Catherine Rustomji

Partner & Head of Charities

  • Specialisms:

  • Charities (Acting for)

  • Charity

  • Not for Profit

  • Social Enterprise

Catherine Rustomji is a partner and head of charities at Shakespeare Martineau. She has been advising charities, social enterprises and not for profit organisations exclusively for over 20 years.

Catherine is a specialist charities solicitor who advises charities, not for profit organisations, social enterprises, charity trustees and individuals wishing to establish charities. Her particular focus is on constitutional and governance matters including different legal structures and the duties and responsibilities of charity trustees.

She regularly advises on charity registrations, incorporations of existing charities, mergers, the use of commercial subsidiaries including community interest companies and advising on the legal duties and responsibilities of charity trustees.

• Membership associations – has acted for a number of membership associations In revising their legal structures, registering with the Charity Commission and advising the first charity trustees on their legal duties and responsibilities.
• Hospice charities – advising different hospice charities on merger options and legal structures, providing due diligence support and overseeing the merger process.
• Charity Governance Reviews – conducting bespoke charity governance reviews incorporating the Charity Governance Code, Principles of Good Decision-Making and other relevant provisions to enable clients to operate more effectively and capably.

Legal 500 – ‘Catherine Rustomji is outstanding and someone we chose to follow to this firm. She is extremely knowledgeable whilst being pragmatic about how to effect legal changes’

Chambers – ‘Catherine is a joy to work with – she is personable, patient and very knowledgeable. She also responds very quickly and thoroughly.’

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Having specialised in charity law for over 20 years, this area of law continues to develop and evolve meaning it is constantly challenging to keep up to date with latest developments. I particularly enjoy working with different Boards of Trustees, often at times of stress or pressure, and seeing them thrive.

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