Charities | UK

Bates Wells has a top-rated charities team that provides a comprehensive service to several of the most prominent charities in the country across a broad range of sectors, including health, child protection and animal welfare. Several of the firm's lawyers sit on the boards of different charity-related bodies. The team advises on a full range of regulatory work, including governance, fundraising and trustee issues, as well as a broad range of commercial issues, including investments, mergers, restructurings and corporate partnerships. The firm also offers standout expertise assisting clients with contentious issues, including inquiries by the Charity Commission.

Farrer & Co has a reputation for its capability in charity mergers, restructuring and governance matters. The firm has an impressive client base of household-name charities and philanthropists. Its lawyers have particular expertise advising clients active in child welfare, climate change prevention, health and research, as well as faith-based charities. Farrer & Co is well placed to assist clients facing complex problems relating to regulatory interventions and governance failures, as well as contentious trustee issues.

Stone King has a prominent practice which acts for all types of charities, including notable work for social care and heritage charities as well as schools and all types of religious organisations. The firm advises on the full range of issues faced by charities, including creation, fundraising, governance, mergers and restructuring. The team acts for charities on contentious legacy and regulatory matters, including trustee, registration and governance disputes. The firm is further noted for its work assisting social enterprises with project structuring and financing matters.

Withers advises on a range of leading charities and provides expert counsel to healthcare, education, arts and sports clients. The firm advises on a broad spectrum of issues faced by charities, ranging from constitutional reviews to legacy disputes. The team is also recommended for advice on complex UK-US charitable structures and their tax requirements. It has a strong reputation for providing guidance on charity matters to philanthropic families and individuals.

Broadfield Law possesses substantial expertise in the area of charity regulation, particularly safeguarding, serious incident reporting and questions regarding political campaigning. The team is strong on mandates concerning funding and grant-making, with additional capabilities in providing commercial support on mergers and structuring issues. It is equipped to assist with matters relating to data protection and legacy disputes. BDB Pitmans acts for a core client base of arts and heritage charities as well as health organisations.

Russell-Cooke has a strong commercial offering with regard to restructuring, mergers, asset transfers, financing and property law. The firm is particularly adept at advising on governance and registration matters. The team advises prominent charities and social investment clients across several sectors including healthcare and heritage.

Womble Bond Dickinson has a well-respected practice with excellent geographic coverage provided through offices across the UK. The team advises national and local charities on governance, registration procedures, corporate transactions and commercial activity. It is particularly skilled at assisting education, health and social care, and religious organisations. The team also advises grant-giving organisations and trusts.

Wrigleys Solicitors has an established practice offering high-quality advice on a number of issues impacting charities. The firm regularly assists clients with governance issues and the establishment of charities as well as mergers, restructurings, property transactions and social investments. The team acts for a broad range of charitable institutions, including educational bodies, social housing charities, corporate foundations, health trusts and faith-based charities.

Anthony Collins Solicitors offers a wide range of regulatory and commercial support to charities. Governance, IP, GDPR, real estate and employment law are all areas that the firm handles. It advises clients from a range of sectors, including social care and faith-based charities as well as disabilities and mental health charities. The firm's team members regularly act as interim managers of charities appointed by the Charity Commission.

Charles Russell Speechlys draws on the full spectrum of services offered by the firm to tend to its many prominent third-sector clients, including from the military and arts sectors. The team is able to advise clients on an array of issues that impact charities, including fundraising, contractual, real estate and employment matters. The firm is also active on incorporations and registrations as well as assisting with regulatory compliance and governance reviews.

Mills & Reeve has a comprehensive charity law practice with a strong national presence. The firm possesses notable expertise in the social finance sector and acts for a broad client base of health, education and heritage charities, and arts and cultural centres. The team regularly provides advice on governance, funding agreements and joint ventures and has additional strength in advising on data and IP issues faced by charities.

VWV advises regional and national clients on all issues related to charities and their operations, including governance, procurement, state aid, collaborations and compliance. The team additionally offers commercial support on real estate, employment, data protection and transactional projects. The firm is best known for its independent school and university clientele, but also advises healthcare organisations as well as faith-based charities and environmental organisations.

Winckworth Sherwood advises a broad range of regional and national charities on registration, structuring and funding. The team regularly assists with cultural, heritage and leisure projects as well as regional development mandates undertaken by trusts and foundations. Its lawyers are adept at advising on the broad range of issues faced by ecclesiastical and educational charities.

DAC Beachcroft is noted for its broad non-profit expertise, and regularly assists charities in matters concerning governance, restructuring, mergers and general counselling advice. The firm boasts expertise in supporting litigation facing the Charity Commission as well as providing training to charities and their trustees.

Herbert Smith Freehills regularly advises charities, foundations, social enterprises, NGOs and multinational corporate clients in relation to philanthropic and charitable matters. The charities team advises across intellectual property, trusts, real estate, employment, tax and data protection issues for clients. The firm's work frequently involves international charities and cross-border elements.

Mishcon de Reya has a notable practice known for its representation of national charities, university colleges, NGOs and trading subsidiaries. The firm assists with strategic governance and regulatory issues and the setting up of charitable organisations, as well as commercial matters such as collaborations and fundraising events. The team is additionally focused on social enterprise mandates.

Moore Barlow provides a comprehensive range of advice for national and international charities. The team largely handles governance, transactional and structural matters, including areas such as fundraising, mergers, regulatory, property, registration and employment. Moore Barlow also has expertise in youth charities alongside regularly dealing with the Charity Commission. Another facet to the firm's practice is handling cross-border charity mandates.

Trowers & Hamlins has a strong focus on housing associations and charities that primarily raise funds through contracts or charging beneficiaries. The team advises on employment, contract and tax issues as well as transactional and structuring mandates. The firm also offers property, regulatory and governance support and regularly carries out internal investigations for charities clients in relation to misconduct and accounting issues.