Charities

Charities and social enterprises operate in a unique market which embraces the public sector ethos within a commercial environment.  Lawrence Graham has a dedicated charities and social enterprises team comprising individuals with specialist knowledge of the public and private sectors who understand the statutory, regulatory and commercial framework within which charities and social enterprises operate.

We act for a wide range of charity clients from large household name charities to new charity establishments.  Our charity clients work in all fields of public benefit including, education, leisure, housing, health, regeneration and conservation. We understand the framework within which our charity clients operate and, with the benefit of the expertise throughout the firm, we are able to provide our charity clients with a broad range of legal advice.

Charities

• Establishment of new charities
• Advice on appropriate legal entities
• Constitutional advice and amending governing documents
• Corporate governance and trustee training
• Company law / charity law compliance
• Board meetings and AGMs
• Trustee benefits and conflicts of interest
• Re-structuring options
• Trading
• Commercial contracts
• Intellectual property
• Employment
• VAT and tax
• Property acquisitions and disposals
• Funding arrangements
• Winding up
• Securing registration with the Charity Commission 
• Obtaining Charity Commission Consent Orders
• Bribery Act 2010 training and policy advice

We also offer company secretarial services to many of our charity clients.

Charities

LG has advised on some recent innovative and cutting edge charitable schemes and has provided expert and honed advice navigating our clients through the machinations of UK charity law to ensure the schemes were compliant with the UK's legislative requirements.

World Vision UK

LG  provided charity law advice in respect of World Vision UK's innovative Party Plan scheme which contemplates nominated individuals attending parties and promoting World Vision UK's child sponsorship scheme, with a view to obtaining donations towards sponsoring children under the scheme. Our charity law advice was focused on the legality of commission payments and the "solicitation statement" obligations of the charity. A detailed advice note was produced in respect of the solicitation statement requirement and the approach best suited to the scheme.

Wilmington Publishing & Information Limited

LG has advised on the drafting of Wilmington's terms and conditions and fundraising agreement between Wilmington and over 4,000 potential charities. Wilmington is in the process of establishing an interactive charity website which will be a forum in which donors can donate services and/or money to a broad range of participating charities. The website is an innovative platform and aspires to be a comprehensive portal through which pro bono giving in the broadest sense can be conducted from. LG has been responsible for reviewing and advising on the mechanics of the website, drafted the terms and conditions, solicitation statement and fundraising agreement which the charities will sign up to.

Selwood Housing Society Limited

LG was responsible for the conversion from Selwood Housing Society Limited, a company limited by guarantee, into a charitable organisation registered with the Charity Commission. This was a complex process requiring consent from both the Charity Commission and the Tenant Services Authority. The organisation attained charitable registration on 4 April 2011.

Establishment of charitable entities

LG was responsible for the establishment and registration of two charitable entities, BH Live and Vivacity Peterborough Culture and Leisure, entities from which the cultural and leisure services of Bournemouth Borough Council and Peterborough City Council respectively are operated. LG was involved in the drafting of the charitable entities' governing documents and securing Charity Commission consent to the registrations. LG was also involved in the trustee interview process and is experienced in advising in board recruitment. 

Charities

Recommended by The Legal 500 UK as a leading firm for charities and not-for-profit.

"Lawrence Graham LLP remains active in relation to initiatives between the public sector and the charity sector, including advising local authorities on the transfer of public services." – The Legal 500 UK

"...[Lawrence Graham LLP's Charity team] 'are extremely helpful and positive, with invaluable expertise in both corporate and charities law'." – Chambers UK

“The member of staff assigned to our project was knowledgeable and responsive.  She consistently went the extra mile to ensure the success of our application.  The project was thoroughly planned out and all issues were clearly explained to us in plain English.” – Diane Hall, financial adviser for Selwood Housing Society Limited