Charles Nelson Skinner (March 12, 1833 – September 22, 1910) was a Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, the son of Samuel and Phoebe S. (Golding) Skinner, Skinner was educated at the public and Grammar schools of Saint John. After leaving school, he prepared for the legal profession. He studied law in the office of C. W. Stockton, and was admitted to the Bar, Trinity term, 1860. He commenced to practice his profession in partnership with George G. Gilbert, under the firm name of Gilbert & Skinner. This partnership lasted about four years, when he began practice in his own name, and so continued until January 1894, when he took his two sons into partnership, Charles S. and Sherwood Skinner, the firm name being C. N. Skinner & Sons.