ROYTHORNES
CHARITY SERVICES Working together with Charities
Business advice to the
Charity sector Roythornes have many years of experience working with Charities. We act for a wide range of charities and other organisations in the voluntary sector at both national and local level giving us an insight and experience we can use to the benefit of our clients. Some of our clients include: • royal institutions and other bodies incorporated by Charter • national childcare and educational charities • religious institutions • conservation bodies and the environmental sector • local charities and sole endowments
• We are involved in local and national Pro-Bono services. The local Pro-Help Group (part of Business in the Community) aims to support voluntary organisations with free professional advice and guidance. The group is made up of professional firms from the Peterborough area to provide their professional services to local community projects in the region free of charge.
We strongly believe that our advice should add value to charities of any size and at any stage in their development. With our knowledge and experience we can provide you with practical solutions to problems and ultimately working to solve them.
• We have particular expertise of Social Media and the legalities of social media in the workplace. Social media can open up businesses to risk, we can help organisations manage and control their on-line risks by giving guidance and advice on social media policies and why a social media policy should be one of the bedrocks of your organisation. We can also give guidelines to protecting your reputation and also how to maintain a balance between your corporate image and the more personal style that social media demands.
As a broad based firm we have the ability to bring together focused teams to meet a charities needs:• With dedicated commercial lawyers we can advise on mergers and collaborative working, arrange and draft distribution and manufacturing agreements (across international borders where appropriate) - always ensuring that commercial partnerships benefit the charity in a commercial as well as ethical manner. • Our property team manage the property portfolios of many charities, from shop and office leases, to multi-million pound property sales, purchases and transfers (such as buying, selling or leasing property). • As employers with staff on a number of different contract arrangements from full time directors to part time volunteers, charities need specialist HR planning and employment advice. Our employment law team ensures that all contracts comply with the fast changing legislation (complex contracts, disputes and employment law issues, constitutional amendments and advice for trustees and directors) whilst our regular e-mail updates keep HR managers of charities informed of the very latest changes and what they need to be doing about them.
We can give you the advice and assistance you need in relation to these matters, taking account of the specific charity law implications which may arise.
Working with
Charities Our approach is to create focused project groups to support each client providing them with access to cross disciplinary expertise. The work we undertake is as varied as the charities for whom we act. From formation through to growth, expansion and mergers we have the skills to help. We can help and advise on all issues relating to a charity and its business and property operations, including: • Setting up of a charity and general charity formation and governance • Charity Commission registration • Incorporation of charities and trustee bodies • Creation, administration and variation of charitable trusts • Charity commission compliance • Companies House compliance • Trustee advice, remuneration and insurance, trustee issues • Mergers and collaborative working, distribution agreements and manufacturing agreements • Employment matters • Funding issues and commercial arrangements • Acquisition disposal letting and development of property (buying, selling or leasing property) • Commercial contracts and procurement • Community engagement and development • Administration of estates (including buying and selling charitable land) • Charity Commission schemes, investigations and reviews • Contentious trust and probate issues including legacy and Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act work • Winding up dissolving charities • The Compact
Examples of our work • A large national children's charity has a portfolio of shops and offices which need active management to maximise their use and minimise their overheads. Working closely with their head office property team, we act rapidly and efficiently to ensure that the portfolio is working for the charity at maximum efficiency. • A national environmental charity is busy expanding it's landholding by purchasing a number of parcels of land. We have worked with the charity to develop a streamlined system of working and reporting which ensures that they always know where they stand in terms of progress, fees and timescales. • We provide a dedicated helpline to give assistance to the members of a professional Royal Institution. Our team have access to a full range of industry specific advice and provide specialist sector support to members on an ongoing basis. • We provide our Wills service to a national charity, where we offer standard Wills to all clients introduced by them, with the client being asked to make a donation to the charity. • We worked with one of the UKs biggest conservation charities on a £5 million project to purchase and restore 825 acres of ancient woodland in Devon.
Meet the
Team
Roythornes is a top 200 law firm (The Lawyer survey 2012) with a strong reputation. From four offices we act for a wide range of businesses and individuals, taking a pragmatic and business focused approach to the challenges they face.
We are committed to the Charity sector and often get involved with our clients’ activities. Our staff are encouraged to take an active part in charitable schemes, supporting local and national projects.
Services for Businesses • Agricultural property • Business rescue and insolvency • Commercial property • Company and commercial • Debt recovery • Dispute resolution and litigation • Social media policies • Employment for businesses • Environment • Social housing • Planning for business • Property development.
Jonathan Williams Partner
Catherine Thompson Partner
Julie Robinson Partner
t: 01733 898972 e: jonathanwilliams@roythornes.co.uk
t: 01733 898960
t: 01775 842618 e: julierobinson@roythornes.co.uk
e: catherinethompson@roythornes.co.uk
Services for individuals • Family • Moving home • Personal injury • Employment • Disputes • Planning for individuals • Wealth management • Wills and probate. Offices: Peterborough Spalding Nottingham Newmarket
Vember Mortlock Partner
Maz Dannourah Solicitor
Claire Trolove Solicitor
t: 01775 842525 e: vembermortlock@roythornes.co.uk
t: 01733 898967 e: mazdannourah@roythornes.co.uk
t: 01733 898959 e: clairetrolove@roythornes.co.uk
Elizabeth Young Partner
Nadine Wealands Private Client Adviser
Satinder Mander Trainee Solicitor
t: 01775 842546 e: elizabethyoung@roythornes.co.uk
t: 01775 842510 e: nadinewealands@roythornes.co.uk
t: 01775 842605 e: satindermander@roythornes.co.uk
01733 558585 01775 842500 01159 484555 01638 561320
www.roythornes.co.uk @Roythornes This publication is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. You should always seek professional advice before making decision of a legal nature. Roythornes LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales under number OC343074. We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Registered office Enterprise Way, Pinchbeck, Spalding PE11 3YR. We use the word ‘Partner’ to refer to a member of the LLP or an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications. Refer to www.roythornes.co.uk October 2013.