Charles joined the School of Law at the University of Galway in 2012 as a lecturer, later becoming the Head of School from 2017 to 2021. He earned a PhD from the Centre for Disability Law and Policy, University of Galway, focusing on 'Diversion: A Comparative Study of Law and Policy Relating to Defendants and Offenders with Mental Health Problems and Intellectual Disability.' During his career, Charles served as the President of the Irish Association of Law Teachers (IALT) for two terms. Prior to his academic role, he worked as Amnesty International Ireland's Legal Officer, on its mental health campaign, and as a legal researcher for the Law Reform Commission of Ireland. His academic qualifications include an LLM from University College London, another LLM in Public Law from University of Galway, and a BA in Law and History, followed by a LLB from the University of Galway. He is part of the Crime, Punishment and Justice Research Cluster at the School of Law. Charles teaches modules on Health Law and Policy, Comparative Disability Law, and An Introduction to the Irish Legal System. Current research projects explore access to justice for persons with disabilities in Ireland, and human rights and mental health law reform.
