In order to ensure good governance, trustees and senior management need to have a full understanding of the way in which their charity is regulated. We provide charities with specialist legal advice and support on the full range of governance, regulatory and safeguard issues. We can support this by offering bespoke training for trustees and senior management to ensure they are aware of the best practice.

A successful charity needs to be able to adapt to be able to remain sustainable for its beneficiaries now, and in the future and also manage risk for the charity and its trustees.

If your charity is considering a merger, either in the form of a collaboration or a full merger, we would recommend that you to seek advice from our specialists from the outset. How you plan your route is crucial to its success and it will ensure you have a team which can deals with the relevant issues such as property, employment etc.  

We are highly experienced in drafting governing documents, or, where relevant amendments to ensure they are fit for purpose for your charity’s objectives.  We also can also assist with incorporating existing charities and also winding up any charities where it is no longer appropriate for them to continue to operate.

Grant Making and Philanthropy

Philanthropists and charities which solely provide grants have very different needs to those who are involved with service led charities.

• Developing a tax efficient philanthropy strategy
• Setting up a new charity
• Grant administration
• Reviewing well-established grant making regimes
• Establishing joint venture for projects

It is possible to make gifts to charities in a manner that is also tax efficient for the individual. Different considerations apply to cash, property and other assets. We provide a complete understanding of all the issues involved to provide you the best advice.

Making substantial gifts for charitable purposes requires careful consideration. You may have a wish to set up your own charity but there may be other options which better meet your needs.

If you do decide that you wish to establish your own charity, we can guide you through the process to enable you to decide on the most suitable structure for the charity, any related policy documents and application to the Charity Commission for registration.

Charities may find that they certain projects require collaboration with either the public or commercial sector, or take the form of a joint venture. Charities must take particular care in order to protect their investment in the project and appropriately manage risk.

Data and information are an essential asset of many charities but it can pose risks if it is not managed properly.

Our specialist team ensure that charities understand the scope and extent of their regulatory obligations.

We provide the full range of support for charities in respect of their employees and volunteers.

Our specialist team understands that it can be difficult for charities, large and small, to maximise their income from legacies, whilst also managing their reputation.

We can advise charities if they:

• have been left a legacy in a will;
• have been appointed as executor
• are concerned about the way in which an estate is being managed
• are involved in a will dispute

A number of charities carry out trading activities. This may be part of the way in which they advance their charitable objects, and others may trade to raise funds. Our specialist team can work with you to review your activities to first assess if a trading subsidiary is required. If a trading subsidiary is advised, we will ensure that this is established in accordance with charity law and best practice so as to be as tax efficient as possible.

Complying with charity law in property transactions can be a complicated. Whether you want to buy, sell, lease, mortgage or transfer property, our team has plenty of experience of guiding charities of all sizes. We help with everything, from the intricacies of trusts to the need for surveyors’ advice. We also advise trustees on their decision-making as well as how to navigate the law on connected parties, conflicts of interest and delegated authority.