Charity law

We help charities navigate the unique legal and regulatory requirements of the sector, and balance these with their commercial objectives. 

Charities face a unique range of legal, regulatory and commercial challenges. We have helped hundreds of them deal with these issues and realise significant opportunities in the sector. We do this by: 

  • Finding and adopting the best legal structure to achieve your goals.
  • Setting up governance and relationships between trustees, management, funders/donors and other stakeholders.
  • Balancing the need to operate a sustainable charity with working towards achieving your charity’s objectives.
  • Managing relationships with the Charity Commission, Companies House and other key regulators for the sector.
  • Using our charity, private client and tax expertise to advise on philanthropy and venture philanthropy.

Our lawyers

We have a team of charity law and governance specialists, who work closely with experts in our other charity sector disciplines – ranging from regulation and HR to innovative fundraising.

Our experience

We support charities through every stage of their journey:

  • Establishment - Registration, governance, and finding the right structure.
  • People - HR policies, recruitment, pensions, conduct and disciplinary issues.
  • Estates - Leases, purchases and development work.
  • Intellectual property and data - Including compliance, disputes and commercialising your assets.
  • Regulation - Managing regulator relationships.
  • Growth - Trading, alternative fundraising, philanthropy and international ventures.

Our clients

  • Education/research - Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Wellcome Trust
  • Community/regional charities - Hundreds of smaller charities and non-profits
  • Health - BMA, St Andrew’s Healthcare
  • Livery companies - Including several of the Great Twelve
  • Religious charities - Church Commissioners, Diocese of Ely, the Methodist Church
  • Sport - the FA, League Football Education, Mountain Training Trust

Legal resources you may find useful

Our blog, Charity Legal Update, keeps the industry up to date on the latest developments.

Further reading

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