Thea Longley > Bates Wells > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Bates Wells Offices

Bates Wells
10 QUEEN STREET PLACE
LONDON
EC4R 1BE
England
Visit website 020 7551 7777 020 7551 7800

Thea Longley

Thea Longley photo
020 7551 7831 t.longley@bwbllp.com

Work Department

Charities and not-for-profit; sport.

Position

Partner and Head of the Charity and Social Enterprise team. Work includes: advising charities, membership organisations, sports clubs and sports governing bodies. Work for charities and not for profit organisations includes: formation, registration of new charities, constitutional advice, including restructuring, mergers and spin-outs; as well as advice on funding, grant and fundraising agreements. Work for sports clubs and sports governing bodies includes: advising on charitable status and Inland Revenue CASC status – registration, restructuring, constitutional issues, contract work and advice on funding.

Career

  • Trained Bates Wells, qualified 2001
  • Charity and Social Enterprise department, 2001-2008
  • Seconded to the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit working as the only lawyer on the team that wrote ‘Private Action, Public Benefit’, the review that led to the Charities Act 2006 and the introduction of community interest companies
  • Partner, 2008-Present

Publications of note: Consultant editor for the charity section of the leading legal text book Halsbury’s Laws of England, co-wrote ‘Keeping it Legal: Legal Forms for Social Enterprise’ with Social Enterprise Coalition and edition 1 of ‘Charities – The New Law 2006: A Practical Guide to the Charities Act’ (Jordans).

Memberships

  • Charity Law Association, member and former executive committee member
  • Sport and Recreation Alliance member

Education

  • Bruton School for Girls
  • University of St Andrews, MA English and Modern History, 1996
  • College of Law, London, 1999

Leisure

Wild swimming, camping, walking.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Private client > Charities and not-for-profit

(Hall of Fame)

Thea Longley – Bates Wells

Bates Wells ‘has unrivalled knowledge of the charity sector and is the go-to firm in the space of social investment and blended finance’. It is ably led by the vastly experienced Thea Longley, and clients appreciate that the practice is’ big enough to have individuals who specialise in particular sub-sets of charity practice, while also having a broad knowledge of key legal and governance issues for charities‘. Philip Kirkpatrick advises a whole host of major charities and foundations, and Lawrence Simanowitz’s specialisms include advising on charity formations and governance, as well as UK and international structuring and fundraising issues. Stephanie Biden leads on the firm’s work for faith-based charities, while Laura Soley advises on a myriad of complex technical issues relating to statutory charities, royal charter bodies and trusts. Erica Crump acts for a variety of cultural institutions and large international charities. Other recent highlights include the recent promotion of Oliver Hunt and Hannah Lyons to the partnership. Augustus Della-Porta works with many Muslim organisations and other well-known charities, and Luke Fletcher acts for various prestigious and household name charities. At associate level, Lucy Rhodes plays a pivotal role in the department.

London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport

(Leading individuals)

Thea Longley – Bates Wells

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Top Tier Firm Rankings

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