Charity

 

 

We provide a comprehensive service to new and established charities including:

• registering charities, and other issues of charitable status;
• undertaking constitutional reviews and re-organisations;
• trustees' powers, responsibilities and liabilities and related issues;
• trustee audits;
• charity trading (direct and indirect) and fundraising; and
• Charity Commission Inquiries, the appointment of receivers and managers and disciplinary action taken by the Charity Commission.

Many charities today are engaged in commercial activities and we are experienced in advising charities on the commercial aspects of their work and their involvement with the commercial world in which they have to operate.

We have particular expertise in advising on:

• charity trading;
• directors' duties and personal liability;
• contracts for the supply of services to statutory bodies especially local and health authorities;
• arrangements between charities, their trading companies and commercial partners (e.g. sponsorship, fundraising and licensing agreements); and
• all types of commercial contracts which charities and/or their trading companies may be involved.

We are also able to draw on the experience of our company/ commercial department in each area.

Our property department acts for charities and their trading subsidiaries on all their property matters including compliance with the requirements of the Charities Act 1993 and charity law generally. We handle:

• acquisitions and disposals;
• property development including funding, building contracts and warranties;
• planning issues;
• commercial leases, landlord and tenant and relates matters; and
• environmental issues.

Our employment department has wide experience acting for both employers and employees in connection with:

• drafting and construing contracts of employment;
• fair procedures and how to avoid the Industrial Tribunal;
• internal disciplinary matters;
• sex, race and disability discrimination; and
• as a last resort representation in the Tribunal.

We advise our clients on a wide range of litigation including:

• injunctions;
• arbitrations; and
• debt related matters.