Helping you make even more of a difference.
Operating in the charity and not-for-profit sector has never been more challenging or more stimulating with social, economic and political upheavals, scarce resources and mounting needs and expectations. All these challenges call for practical, commercial and innovative advice and guidance.
Our team of charity and not-for-profit specialist lawyers and advisors have been brought together to provide you with market leading advice and creative solutions to help you focus on what matters most: the delivery of your organisation’s purposes.
Together, our experts act as your trusted advisors, with a unique mix of:
- Sector specialists: covering a broad range of advice from charity law and governance, legacy management and disputes, through to employment, funding and legal structures, commercial agreements, property, data protection and intellectual property
- Individuals who are truly passionate about helping charities achieve their aims: with many members of the team acting as trustees, volunteers and patrons of charities themselves
Whatever your requirement, our team is here to work hand in hand with you to achieve your organisation’s aims.
We have a unique mix of sector specialists covering a broad range of advice
Whatever your requirement, our team is here to work hand in hand with you to achieve your organisation’s aims.
Our team of charity specialists find creative solutions, keeping your goals and objectives in mind…
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Trusted legal advisors to over 200 charities and not for profit organisations across the UK
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Proud to be on the Interim Manager legal panel for Charity Commission for England and Wales
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Multiple members of our team volunteer as trustees for a number of charities
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Proud members of the Charity Law Association and a member of the Executive Committee
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National team of over 50 charities specialists in locations across the UK
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Ranked as a leading law firm in The Legal 500 UK & Chambers & Partners
Shakespeare Martineau is B-Corp accredited
Becoming 'B Corp certified' reflects the work we have done to become a truly purpose-led and responsible business. Now that we have this accreditation, we are recognised as a business for good; and through it we are part of a global movement of companies that meet the highest levels of social and environmental standards.Â
What does that mean for you?
By being socially aware, we would attract talent to our firm. Many people prefer to work for firms that are socially aware and contribute to positive change. By having more talented and engaged individuals will positively impact the quality and delivery of our services to you.
We are more attuned to identifying potential environmental and social risks in the projects delivered by our clients, which can help us help you to mitigate and manage the challenges you may face.
As a firm that adopts and embraces sustainable business practices, this ensures our firm’s longevity and respected place in society, providing clients with the assurance that the business is here to stay.
By collaborating with clients in this area, we can be a greater force good regarding social and environmental change. This means that we have actively contributed to the social agenda and targets of our clients.
Adding value every step of the way
Not only do our clients get access to our legal expertise, they can also access A comprehensive suite of additional extras designed to meet our diverse client needs.
Legal updates
Our regular updates provide you with insights into legal topics, recent changes in the law and issues affecting you and your charity. We take the burden of analysing what challenges are ahead so that we can provide you with foresight and guidance on how to deal with them.
Seminars and networking
Our events are a key element of our client experience. We pride ourselves on bringing together our diverse client base in our broad ranging events schedule throughout the year, from networking to technical seminars, webinars to international conferences.
Legal and cyber security surgeries
We offer our charities clients regular free legal and cyber security surgeries, where a core member of our Shakespeare Martineau or CSS Assure team spends time at your office and are on hand for any ad-hoc advice. This means you have regular face to face contact with your team of experts and quick access to advice, saving time and money.
Bespoke training
As an organisation, we’re proud to be committed to continuous learning, and truly understand the importance of training and upskilling. From legal updates to the latest developments in your market, we can work with you to provide a bespoke training programme designed to get the best out of you, your people and your trustees.
Bespoke client portals
Our clients are given access to bespoke portals ran on market leading data room technology, giving you the confidence that your files are securely hosted and easy to access, anytime and anywhere.
Our charity & non profit legal specialists
Catherine Rustomji
Partner & Head of Charities
Andrew Wilkinson
Partner & Head of Inheritance Disputes
Debra Burton
Partner
Gaynor Lanceley
Head of Legacy Administration
Carys Thompson
Partner & Head of Sheffield
Naomi Tudor
Partner & Head of Banking & Financial Services
Vicki Simpson
Partner
Ruth Phillips
Partner
Michael Hibbs
Consultant
Lesley Davis
Partner
Jennie Wheildon
Partner
Ben Darlow
Legal Director
Charity chats
Join us for Charity Chats, the podcast where we untangle the legal threads that bind the nonprofit world. Each episode, our expert hosts dive deep into the legal landscape of charitable organisations, making complex regulations accessible and actionable.
From governance guidelines to fundraising frameworks, we explore the crucial legal topics that impact charities and nonprofits. Whether you're a board member, executive director, or passionate about the third sector, our discussions equip you with the legal literacy needed to navigate the charitable space confidently.
Charity Law & Governance
Our established charities team advises on a full range of constitutional and governance matters, including advising on different charity and not for profit legal structures, incorporation and registration with the Charity Commission, risk and compliance issues, and ongoing support relating to the duties and responsibilities of charity trustees.
We provide regular board development sessions as well as training, workshops, roundtables and other discussion groups for boards and executive teams on governance, compliance and regulatory matters.
