Charity Law
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+44 (0)800 331 7640
Michelmores has worked closely with charities and other non-commercial organisations for many years, providing expert legal advice. Our charity law solicitors have particular knowledge of advising educational and church-related charities.
As well as acting for large organisations and institutions, we also act for smaller and newly-formed charities, offering pragmatic and cost-effective support as they develop.
Genuine charity expertise.
Legal 500 2017
Dedicated professional.
Legal 500 2015
Very knowledgeable and extremely helpful.
Legal 500 2022
Excellent charities know-how across a range of disciplines, in particular trusts, private client and property.
Legal 500 2022
News
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Government support for charities
- Coronavirus - personal tax, wills and charities
- Problems with bequests left to charities who have changed named
- Charities and land
- Charity Commission guidance for charities with a connection to a non-charity
- Trainee blog: Legacies in Action - a week with Cancer Research UK
- Michelmores advising Cancer Research UK
- New guidelines for Charities and Litigation
- Michelmores grows Disputed Wills and Trusts team
- An International Perspective
- Conflicts of Interest: A Guide for Charity Trustees
- The curious world of a charity being at ‘arm’s length’ to its own subsidiary company
- Changing the structure of a charity
- Nil rate band legacies
- Property Rates and Relief for the Charitable Sector Explained
- Charity Law and Governance Bulletin
Get in touch
Tony Cockayne
Partner
Meet the team
Recent experience
- Acting on various lease acquisitions and renewals. For example we acted in the acquisition of a 6 year lease of a shop unit in a seaside town on behalf of a local charity. Negotiations focussed on the ability to trade on the street and not to expose the charity to maintenance costs of a building with potentially high dilapidations.
- Acting in general litigation matters as well as legacy disputes. Tony Cockayne has a reputation for excellence in legacy disputes and regularly presents seminars both to charity clients and legal professionals.
- Acting on providing charity structure advice to a high profile and wealthy philanthropist who was keen to support a well-known London theatre company. This advice included an analysis of the public benefit requirement in the context of the charity's proposed activities, which are intended to have an emphasis on a particular group only.
- Instructions to advise a museum on its new £multi-million project to create a purpose-built museum and archive.
- Continuing as sole solicitors for the Diocese of Exeter and the main solicitor for the Diocese of Truro. Two of the firm's partners hold the positions of Diocesan Registrar and Deputy Registrar respectively, for both Dioceses.
- Receiving multiple instructions from charities wishing to dispose of excess land, and understanding the dichotomy between complicated issues and charity cost constraints. We also act for numerous social landlords in £multi-million transactions.