introducing our charities practice
introducing
Your expert charities and not for profit team at Browne Jacobson
about us
Specialist industry knowledge
Introducing our charities team
Charities have come into much sharper legal focus due to significant changes in legislation and the increasing role they are playing in the delivery of public services. Ensuring good governance and legal adherence in the charity’s operations is of key concern to trustees.
Our specialist team advises national, regional and local charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, membership organisations, community groups, schools and colleges, churches, welfare and professional associations.
We understand that each organisation has a unique culture and individual challenges. We provide specialist advice which delivers your strategic objectives.
Summary of our offer
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Extensive charities expertise - we have a well-established and continually-growing charities team which provides services to national and regional charities, social enterprises and other not-for-profit organisations including key names in the sector.
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Sector focussed expertise - as outlined previously we have sector expertise that further compliments our charities, such as healthcare and retail, which we are able to draw upon to ensure almost all advice is sector focussed.
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Tailored approach - we pride ourselves on providing an exceptional client service as is recognised by our Gold Star Award by Investors in clients. As such our approach will be to develop a tailored solution for you and led by a dedicated client relationship partner.
Full service team
We work in conjunction with over 400 lawyers – from commercial and employment to property, tax and litigation; our lawyers provide a one-stop solution for all your legal needs.
How can we help you?
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Setting up charities – helping you to choose the right structure, frame governance correctly and flexibly, and structure any trading activities.
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Ongoing advice – governance advice, Board training, regulatory advice, property and asset holding, employment etc.
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Winding up – advising on paying out charities.
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Charity mergers and amalgamations and restructuring – ensuring the right structure and deal.
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Advising on regulatory problems – e.g. exceeding trustee powers, breaches of trust, charity trading.
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Problem solving – supporting on tricky issues such as being in breach of trust.
Catherine Rustomji of Browne Jacobson LLP is known for her work in charity law and for advising clients on governance issues. Clients found she is always very competent and knowledgeable in her field. She is thoughtful, inclusive and diplomatic. "
Chambers and Partners 2018
Our wider service
To deliver a full service to our clients we offer a range of services. This over time has helped us build a wealth of knowledge and experience that can be used by our clients. Some of the areas we have built notable experience in include property, commercial and data protection advice.
They are highly skilled legal advisers who are always willing to help."
Chambers UK
A one-stop shop…
- Banking & finance
- Advertising & business regulation
- Business recovery
- Charity governance
- Commercial contracts
- Commercial litigation
- Commercial tax
- Competition
- Construction
- Corporate finance
- Corporate law & governance
- Data protection/GDPR
- Employment
- Health & safety
- Intellectual property
- Information technology
- Licensing
- Planning
- Procurement
- Product liability
- Regulatory
- Trusts and tax
Your key contact
Catherine Rustomji
Partner
t: +44 (0)330 045 2280
e: catherine.rustomji@brownejacobson.com
Catherine Rustomji 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.
Catherine’s experience includes incorporating charities with permanent endowment by appointing a sole corporate trustee by Charity Commission Scheme; advising on social enterprise legal structures and the use of subsidiaries in group structures; conducting a governance review and implementing changes for a national, education charity; advising a Royal Charter charity in relation to amending its Rules and Bye Laws; assisting clients with governance challenges including conflicts of interest, inappropriate behaviour by trustees, disqualification, removal and related matters.
full service team
One-stop solution for all your legal teams
Charity property
Dominic Buckley
Partner
t: +44 (0)330 045 2106
e: dominic.buckley@brownejacobson.com
Dominic is our lead partner specialising in the application of property law within a charitable context. Because of the nature of his role he works hand in hand with Catherine Rustomji in delivering property solutions for charities large and small. His clients include educational bodies; not for profits and larger corporate entities.
Dominic is recognised for providing a swift and commercial service whilst being mindful and sensitive of the wider context within which charities operate.
Charity employment
Kerren Daly
Partner
t: +44 (0)330 045 2115
e: kerren.daly@brownejacobson.com
Kerren specialises in advising charities on sensitive employment issues including managing and resolving difficult Board issues, termination of senior employees, advising on changes to Boards and senior management teams, restructures and mergers. She also advises on handling the employment issues and exits of employees where there have been potentially significant reputational for the charity (such as managing communications with statutory bodies, and the media). Kerren has been involved and continues to be involved with a number of charities including MASH, where she was a long-standing trustee. She is currently a member of the Board of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation.
Charity commercial
Ryan Harrison
Partner
t: +44 (0)121 237 3950
e: ryan.harrison@brownejacobson.com
Ryan specialises exclusively in commercial contracts. He has particular expertise in relation to supply chain contracts, cross-border agreements, and international sales and distribution agreements, advising clients operating across a broad range of industry sectors, including charities and manages our commercial relationship with a national charity. He often acts as an extension of his clients’ in-house legal teams or as an outsourced General Counsel. Ryan is also heavily involved in our international practice and occupies a central role in managing the firm’s relationships with overseas law firms through his involvement in the Pangea Net international legal network.
Charity data protection
Lauren Webb
Associate
t: +44 (0)121 237 4573
e: lauren.webb@brownejacobson.com
Lauren specialises in data protection and privacy matters and is qualified with the CIPP/E certificate from the IAPP. Lauren regularly advises clients in the public, private and charities sectors on data protection compliance issues, including a number of well-known brands. She undertakes reviews of the data processing activities and advises on areas of potential risk of noncompliance. In particular, Lauren has experience of assisting with the privacy implications of introducing new data processing activities, including in relation to technology products and apps. She regularly drafts privacy and cookie policies and notices for a variety of clients and has wide experience advising on managing subject access requests.
About Browne Jacobson
We are a national law firm and experts across the private and public sectors. Our clients choose and stay with us because of our sector expertise, straightforward advice, pricing and product innovation and exceptional client service. We don’t just say it, we do it.
Here’s why you’ll want to work with us:
- sector experts, working in partnership with our clients — including blue chip corporates, local and owner-managed businesses, NHS Trusts, major insurers, education and public sector organisations
- specialists in legal solutions across the private and public sectors, providing a unique offering where they overlap
- national reach from our offices in major UK cities including Birmingham, Exeter, London, Manchester and Nottingham
- over 500 lawyers, including over 140 partners, managed and supported by a team of professional specialists
- we are an employer of choice with accreditations from Investors in People and featured in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For (2013)
- a true partnership approach with our clients — our clients stay with us for the long term because of our sector expertise, straightforward advice, pricing and product innovation and exceptional client service.
They are fully deserving of our top award as they consistently demonstrate the highest levels of client experience and achieved high scores against all the criteria we measure.
Neil Craig , Director, Investor in Customers
Birmingham
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BU
t: +44 (0)121 237 3900
f: +44 (0)121 236 1291
Exeter
1 Manor Court
Dix’s Field
Exeter EX1 1UP
t: +44 (0)1392 458800
f: +44 (0)1392 458801
London
15th Floor
6 Bevis Marks
Bury Court
London EC3A 7BA
t: +44 (0)20 7337 1000
f: +44 (0)20 7929 1724
Manchester
14th Floor
No. 1 Spinningfields
1 Hardman Square
Spinningfields
Manchester M3 3EB
t: +44 (0)370 270 6000
f: +44 (0)161 375 0068
Nottingham
Mowbray House
Castle Meadow Road
Nottingham NG2 1BJ
t: +44 (0)115 976 6000
f: +44 (0)115 947 5246
