Event Information

Ian Potter is a partner in the charities and social economy team at Wrigleys Solicitors LLP.

Ian heads up our Sheffield Charites and Social Economy team. He qualified as a solicitor in 2001 and joined Wrigleys in 2012.

He is appointed as the Law Clerk/ Secretary to a number of permanently endowed grant making charities, assisting them with all aspects of their asset management, grant making process, governance and administration.

In particular, he is the Law Clerk to the Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust, a permanently endowed grant making charity that was created by Royal Charter by Queen Mary Tudor in 1554. The Trust is a major funder of Church of England churches within Sheffield and a principal funder of Sheffield Cathedral.

The Trust is patron to 13 local churches and alternate patron of Sheffield Cathedral.

Ian has taken a keen interest in the report of the Cathedrals Working Group in 2018 and the Cathedrals Measure as it passed through General Synod and Parliament. Last year he arranged for Dr Eve Poole, the Third Church Estates Commissioner, to give a webinar to the Ecclesiastical Law Society on the Measure and its consequences for English cathedrals.

He is also the Law Clerk to the Church Burgesses Educational Foundation, which provides educational grants to young people under the age of 25.

Ian also advises clients who are vulnerable and require assistance managing their financial affairs due to disability. He is a Court of Protection appointed deputy and the main point of contact for enquiries relating to the firm’s inclusion on the Office of the Public Guardian’s panel deputy list.

Outside of work Ian is the chair of trustees for his local Scout Group.

Sylvie is over 18 years qualified and is a partner at Wrigleys in our charity and social economy team. She advises on a wide range of charity law matters, including the establishment of charities, trustee duties and governance, restructuring, trading issues and setting up and running trading subsidiaries, fundraising and commercial participation, charity law considerations for religious organisations, issues concerning heritage charities (particularly stately homes), Gift Aid and general advice on tax-efficient giving (and anti-avoidance provisions), public benefit, issues facing schools, cross-border issues, disputes involving charities and mergers between charities.

Sylvie is recognised as a first tier charity lawyer (band 1) in the national legal directory Chambers & Partners and as a ‘leading individual’ in Legal 500. She is a member of the Charity Law Association, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Ecclesiastical Law Society, and is trustee and/or honorary company secretary of a number of charities and sector bodies.

Claire Taylor is a consultant in our charities and social economy team

Claire acts as a consultant for Wrigleys alongside her main role at Lincoln Cathedral where she has been since 2018.

At Lincoln Cathedral, Claire has undertaken a review of the Cathedral’s organisation and governance structures. Requiring knowledge of ecclesiastical corporations, limited companies, CIOs, trusts and membership organisations.

Claire is working with the Chapter Clerk to prepare for the implementation of the new Cathedral’s Measure.

Claire has created a Cathedral-wide Policy Index and implemented processes to ensure its maintenance and regularly writes Cathedral policies for approval by Chapter.

Claire also manages a team of over 600 Cathedral volunteers across more than 30 teams and has introduced new induction and training processes and materials for all Cathedral staff and volunteers

Outside of work Claire is the Vice Chair of Trustees for EDAN Lincs Domestic Abuse Service, a registered charity which provides support and assistance to women, men and children suffering, or fleeing from domestic abuse.