Melanie Carter

Melanie is a Partner and Head of Public & Regulatory for the firm. She also leads on Information Law. She is a longstanding specialist in these fields and top ranked as a leading individual in the legal directories.

She has over 30 years’ experience acting for clients ranging across the public & regulatory sector, charities, social enterprises, institutes, Royal Charter bodies, businesses and individuals. Her work spans contentious work – she is a specialist in Public Inquiries and judicial review – and also advisory work including drafting of legislation and Codes of Conduct. She often works at Board level, advising on corporate governance, reputation and strategy. She is an adjudicator working internationally, sits as a legal assessor in professional regulatory cases and is a Tribunal Judge.

Melanie joined Stone King in 2024, bringing with her a wealth of experience in a career that spans more than three decades.

Her work concentrates around the powers and duties of public bodies, but reaches out those who have to engage with or challenge public bodies. She is a former government and in house lawyer at a regulator, and understands the policy and resource constraints inherent in their operations. She has worked with numerous national charities on their strategic litigation or when they have been under the spotlight of regulation themselves.

She is a trusted adviser, often operating at Board level and as external General Counsel. She has personally devised legal frameworks and drafted the statutory legislation or constitutional documents (e.g. primary and secondary legislation, Royal Charters, Codes of Conduct, disciplinary and complaints policies and procedures) for their implementation.

Melanie enjoys mountaineering. She is also a keen piano player.