Wrigleys Solicitors

Charities

The Legal 500 guide considers Wrigleys the leading charity law firm of the North East and Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession has given the firm premier ranking in the area of charity legal service.

Chambers & Partners 2012 reports that Wrigleys' charity clients believe the firm delivers "magic circle quality outside the magic circle" and is "a reliable and efficient team that understands the charity sector and maintains a friendly and open approach".

We are one of the few law firms in the country with dedicated lawyers working exclusively for charity and social enterprise clients. We specialise in advice relating to the formation and governance of charities, other voluntary, community and faith organisations and social enterprises.

Our work covers general charity governance issues, company formation, including trading subsidiaries, advice on choice of vehicle and governing documents, advice on and carrying out the application for registration as a charity, sale and purchase of businesses, trading and general fundraising issues, social investment, general contract work, employment, intellectual property and general property work.

We have also advised on employee benefit trusts and co-ownership for many years.

We produce a quarterly bulletin, Social Economy, for our charity and not-for-profit clients, and topical issues arising from our regular seminars/trustee training programmes are featured on our website.

Charities and Social enterprises deliver public benefits. Their activities can be wide and varied:

• They must raise resources for their activities - this can involve fundraising, trading and donations
• Charities' activities must deliver a public benefit - regulation of the sector guides and monitors this
• Governance of a charity or social enterprise ensures sustainability and delivery of purpose
• They can be innovative and enterprising, working where the state may not succeed
• They can be motivational, harnessing the skills of volunteers and professionals
• They may need to link with others to achieve their goals through partnerships, service delivery and mergers
• They should safeguard their resources: property, people and investments
• If a charity makes grants or loans, trustees must ensure they fulfil the charity's purposes
• A charity's reputation is paramount and requires protection in its operations and contracts

Lord Hodgson has carried out a review of the Charities Act 2006. The link below provides a commentary on Lord Hodgson’s report.

Main contacts

• Malcolm Lynch
• Christopher Billington
• Valerie James
• Sylvie Nunn
• Godfrey Smallman

Useful links

• Considerations on Charity Formation - 2010
• Hodgson Report