Charities

Charities and social enterprises play an important role in the UK’s economy, providing essential services and underpinning much of the education, care, social housing and faith sectors, as well as enriching our cultural life. These organisations must balance an evolving range of demands – from increased regulation and public scrutiny to funding pressures and competition from other charities – all while continuing to manage the delivery of their charitable mission.

Charity law and governance experts

The charity law solicitors at Penningtons Manches Cooper support charities, not-for-profit and social enterprise clients on a broad spectrum of issues. We work for organisations of all shapes and sizes, including many of the country’s largest charities. Our specialists are able to guide them through every phase of development and activity from start-up through to the amalgamation of national charities.

We are known in particular for our high-quality technical knowledge and expertise in governance, compliance, investigations and disputes. We also advise clients on matters relating to the Charity Commission, from applications and orders through to investigations. We have been appointed to the Charity Commission’s interim manager panel, where our specialists help resolve complex regulatory issues.

Our team offers a pragmatic, effective approach combined with a deep commitment to the sector. Working closely with lawyers in a variety of practice areas across the firm, including our employment, litigation, real estate, pensions, defamation, data protection and intellectual property teams, we provide a fully integrated service.

Many of our solicitors are actively involved in the community as charity trustees and school governrs. As a group, we are experienced in steering organisations through the practical and legal challenges which arise on a regular basis. We also understand the need to achieve a balance between maximising resources, delivering the very best charitable activities and managing public reputation.

They advise on and fight complex and cutting-edge cases and have unparalleled experience in this field. There is quality in their most junior associates right up to their leading partners.

Our clients include both national and international charities, almshouses, Cambridge and Oxford colleges , independent schools , and medical and scientific research charities, as well as faith-based charities and philanthropic foundations.

We are proud members of the Charity Law Association, Charity Finance Group, the Almshouse Association and the Independent Schools Association. Several of our solicitors are acknowledged as specialists in their field by Chambers UK and the Legal 500, including the head of our charities practice, who is recognised as one of the leading charity lawyers nationally.

How we help our clients

Charity law compliance, charity trustee duties, training, and governance reviews

Charity Commission applications, orders and schemes

Incorporations, registrations, policies and procedures

Serious incident reporting, whistleblowing, safeguarding and Charity Commission investigations

Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and collaborative arrangements

Charity legacies

Charity litigation, dispute resolution and reputation management

Legal consultancy on project work and strategic decision-making

Funding, fundraising and permanent endowment, including acquisition and disposal of assets

Commercial arrangements, trading subsidiaries and charity tax advice

Issues faced by international charities, particularly in relation to risk management

Charitable giving, grant making, research agreements, charitable foundations and philanthropy

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Useful resources

Legal training and professional development

Legacy management: follow up service

Recent work highlights

Charity Commission statutory inquiry

Advising a charity in relation to the Charity Commission’s statutory inquiry into its activities following concern about its governance arrangements and a number of historic transactions.

Multi-million pound property portfolio

Advising a national charity in relation to its multi-million pound property portfolio, development opportunities and its charity law compliance requirements.

Governance and compliance toolkit

Undertaking a review of a national charity’s internal regulatory compliance for its trustees, devising a training scheme for staff and volunteers and producing a compliance matrix for the organisation.

Tailored trustee training programme

Providing bespoke training to trustee boards across national and local charities, schools, Oxbridge colleges and universities on the public benefit requirement, conflicts of interest, serious incident reporting, restructuring and working with volunteers.

Establishment of trading subsidiary

Providing strategic and legal guidance to a charity on the setting up of a new trading subsidiary to manage some of its commercial and non-primary purpose trading activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory and governance requirements.

International charity governance review

Conducting a full governance review of a large, international charity operating through a complex network of branches and membership structures, with a focus on improving oversight, accountability and the decision-making process.

Wrongful inheritance tax charges

Representing several national charities in a legal claim to recover inheritance tax which had been wrongfully charged against their share of a donor’s estate, ensuring they received their full entitlement.

Successful charity registration appeal

Advising an international sports entity on the successful registration of the charity after working through the statutory appeal process, against an initial rejection by the Charity Commission.

Internal data protection policy review

Advising a charity on conducting a comprehensive data mapping exercise and reviewing its internal data protection policies and procedures following a potential breach of its data protection rules.

Donor capacity and gift assessment

Advising a charity on a potentially significant donation following some doubts about the donor’s mental capacity to remake her will, assessing the implications for the charity and navigating the situation with care.

Wrongful inheritance tax charges

Successful charity registration appeal

Advising an international sports entity on the successful registration of the charity after working through the statutory appeal process, against an initial rejection by the Charity Commission.

Internal data protection policy review

Advising a charity on conducting a comprehensive data mapping exercise and reviewing its internal data protection policies and procedures following a potential breach of its data protection rules.