‘Bates Wells is unique in its comprehensive expertise and offerings in charity law. As well as providing a huge range of advice, the lawyers keep consistently up to date with developments in charity law and the Charity Commission’s activities and share those learnings with in-house legal teams through newsletters, articles and free or reasonably priced training sessions. We have relied on their knowledge in areas such as safeguarding, social investment, governance, data protection, and various other areas. Their advice is always coloured by a deep understanding of the charity context. Charity law is not a tack-on at Bates Wells; it is integral to the firm’s ethos and existence‘.

‘The Firm has a reputation for working with the charitable sector which means it is familiar with the issues we are facing‘.

‘Bates Wells is very thorough, prompt in responding and always ensures it fully understands our requirements. The lawyers have got to know our charity governance very well which means that we can get informed advice from them quickly’.

‘Bates Wells provides personal advice, very much Partner led. One feels that the lawyers seek to gain an understanding of the culture of the organisation and provide pragmatic advice accordingly. The advice is easy to understand and not bound up in legal technicalities. Laura Soley is highly approachable and has an understanding of both the legal matters and the cultural environment of the Charity, with advice delivered that is appropriate to us. Hannah Lyons has provided good practical advice on fundraising and data issues, offering solutions rather than merely advice‘.

‘The team has been responsive. Luke Fletcher has been incredibly helpful sharing his expertise to navigate through challenging circumstances‘.

‘The team is very responsive to clients and goes out of its way to help.  The team was particularly helpful even during Covid, which shows its ability to be flexible during challenging times.  Suhan Rajkumar has been very helpful to us‘.

‘The team allowed us, as clients, to manage our expectations, the lawyers clearly set out, pricing, delivery timings and information updates, as well as warnings of any potential delays. The team provided consistent and timely updates through the process. Oliver Scutt has been a pleasure to work with. He is very clear in setting out the plan of work and always gave a timely turnaround with agreed dates. He also has the great strength of explaining legal areas to us non legal people‘.

‘Attention to detail. Reliable and thoughtful advice. Sensible solutions to what appear to be complex issues‘.

‘Suhan Rajkumar and Simon Steeden were our contacts and they worked as a tight-knit team to give exemplary help and advice. They were always very prompt to respond to any inquiry from us. They even came back more than once to ask for updates. They gave us excellent service.’

‘Simon Steeden – warm initial point of contact who grasped what we needed.’

‘Jessica Collings stands out because of her brilliant work ethic. She never fails to engage and always recognises the urgency of certain issues at hand. Even when our case was wrapped up from the pro bono perspective, she has always been happy to engage for smaller matters or refer us promptly to other appropriate members of staff who can help us. She even dropped us a wellbeing email to ask after us. So human, and yet so professional – big thumbs up!’

‘This practice is unusual in that it offers real pro bono help. The service offered is polite, professional and goes beyond what we expected.’

‘The whole practice, from reception to legal advisers were polite, efficient and caring. They helped us enormously with our case.’

‘The team were exemplary and went above and beyond for our charity. For one, they were willing to hold calls in the evening to suit our schedules. They were incredibly knowledgeable and dependable when we encountered issues with our application. The manner in which they advise their clients showed just how important it is to have the right lawyers with years of industry experience. They are well positioned to provide this minefield of charity law to develop the right expertise and incredibly well-trained staff to help us pull through with our application. This certainly gave us confidence working with them.’

‘Tim Barnden was an excellent lawyer to work with. What sets Tim apart from others in the field is his genuineness and experience. He has an extremely friendly, calming presence that makes you feel secure and confident in asking for and following his advice. He takes the time to understand your personal circumstance and explore all sides of the situation. I would 100% recommend Tim Barnden and Bates Wells and would definitely use them again in the future.’

‘Chetal Patel is brilliant. She is a leading voice in her area and is so knowledgeable and experienced in all things immigration. She always gives practical and balanced advice that suits our company and our culture and response to all queries in a timely manner.’

‘I had the pleasure of working with Chetal Patel. While she was incredibly diligent and professional, she was equally kind and understanding. She always listened to my concerns and needs and understood that the visa process can cause a great deal of stress. She was incredibly knowledgeable in her particular expertise and was also very prompt and timely with anything that was needed.’

‘Matthew James was responsive, diligent and provided excellent expert guidance throughout my engagement with Bates Wells. He was friendly and a pleasure to work with – I would highly recommend him.’

‘Tim Barnden’s professionalism, approachability, problem solving and clarity of approach was second to none. It was a joy to work with him to get our immigration status addressed and we felt confident throughout that he could help us achieve.’

