Charity Law

Our expert charity solicitors have wide ranging experience in working with local and national organisations in the third sector.

Charities frequently need advice encompassing a range of areas of charity law, and may have specific obligations under charity or company law depending on the type of charitable organisation. Our experts are experienced in advising in a range of issues affecting charities, including:

  • Claims affecting legacies
  • Disputes concerning the administration of estates
  • Administration of estates, including experience where the charity is acting as executor.
  • Charity structure, governing documents and Charity Commission registration
  • Property
  • Employment
  • Contracts
  • Dispute resolution
  • Fundraising & grants
  • Charitable trusts
  • Trustees duties and responsibilities

We support a variety of carefully selected charities through Will schemes and corporate fundraising activities. Our charities team are part of the following organisations:

  • The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
  • The Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate Specialists
  • The Charity Law Association
  • The Institute of Legacy Management

Examples of our charity law expertise:

  • Instructed by a large national charity (acting as executor) to administer a £1million+ estate
  • Administering an estate in which a large residuary gift of £1.6million was left to a local charity
  • Recovered £100,000+ for five charities following two letters to an executor who was failing to administer an estate correctly
  • Acting for national charities in defence of a spurious claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act, including recovery of costs
  • Preparing the governing documents, ‘objects’ of charity and liaising with Charity Commission to register a charitable foundation

For more help and advice in relation to charity law, please view our related articles below which are written by our expert charity solicitors.

 

Charities Act 2022

This has now received Royal Assent and the Charities Commission hope to have all the provisions in place by autumn 2023. It is hoped that the new act will cut much of the red tape currently in place leading to a reduction in time taken and money spent by charities and in particular smaller charities.

Contact our Charities team for all related enquiries today on 01202 525333 or email richard.smith@ellisjones.co.uk. You can also contact our Wills, Trusts and Probate team by emailing willenquiries@ellisjones.co.uk.

Here to help

Our specialist teams can provide full service legal advice and assistance, providing practical and cost-effective solutions.

Our offices

Bournemouth
302 Charminster Road Bournemouth Dorset BH8 9RU
01202 525333 Contact
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Office 320 107 – 111 Fleet Street London EC4A 2AB
02039 784720 Contact
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14a Haven RoadCanford Cliffs, Poole Dorset BH13 7LP
01202 709898 Contact
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01425 484848 Contact
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55 High Street Swanage Dorset BH19 2LT
01929 422233 Contact
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39a East Street Wimborne Dorset BH21 1DX
01202 057676 Contact