We are frequently a ‘trusted advisor’ to our clients, assisting them in navigating a range of issues and helping them to operate as effectively as possible.
We also regularly advise charities and their trustees on their safeguarding duties. We work with our clients to ensure they have suitable safeguarding policies and practices in place that protect their staff, volunteers and beneficiaries.
We can help with advice on a full range of corporate, governance, risk and compliance issues
Charity structures and reorganisations
Collaborative and partnering arrangements
The use of commercial and charitable subsidiaries
Internal governance arrangements
Conflicts of interest
Constitutional amendments
Vires, trustee duties and responsibilities, statutory and internal controls
Connected persons, breaches of trust
Charity law as it applies to property disposals and charging
Recent Projects
Legacy administration services
Legacies are an important income stream for charities, and it is vital to have a legacy function in place at all times. Our dedicated legacy administration team is friendly, approachable and advises charities of all sizes. We're here to offer administrative support to your legacy team, as well as expert legal advice on complex technical matters when you need it. We ensure that your charity receives all legacy income due and that your supporters’ wishes are carried out.
Who we do it for?
We're truly passionate about helping charities achieve their aims. We work with charities of all sizes on their legacy administration and management, from large national charities with in-house legacies teams, to smaller, regional organisations who require outsourced support.
We offer...
- Fully outsourced legacies management solutions
- Ad-hoc support for your existing in-house team
- One-off project consultancy services
- Helpline solutions
We pride ourselves on offering straight-forward, easy to understand advice.
Day to day legacy administration
We can handle the administration of a gift from beginning to end. From initial notification of a gift and liaising with executors, through to thoroughly checking final estate accounts to ensure your charity complies with Charity Commission guidance.
Complex gifts
We often advise on difficult estate matters and offer pro-active advice to unlock those estates so that your charity receives its gift as swiftly and smoothly as possible.
Legacy forecasting and budgeting
We work with you to review your anticipated legacy pipeline and quantify the potential value of gifts due, helping you prepare your budgets and plan for the future. We also offer financial year-end support, including the creation of year-end legacy income reports for trustees and audit purposes.
Team training
We provide bespoke in-person and virtual training programmes that are accessible and relevant to the various teams in your charity, from your legacy and fundraising team to your senior management and trustees.
What makes us different?
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Our team is made up of STEP and SFE qualified solicitors - this means we can identify issues and resolve them quickly, explain the legal jargon written in wills and trusts, as well as answer complex tax and accounts queries.
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We provide regular updates regarding the legal administrative process and are always on hand to support and guide you, whilst offering practical tips on potential donor stewardship opportunities.
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We offer a range of cost-effective, flexible support packages designed to give you and your charity real value for money.
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Whether you need a fully outsourced legacy function, ad-hoc advice for your in-house team, or urgent assistance on a complex case, our team are just a phone call away.
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As a full service law firm, we can also offer legal advice on a broad range of matters, including legacy and trust disputes, estate administration, disposals of land and property, charity law, governance and compliance.
Philanthropy & charitable foundations
We offer tailored guidance on lifetime giving, corporate foundations, and grant-making charities. Our services include tax-efficient strategies, foundation establishment, policy drafting, trustee support, and ongoing assistance.
Lifetime giving
Our team has particular experience of advising clients seeking to maximise their charitable donations during their lifetime by establishing charitable foundations. We advise alongside other professional advisors to ensure that such arrangements are in line with the clients’ instructions and also tax efficient.
Corporate foundations
We have also acted for a number of corporate entities seeking to establish charitable ‘arms’ to operate alongside their commercial activities and maximise their wider contribution to society and the economy.
Grant-making charities
We advise newly established and ongoing grant-making charities in relation to drafting their grant-making policy and processes and maximising their impact through charitable donations.
Essential legal support for charitable endeavours
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Advice on tax efficient approaches to lifetime giving
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Setting up charitable foundations
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Drafting grant making policies and processes
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Advising on establishing processes and decision-making by the Trustees
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Liaising with other professional advisors, as required
Legacies management
We understand the importance of legacy income for our charity clients. We help charities maximise that vital income stream.
Legacy disputes
Our team is well-versed in the handling of charity legacy disputes, from the beginning of claims through to the point of resolution. Our flexible, open-minded approach means the support you receive will be tailored to your claims, will validity disputes, professional negligence or Court of Protection litigation.
Administration of estates
Our team can handle the administration of an estate from beginning to end, or we can simply provide legal advice on discrete aspects.
We often advise on difficult estate administrations and offer pro-active and commercial advice to unlock those estates so that the charity receives its legacy as early as possible.
Legacy fundraising activity
Your organisation may require advice regarding both the internal and external perceptions of your fundraising policy. We recognise the importance of best practice in this area and will help you create an airtight policy that protects your brand.
How we can help
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Dealing with legacy disputes, and resolving the same, whether by way of court proceedings or ADR
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Advising on legacy fundraising activity
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Advising donors on leaving a legacy to a charity
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The administration of charitable estates
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Legacy administration
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Advising crowdfunding and other monetary streams
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Advising on trust corporation status and related delegated authority schemes