‘Aisha Choudhry is extremely thorough, helpful and very patient.’

‘Tim Barnden is extremely knowledgeable and approachable. He delivers advice in a clear and understandable manner, and stays on top of all legislative and regulatory changes. His manner was reassuring, and all our applications were successful.’

‘Chetal Patel is absolutely phenomenal. Her advice is clear and to the point without any ambiguity, making it easy to follow and make the necessary decisions.

‘Emma Dowden-Teale and the other team members have gone the extra mile to assist us with a large project, working at pace and delivering on time. The team is approachable, offers quality advice and has a real understanding of the nature of our business.’

‘Emma Dowden-Teale is a joy to work with and always goes the extra mile to help. Her approach is such that she knows our business well and feels like an extension of our team. Emma’s knowledge and experience is so valuable and she is clearly a specialist in public law.’

‘Bates Wells’ team is responsive, flexible and committed to giving high quality advice on public law matters.’

‘Claire Whittle is focused and able to separate key issues from lower impact risks.’ 

‘The Bates Wells team as a whole have a superb knowledge of law and practice in the charities sector. Individuals’ areas of expertise are grounded in up-to-date wider understanding of legal regulatory and commercial issues that charities face.’

‘They are not afraid to give clear, decisive practical advice.’

‘They work very closely as a team, well aware of whose special expertise is required when trying to resolve complex and changing circumstances.’

‘We were impressed with Jean Tsang. Jean has great attention to detail and is very precise in her answers, which come quickly and well thought out.’

‘Their skill in understanding both the detail and the bigger picture allows them to provide an exceptionally efficient, holistic and effective service.’

‘The Bates Wells M&A team inspires absolute trust and confidence every time. A genuinely partner-led service.’

‘Excellent performance on some extremely complex jobs. The team works very well together: very slick, excellent at project management, and getting the deal done. Very calm under pressure.’

‘Mark Tasker is a very good operator.  Brilliant with clients and sees the bigger picture.’

‘Stephen Callender works extremely well under huge pressure, dealing with some very complex issues and a heavy workload.’

‘Matt Gearing punches well above his weight. Great attention to detail and multi-tasking.’

‘A high quality, Magic Circle-style service at a reasonable price. Very strong in international deals and impact organisation matters.’

‘A very good, fast and pragmatic team who we have worked with a long time. Highly recommended.’

‘We work closely with Erica Crump who has shown genuine interest in, and concern for our organisation. She is well-informed and engaging, and provides very clear support to the organisation.’

‘Highly knowledgeable, strategic and efficient.’

‘Very collaborative and approachable. The team deliver professional advice in a clear and understandable and non-jargon way which works well for our organisation.’

‘Always respond in a helpful way.’

‘The team is accessible, efficient, and works within agreed timescales.‘

‘They were able to assimilate a great deal of information before formulating the legal response, and I was impressed with the professionalism, efficiency and service I received – would recommend them highly.‘

‘They are very approachable and engaged, and just as happy to let you bounce ideas off them as much as produce formal advice.‘

‘Great at understanding our values and culture, along with expertise in all the areas where we need advice.‘

‘All the individuals who’ve worked for us are knowledgeable, courteous and professional, and they provide a good service and good advice whenever we need it.‘

‘Melanie Carter is highly experienced and very approachable.‘

‘Melanie Carter is very knowledgeable and collaborative in sometimes difficult situations. I would not hesitate to recommend her in the disciplinary field that we worked in together.‘

‘Melanie Carter is highly capable and gives sound legal advice.‘

‘Key strengths are in-depth knowledge of the local government sector and the implications/application of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 in relation to public rights in respect of local government accounts.’

‘Stand out qualities are the responsiveness of individuals, clarity of communication, and attention to detail. Melanie Carter is especially knowledgeable in relation to local government public sector audit issues.’

‘Melanie Carter has provided consistently good advice and support on a timely basis. She has also demonstrated an ability to think outside the box, providing previously unconsidered potential solutions. Her support on drafting responses has also been much appreciated.’

‘Their knowledge of our sector area is unrivalled.’

‘Melanie Carter leads the exceptional team. They are always prepared to go the extra mile to meet deadlines that can appear at short notice.’

‘I have to assume that the team behind the partner I dealt with is very good, as he was always well briefed. Available 24/7 and with a refreshing brevity if a simple enquiry, whilst a phenomenally detailed and quick response when required.’

‘I cannot find fault with any of the work carried out for me by the partner, William Garnett.’

