Hall Of Fame

Leading Individuals

Rising Stars

Charities and not-for-profit in Wales

Geldards LLP

The 'responsive and friendly' team at Geldards LLP has longstanding sector expertise and remains at the top of the list for many major Wales-based charities seeking advice across the spectrum of their needs and compliance with legislation unique to their status. Team head Harriet Morgan is 'expert in governance regulations', which she implements to good effect on charities-related property matters. Senior associate Bethan Walsh provides 'clear and cogent advice' on charity mergers and formations which she is able to provide in the medium of Welsh, if necessary. Former team head Giselle Davies is also vastly experienced in the field and continues to handle some fee-earning work in her role as a consultant.

 

Practice head(s):

Harriet Morgan


Other key lawyers:

Bethan Walsh; Giselle Davies


Testimonials

‘They are competitive and timely in the execution of work.’

‘The team is responsive and friendly.’

Harriet Morgan is expert in governance regulations and able to provide accurate, efficient advice at short notice.’

Bethan Walsh provided clear and cogent advice on a merger project involving four charitable companies.’

 

Key clients

The Presbyterian Church in Wales


Arts Council of Wales


National Museum of Wales


Assemblies of God Inc


Natural Resources Wales


2 Wish


Diocese of Llandaff, Church in Wales


Wales Council For Voluntary Action


Royal Voluntary Service


Baltic Exchange Charitable Foundation


Work highlights


  • Continue to advise Assemblies Of God on all aspects of its operation, including recently on changes to its governing documents, its general governance arrangements including in relation to its AGM, and any ad hoc charity law queries that arise.
  • Continue to advise the Diocese of Llandaff, Church in Wales as part of its strategic plans ahead of 2031, when its churches will cease to be excepted charities and thus will be required to register with the Charity Commission.
  • Advised Community Foundation Wales on governance and property issues relating to its trusteeship of various trusts, as part of its prominent role in the Charity Commission’s Revitalising Trusts in Wales programme.

Blake Morgan LLP

With a number of Cardiff-based lawyers who have significant exposure to charities-related work as part of their broader substantive law practices, and also regularly working alongside practitioners from the firm’s standalone sectoral team, which is led from Reading by Ben Brice, Blake Morgan LLP is well-placed to advise a broad spectrum of Wales-based charities and third sector clients. The arrival in October 2022 of litigator Trish D’Souza from Capital Law Limited strengthens the firm’s education credentials in light of her governance, commercial and regulatory expertise for clients in the sector. Public sector head Eve Piffaretti  is also a key member of the team, regularly working with charities who provide care and education services on issues specific to their internal policies and procedures, including advice on safeguarding and the interpretation of policies and procedures in the light of legislative change.


















Practice head(s):

Ben Brice (Reading)


Other key lawyers:

James Egan; Eve Piffaretti; Trish D’Souza


Testimonials

They provide expert and sensible advice.’

 

Key clients

Melin Homes


Cancer Research Wales


Adferiad Recovery


Pencare


South East Wales Education Achievement Service


Church Mission Society


CSW


Search for Common Ground


Pilgrims’ Friend Society


Linacre College, Oxford


International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists


St Barnabas Society


Armenian General Benevolent Union London Trust


Tricolor Associates


Langley House Trust


The Guildhall Trust


Cranstoun


Women’s Prize Trust


Global Witness


UKNEST


Work highlights


  • Advised Cancer Research Wales in connection with data protection issues and associated charity governance matters.
  • Advised Adferiad Recovery in connection with issues arising from merger including in connection with application to the Charity Commission for authority to introduce new objects.
  • Advised Melin Homes in connection with establishment of subsidiary company limited by guarantee and application to register the subsidiary as a charity with the Charity Commission.

Capital Law Limited

Although the team was weakened by the recent departures of both Trish D’Souza and Nicola Mead-Batten to Blake Morgan LLP and TLT, respectively, Capital Law Limited still maintains a not insignificant presence in the charities/not-for-profit sector. A significant amount of this work relates to employment advice to healthcare clients, with senior associate Jonathan Walsh  regularly acting for core firmwide client, the British Medical Association, both in terms of individual member disputes but also in respect of national issues affecting the nation’s doctors. Stuart Pearson and Leanne O’Brien also frequently handle construction and real estate-related advice to further education providers.


