Charity law

Need assistance understanding charity law? Our team of expert charity lawyers help to navigate the unique legal and regulatory requirements of the sector, and balance these with commercial objectives.

Charities today face a unique range of legal, regulatory and commercial challenges. We have helped a wide range of charities deal with these issues and realise significant opportunities in the sector. Our approach to navigating charity law and governance includes:

  • Finding the best legal structure.
  • Setting up governance and relationships between trustees/management/funders/donors/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 charity lawyers

We have a team of specialist lawyers for charities, who work closely with experts in our other charity sector disciplines – ranging from regulation and HR to innovative fundraising.

Our experience providing legal advice for charities

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

Charity law resources you may find useful

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

Further reading on charity law

Further reading

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