‘What makes Bates Wells unique is their clear and precise advice, attention to detail and responsiveness. Compared to other firms I have used in the past I find that given the no nonsense approach you can be confident of the advice given and the billing to be accurate for the work provided.’

‘I have mainly worked with Lucy McLynn on employment matters – the advice given is clear and concise. Lucy will not sugar coat her advice and will clearly layout your options without bias or prejudice. I am confident in the attention to detail and accuracy in the interpretation of the law by Lucy.’

‘I would recommend Bates Wells particularly the individuals that helped me. It warrants the excellent reputation the firm has. The team were very hard working, diligent, incredibly adaptable and responsive to changing deadlines and work loads/time pressures. The case has been overseen by Paul Seath but the majority of the work has been done by Shadia El Dardiry. Both really were stand out in my case. Both provided expert guidance to me.  I would certainly use this company again and cannot recommend the individuals that helped me highly enough.’

‘I have worked with solicitors Rachel Mathieson, Paul Jennings and Robert Turner over the past 24 months on bringing a claim. Rachel and Paul Jennings are truly world-class professionals in employment law, but even more important than their knowledge and professionalism is their compassion and understanding when dealing with complex employment problems.’

‘Thorough, easy to work with, practical and pragmatic when dealing with the other side.’

‘The uniqueness is the in-depth knowledge of the charity sector and ability to advise across teams, if something unusual arises. Their e-signature platform for signing off deeds and other documents works well and is much better than getting hard copies executed, as was the case pre-pandemic.’   

‘They are reliable and give sensible, commercial advice that is concise, which I like.’

‘Malcolm Headley and the team are readily available, willing to put in the hours as needed, are commercially realistic on fees, give clear advice and have good technical and commercial knowledge and instincts.’

‘They are direct and provide advice that can be relied upon. Their experience in the sector has been an asset to our transaction. The partner Jamie Huard is available when there is an urgent issue.’

‘Karli Hiscock is very clear in her communications and explains legalistic language for the layperson and explains options well.’

‘They are efficient, focused, trustworthy, smart and very nice.’

‘William Garnett is highly proactive and looks for solutions.‘

‘Unique expertise to be able to deal with any partnership issue, particularly those in the charities, social enterprises and now the increasingly important and legally complex B Corp sectors, where they have preeminent expertise.‘

‘Luke Fletcher is just the dominant lawyer in the B Corp/Impact Assessment organisation space and he combines that knowledge with superb legal skills. A very smooth operator in every area.‘

‘Exceptional knowledge of how charities work enabling the team to provide relevant, pragmatic, cost-effective advice.‘

‘They have been brilliant to work with – communicate really effectively, are kind, smart and really work hard for you as a client. They literally achieved everything we asked of them with absolutely no issues at any stage and went above and beyond.‘

‘A real staunch team to assist us in both routine and complex matters. They are also proactive  and great communicators.‘

‘Mathew Healey is a hugely talented individual. He combines an impressive breadth of knowledge, with a refreshingly pragmatic and sensible approach to trade mark law. He gives really useful advice and working with him is a pleasurable experience.‘

‘Mathew Healey runs a strong team; Wendy Grey provides excellent, clear, pragmatic advice. All of the team have a nice manner and are easy to work with. They are responsive and provide an appropriate level of detail; they are also proactive in recommending approaches to specific challenges.’

‘They not only provide all we need to develop and defend our trade marks, but they also offer really thought-provoking and tailored advice based on our needs. I have absolute confidence and trust in their expertise and judgement and appreciate their readiness to explain things and help us explore new areas.‘

‘We have found the entire team to be brilliant individuals to work with, but Catharina Waller in particular I would want to highlight as demonstrating complete dedication to reaching a positive outcome in situations that would try the patience of a saint! She was calm, patient with the questions we had as client, and unruffled by tactics of the opposing side. We loved working with her.‘

‘Catharina Waller and Mathew Healey offer friendly in-depth knowledge and experience that they use to generate advice that we trust implicitly. Their track record in our eyes is second to none, and they offer affordable strategies and practical technical support to ensure that our IP remains adequately protected. In a fast-moving world of competing deadlines, we often have the need to move quickly as we respond to emerging challenges, and Catharina and Mat have always shown the flexibility to help us at short notice to get the job done.‘

‘The team is reliable, with excellent advice in our specific sub-sector that our in-house legal team cannot provide.’