Practice head(s):

Marlies Hoecherl (International); Maria Coggins (Commercial); Stuart Pearson


Other key lawyers:

Leanne O’Brien; Jonathan Walsh; David Sheppard


Key clients

University of South Wales


Estyn


Qualifications Wales


Federation of Bridgend Primary Schools and Bridgend Association of Secondary Headteachers


Bridgend College


WCVA


British Medical Association


Solicitor Regulation Authority


Menter Môn


Hendre Group


Cardiff Metropolitan University


Trust Leeds Limited


Work highlights


  • Acting for the British Medical Association in its significantly important public law challenge to the government’s changes to public service pension schemes, including the NHS Pension Scheme, to remedy for the unlawful discrimination identified in McCloud and Sargeant.
  • Representing the BMA and five test claimant GP practices in their High Court claim against NHSPS in challenging the basis of these demanded service charges.
  • Advising University of South Wales through the overhaul of the renting sector in Wales – the enactment of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.

Hugh James

As well as its traditional strength in the social housing space which elicits a considerable amount of property and employment work, in particular, Hugh James continues to pick up a growing number of charity legacy mandates, which is serviced by the firm’s market-leading private wealth offering. In this context, in addition to will drafting and the administration of estates involving sizeable charitable donations, the team is also noted for its disputes work, with leading contentious probate practitioner Roman Kubiak regularly engaged by both national and local charities on legacy protection. The team also regularly works alongside the firm’s core charities group, which is led from the London office by Peter Spencer. In summer 2023 the firm acquired Cardiff-based boutique Loosemores, which is known for providing ‘clear guidance and insight’ across a range of issues, including for clients seeking charitable status, as well as on governance and constitutional matters. Although her remit is broad, ‘proactive and responsive’ Rebecca McCarthy is particularly adept at advising clients in the sports and Christian church sectors; she recently acted for Welsh Sports Association on the structure, set-up and registration of a new charitable incorporated organisation, The Welsh Sports Foundation.

Practice head(s):

Roman Kubiak; Matthew Evans


Other key lawyers:

Louise Price; Caroline O’Flaherty; Richard Macphail; Gareth Wisdom; Rebecca McCarthy; Mark Loosemore


Testimonials

‘The options they present always take our charitable status into account and the values within which we work. This produces the right outcomes for us which don’t put us in conflict with the way that we present ourselves to the world.’

They listen with empathy, understand the challenges of the sector and try and stay focused on how best to assist.’

‘The team have a very high knowledge and awareness of the issues faced by small charities and are able to bring this to bear on the issues that we have faced. Their insight and advice has been really, really helpful.’

We are always grateful for the speed of response, clear guidance and insight and we have absolute trust in the advice we are given.’

‘They are very professional, responsive and genuinely interested in what we do.’

‘Rebecca McCarthy is incredibly easy and flexible to work with, efficient and considerate in the demands she makes on our small team. She is also pro-active in ensuring we get things done in a timely manner.’

Rebecca McCarthy was extremely patient and understanding to our circumstances and the difficulties we faced, alternative options were always explored to ensure that we were making an informed decision.’

Mark Loosemore is very reliable and is prompt in his responses. This enables us to complete important legal tasks in a timely manner.’

Key clients

Age UK Somerset


Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama


Run 4 Wales


Coleg Gwent


Cardiff University


Pobl Group


Cwmni Urdd Gobaith Cymru


Cardiff YMCA


Macmillan Cancer Support


Noah’s Ark Charity


Grwp Cynefin


Work highlights


  • Advised a leading Welsh sports charity on a £500,000 investment into its trading subsidiary by London Marathon. This was a unique deal in the charity sector due to the way in which both organisations are structured.
  • Continuing to advise a leading conservatoire on charitable trusts established by a gift in a will to the Charity.
  • Advising a college with charitable status on development of City Centre Campus with state of the art facilities for education and training worth £60m. The deal is important as it is one of the main projects to be funded by the Welsh Government Mutual Investment Model as well as involving capital funding from the local authority.