A Life in Law and Mediation: Charles Parselle

Basic Information

Early life and formation of a lawyer

Born in southern Africa and raised in England, Charles Parselle carries the imprint of three worlds: colonial Africa, British institutions, and later American practice. His legal formation culminated at Oxford University and admission to the English Bar, a foundation that positioned him for transnational work. By the 1960s he was already moving in circles where law met ideology, and his biography reads like a map of mid 20th century legal travel.

The Scientology years, 1960s to 1970s

During the late 1960s and through the 1970s Parselle occupied central legal roles within the Church of Scientology, serving as a chief legal officer and as Deputy Guardian Legal for the Guardian’s Office worldwide. His responsibilities included directing legal strategies and intelligence related operations across multiple countries, including litigation efforts in Australia and coordination in Europe and Canada. Documents from that era tie him and his then wife Helen Parselle to organizational legal work and proposals for leadership roles. Those years were contentious and formative; they marked a period when legal muscle and organizational secrecy met in a high stakes contest of courts and public opinion.

Reinvention and relocation, 1983 and onward

In 1983 Parselle relocated to California and was admitted to the State Bar on June 3, 1983 (Bar No. 108049). The move signaled a reinvention from partisan organizational law to mainstream advocacy and dispute resolution. Over the next four decades he cultivated a practice that blended litigation experience with a quieter craft: mediation. He founded the Centers for Excellence in Dispute Resolution, served as counsel for international companies, and taught mediation around the world. Panels and appointments followed, including mediator roles on court panels and membership in regional bar and mediation associations. The numeric arc is blunt: more than 40 years in active practice, with a pivot toward teaching and ADR that dominated the latter part of his career.

Professional profile and achievements

Parselle specialized in multiple legal fields: personal injury, real estate, probate, business, employment, and intellectual property. He also built a public-facing persona. Between 2008 and 2012 he hosted The Legal File, a television show that brought legal topics to a broader audience. In 2009 he performed stand-up comedy at the Comedy Store, an unusual detour that revealed a lighter public face. Film and television credits appear intermittently, including small roles and media appearances that dovetailed with his ADR work. By approximately 2019 his active law license became inactive, and he shifted focus to writing, lecturing, and family life.

Family life and relationships

Parselle’s private life reflects transatlantic chapters. His first known marriage was to Helen Parselle in England, a partnership documented in the late 1960s within organizational records. That marriage appears to have ended before his move to the United States. In the 1990s he married Charlotte Laws, an author and activist known for anti-revenge porn advocacy and public campaigns. When Parselle entered her household he became stepfather to Kayla Laws, who was around seven years old at that time and later pursued acting. The family has appeared together in media projects and public advocacy, most notably in support of family campaigns against online abuse.

Media, public presence, and later mentions

Parselle’s public visibility has been intermittent. He hosted television, performed comedy, and appeared in interviews and YouTube segments that emphasized mediation and family advocacy. A notable public appearance arrived in 2022 with an interview tied to a high profile docuseries in which his stepdaughter and spouse were central figures; he supported the family’s advocacy efforts in that context. Mentions since 2022 are sparse and largely retrospective, focusing on his earlier organizational ties or on past media projects.

Family members table

Timeline snapshot

FAQ

Who is Charles Parselle?

Charles Parselle is a retired attorney and mediator originally from southern Africa who trained in England and practiced law in California after 1983.

What was his role with Scientology?

In the 1960s and 1970s he served in senior legal and Guardian Office positions, overseeing international legal strategies and related operations.

When did he move to the United States?

He moved to California in 1983 and was admitted to the California State Bar on June 3, 1983.

What areas of law did he practice?

He practiced personal injury, real estate, probate, business, employment, and intellectual property, and he became known for mediation and arbitration.

Does he have a family?

Yes, he married Charlotte Laws in the 1990s and is stepfather to Kayla Laws; he had a prior marriage to Helen Parselle in England.

What media has he done?

He hosted a legal television show from 2008 to 2012, performed stand-up comedy in 2009, appeared in films and YouTube interviews, and took part in interviews connected to a 2022 docuseries.

Is he still practicing law?

No, his California law license moved to inactive status by about 2019 and he is generally described as retired.

Where does he live now?

He resides in Woodland Hills, California, where he has focused on writing, lecturing, and family life.