’ve achieved their latest goal. Other times a business might have a great foundation and is looking for investment for its next chapter. Helping secure that is equally exciting.  

A couple of brilliant deals I was grateful to be involved in recently have been: 

• Stockport tech business, spun out of Manchester University, agrees acquisition | TheBusinessDesk.com 
• Management buyout deals fuel growth for two workwear businesses | TheBusinessDesk.com 
• TV stars Ant and Dec back frozen food business | Insider Media 

4. Away from the law what are your interests and passions? 

I have two young boys and a busy family life which keeps me pretty occupied. I do love a good meal out, particularly when it doesn’t involve pizza or nuggets. I also try to find time to read but I’ve usually dozed off by the second page! 

Bullet Round 

Sports & Teams Supported: I’m not a big sports-fan, though I do love it when it’s Olympic year. Roll on 2028. It’s also compulsory in our house to watch World’s Strongest Man every year. 

Films (Top 3): Cocktail – a cheesy 80s classic with a great soundtrack; Hudson Hawk – completely bizarre but what’s not to love when the cast includes Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, Richard E Grant and Sandra Bernhard? Cinema Paradiso – just a beautiful film.  

Music (3 tracks/albums to take on Desert Island): August & Everything After, Counting Crows – a much loved album from my school days; Trouble, Ray LaMontagne – beautiful songwriting; The Best of Ennio Morricone – I’m not really into music I can’t sing along to but his ability to set a scene by music is incredible and he’s responsible for some of the most iconic movie music. 

Boxsets: The West Wing – brilliant writing and still topical no matter how many decades we’ve moved on; The Bear – funny, heartbreaking and disturbing but amazingly written, directed and performed; Fleabag – so funny and really clever. 

Podcasts you listen to/recommend: I’m so behind the times! I’m still a radio girl. 

Meal: Cheese, however it comes.  

Holiday destination: Brittany – great food and loads of pretty places to visit.  

Favourite book: It’s hard to pick just one but the Count of Monte Cristo is hard to beat – what a story! But I also love a Jack Reacher for an easy holiday page-turner.  

3 people for a dinner party and why? 

• Jeremy Bowen – He was a war correspondent for the BBC when I first started absorbing news and he’s been a constant presence since then. He’s covered so many major global events, he must be a fascinating person to meet.  
• Tom Cruise – He’s made some brilliant movies over decades, but I have some questions that need answering! 
• Bill Bailey – for some light relief, and maybe a bit of music.

Contact Charlotte Mills.