‘Thea Longley is an excellent critical thinker, able to spot potential problems and issues before they occur and helps you to work through those issues if necessary. She gives options as to how best to proceed, not settling on one fixed option unless that is the only way, and it never is! I have worked with Thea as a charity board member too and her advice is consistently reliable. She is rightly seen as an expert in the field and I would not want to ever not have her available to us.’

‘The team at Bates Wells are brilliant. They are friendly and approachable but also, most importantly, are able to convey and overcome complex legal issues in in an easy, streamlined manner. They are always quick to respond, efficient and approach the work we ask them to do with professionalism.’

‘I find our main contacts very easy to work with. They always respond quickly and comprehensively. They have excellent knowledge in their field and are quick to understand any issues we encounter. Their friendly and approachable manner also helps make them our preferred choice in this area.’

‘The team are extremely knowledgeable, diligent and thorough. The quality of service that they provide is very high, and no matter the challenge, I always feel reassured by the approach that they are taking.’

‘Jane Lougher is extremely knowledgeable, professional and patient in her approach – particularly when dealing with non-legal clients. She endeavours to ensure that complex matters are broken down into manageable, understandable components, and the implications of any decision are always clearly explained.’

‘Rebecca Rider has always provide an extremely high level of customer service, being prepared to go the extra mile to achieve the desired outcome, despite the tight timescales that she is often faced with.’

‘Great team with broad knowledge of the industry.’

‘Richard Marke is my go-to lawyer for commercial issues, particularly anything relating to outsourcing.’

‘They are efficient, focused, trustworthy, smart and very nice to work with.’

‘Responsive, very smart and they know the market very well. Our discussions are always useful.’ 

‘I am consistently impressed with Bates Wells’.

‘They provide thorough and risk-based advice, and are able to work to urgent timelines where needed’.

‘Victoria Hordern is excellent to work with – she provides timely and clear advice which takes our business needs into consideration as well as all relevant laws’.

‘I find the firm’s advice to be practical and delivered in a way that is understandable by the recipient’.

‘Victoria Hordern is top notch’.                                                                    

‘Victoria Hordern, in the privacy law area, provides easily digestible, practical advice in an efficient manner’.           

‘Hannah Lyons work has been fantastic’.

‘Hannah Lyons is our go to person if we need clarity on any data protection aspect’.

‘Very good, in-depth, practical knowledge of all areas of law, they adapt for big and small and NFP organisations.’

‘Bates Wells have provided me with support for many years. They provide consistently expert, pragmatic, proportionate advice in a way that represents value for money, which has meant that I have never felt the need to look elsewhere for employment law advice.‘

‘Lucy McLynn is an exceptional lawyer and I understand why she is the Head of Employment at BatesWells. She is at top of her field; superb advice, pragmatic, reliable and provides clarity and a route through very challenging situations.’

‘I have used Bates Wells for employment advice for several years. Their advice is excellent: practical and responsive. They help me to achieve my objectives.’

‘Paul Seath is exceptionally responsive. His advice is always sound and straightforward.’

‘Excellent support – collaborative way of working, practical advice, solution orientated, highly knowledgeable.’

‘Lucy McLynn is excellent all round. The team understand our business and flex their advice and risk analysis perfectly.’

‘We have been able to develop an excellent working relationship. The individuals we work with are very knowledgeable and experienced lawyers who have taken the time to understand our business.’

‘Well-structured team that highlights key risks and provides suggestions to mitigate them. There is a good understanding of our requirements – we rarely have to go back and ask follow-up questions or query what has been documented as it is clear and concise and in layman’s terms. The property team collaborates well with other teams such as banking and is very responsive.’

‘Very efficient service with very capable members of the real estate team able to advise on a range of property issues. Large firm expertise at a midsize firm.’

‘Bates Wells have a holistic approach to all issues, taking the time to consider the broader context and objectives. They provide a professional and knowledgeable service. On any matter we refer to Bates Wells they work collaboratively with our staff to tackle the problem, remaining focused on the central issues and working across specialisms as required. The real estate team have been tenacious in dealing with matters and have brought to bear significant expertise in the specific charity law requirements when it comes to the sale and mortgaging of property.’

‘An engaged and committed team with a good in-depth knowledge of property and finance matters, as well as factors relevant to certain specialist sectors – notably charity, healthcare and real estate. The team are responsive and strive to drive a transaction forward. They are always available and are sufficiently resourced that response times are quick.’

‘Malcolm Headley is sensible, doesn’t over or underplay issues and will help provide solutions rather than purely present problems.’

‘Patrick Keown and Malcolm Headley and the wider team have always proved to be knowledgeable, commercial and solution focused.’