Specialist solicitors for charities

A charity’s property footprint is rarely just a building. It’s a community hub, a place of worship, a service delivery point, or a hard-won asset that took years to secure.

Whether you’re acquiring or selling a property, navigating a lease dispute, or managing a portfolio of properties held in trust, charity property transactions carry layers of complexity.

Getting the legal side wrong – on an acquisition, a lease, a disposal, a development project, a financing or refinancing arrangement, or a community asset transfer – can put all of that at risk.

Our charities and not for profits property solicitors understand both the legal and regulatory aspects of property transactions, protecting trustees from inadvertent breaches. We work with charities of all sizes, including small local organisations managing a single community asset right through to large national bodies with complex property portfolios.

From transferring community assets out of the public sector and negotiating leases for charity landlords and tenants, to managing property acquisitions, disposals, disputes, property development projects, and the financing and refinancing of property, our specialist charity law solicitors handle every element. Whether you’re embarking on a property development project to expand your service delivery or navigating the financing and refinancing of property to maximise your charity’s assets, we ensure every decision is legally sound and fully compliant with your obligations as trustees and charity leaders.

Whether you’re securing a community hub, unlocking development potential of an existing asset, or resolving a complex dispute, we bring nearly 30 years of specialist experience to keep your property portfolio working for your mission, rather than against it.

For charities with ambitions that match their mission, securing the right financing, and structuring it correctly, can be one of the most significant decisions a board will make.

The regulatory environment is exacting, the legal obligations on trustees are significant, and the wrong arrangement has the potential to act as a barrier rather than an accelerator.

We advise charities on the full spectrum of financing and refinancing arrangements. From secured lending, bond financing, social investment structures, and the refinancing of existing facilities to release capital, reduce costs or improve terms. We understand the particular constraints that charity law places on borrowing and charging assets, including the requirement for proper trustee authorisation, the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, Charity Commission consent where applicable, and the duty to demonstrate that any financing arrangement is in the long-term interests of the charity and its beneficiaries.

Where charities are refinancing existing debt, we work to ensure the transition is smooth and trustees fully protected. We engage directly with lenders and funders on your behalf, negotiating terms that reflect your charitable status and the stewardship responsibilities that come with it.

Our experience supporting some of the largest and most complex work in the charity sector means that when a major financing transaction is on the table, we have the experience, the resource, and the sector knowledge to get it right.

The moment you decide to form a charity the legal process shouldn’t be what stands in your way. For many founders, the mission is clear but the route to get there unsure.

Our charity solicitors have handled thousands of registrations over fifty years. We know what the Charity Commission expects, where applications fall down, and how to get yours right first time. We’ll draft your governing document, advise on the right legal structure – whether that’s a CIO, a charitable company limited by guarantee, charitable trust, or unincorporated association – and manage your application from start to approval.

Whether you are an individual with a mission, a philanthropist looking to formalise your giving, an organisation establishing a charitable foundation to amplify your social impact, or a large body restructuring to maximise your mission, the decision to register a charity marks a significant and purposeful commitment.

We make sure the legal foundations match your ambition.

Charities change over time, they grow, they adapt, they evolve. Understanding how your legal structure can work for you, can be the difference between impact and insignificance.

For trustees running an unincorporated charity or a trust, or if you are running a charitable company or a community interest company, a CIO structure can offer a compelling alternative – one that boasts of all the tax benefits of a charity and the protection of a corporate structure, with none of the administrative and legal burden of a company.

We are UK leaders in working with unincorporated charities and trusts to establish CIOs and transfer their assets and liabilities to the new CIO.

We are also UK leaders in converting charitable companies and community interest companies to CIOs. Conversion means you can move to the CIO structure without the complexity of transferring assets and liabilities. Helpfully, if you’re converting from a charitable company, you can also keep your existing charity number.

We know every legal requirement, the common pitfalls, and exactly how to navigate the process from start to finish. Our charity lawyers handle the full conversion process, including updating your governing document, the resolutions to be passed and managing Charity Commission filings. It’s a transition that can meaningfully reduce the burden on trustees, and we make it as straightforward as possible. We minimise disruption, so you can maximise impact.

Falling foul of the Charity Commission is not a place any charity wants to find itself.

Charity law can be complex, frequently updated, and non-compliance carries real consequences. When compliance breaks down, the consequences can be serious. A Charity Commission investigation or statutory inquiry can threaten your charity’s reputation, its funding, and the personal standing of every trustee involved.

Early legal advice is not optional, it’s essential. Our team advises on the full spectrum of compliance obligations around annual reporting, serious incident reporting, conflicts of interest, connected party transactions, and working with trading companies through to Charity Commission investigations and statutory inquiries.

Our client roster includes some of the largest charitable organisations in the country, through to smaller community-focused ones too. We also act for international aid charities navigating the additional regulatory layers that cross-border work demands. Think of us as your early-warning system – helping you identify and resolve compliance risks and issues before an investigation arises.

Fundraising law is more critical and more complex than most trustees realise.

Grant agreements, funding contracts, and social investment arrangements are rarely straightforward, and the consequences of signing the wrong terms can follow your organisation for years.

We help charities structure fundraising activity compliantly, review and negotiate grant agreements, and ensure that Gift Aid, restricted funds, and donor terms are managed in line with your legal obligations. We also advise on grant agreements, community share issues, community bonds, and commercial investment arrangements.

Our solicitors work exclusively in your corner to help translate complex terms into clear and practical decision. Whether this is your first grant application or a complex social investment deal, we make the process simple. Because the right funding, secured on the right terms, can make the difference between making a real impact or not making one at all.

Mergers, transfers of engagement, joint ventures and other collaborative structures are increasingly common as charities respond to funding pressures and service demand. Done well, they protect jobs, preserve services, and strengthen missions. Done poorly, they create lasting legal and reputational headaches.

Our charity lawyers have guided some of the largest charitable organisations in the country through complex mergers, asset transfers, and group structure reviews. We understand the emotional and cultural dimensions of charity mergers, from the Board dynamics, charity’s culture and staff concerns to funder relationships.

Our advice is full picture, not siloed, helping you reach the right outcome, not just the fastest one.