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Harbottle & Lewis has been involved with charities and the broader voluntary and community sector since the firm was founded in 1955. We work with numerous charities, large and small, across a wide range of fields within the sector. We pride ourselves on making sure we get to know our clients and their issues as well as possible, in order to provide a more effective, tailor-made service. All the lawyers in our Charities Group care deeply about the sector and many are charity board members themselves.

The firm’s expertise in media, entertainment and communications means that we have a market-leading understanding of many emerging issues for charities including, online fundraising, data protection and intellectual property exploitation and protection.

Specialist Advice

Charitable Status, Formation and Constitutional – we provide advice on charity formation, constitutional reviews, governance, trustee duties, mergers, joint ventures and negotiations with the Charity Commission.

Trading, Commercial and Tax – we advise on commercial agreements, fundraising agreements, tax and VAT and Public Sector Delivery Contracts (PSD). Expertise also includes experience of mergers, the application of cy-pres, winding-up investments and appeals.

Charity Commission Inquiries – we advise charities on all aspects of Charity Commission regulation, inquiries and investigations. Members of our team have extensive experience of charity proceedings.

Intellectual Property – we are experts in all aspects of intellectual property including brand protection and development, data protection, copyright, domain names, enforcement and dispute resolution and securing trade marks.

Fundraising, Advertising and Marketing – we advise on control of fundraising and fundraising compliance in particular, in relation to charity concerts, events and telethons; sponsorship deals, merchandising, brand protection and development and arrangements with celebrities and sports promoters. Specialist advice on advertising, campaigning and media relations.

Property – sales and dispositions, statutory requirements including particular rules on mortgaging charity land, grants including agreements with local authorities and government agencies.

Other services

We also have expertise in probate, wills, legacies and trusts as well as first rate company secretarial experience. We are well known for our specialist e-commerce/technology work and our knowledge of new media and digital media generally.

If you would like to receive legal updates on the charities sector, you can register for our Charities eBulletin.

For further information please contact Colin Howes.