‘First-class charity lawyer’ Helen Kidd leads the practice at Lindsays, which handles litigious and advisory matters for a variety of Scottish, UK-wide, and international clients. The team harnesses experience handling OSCR matters, compliance and regulatory-related cases, governance and structuring matters, and those regarding charity mergers and expansions. Multiple team members are particularly equipped to handle employment issues for charity clients, with Ben Doherty and Kate Wyatt being particularly key in this area. John Thom’s interests include charitable trusts and philanthropy, while Kenny Gray is noted for his commercial property work. Connor Barnes is also a key name.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The quality of service and support is exceptional. Timely, practical, pragmatic, and very professional in tone and content. Very attuned to our culture and the demands of the sector.’
‘Kate Wyatt is an exceptional individual, and we are very fortunate to work with her.’
‘It is quite hard to put into words, in terms of the team what is most helpful is that within each skill set/discipline there is a general knowledge and cooperative approach when you require further advice from a different area within the law. It is collaborative but also very easy - the team make it easy.'
‘In particular, Ben Doherty's end-to-end service is exceptional. What is often missed, which Ben understands, is that when you are seeking advice or you are working through an issue, it is an extremely stressful time, and the ease with which Ben adopts a client-centred approach is truly exceptional.'
‘The individuals at Lindsays stand out for their prompt and responsible handling of cases. Helen Kidd and Connor Barnes exemplify the firm’s dedication. They bring a combination of legal acumen and genuine commitment to client welfare that is rare in the field.'
‘Helen Kidd is a first-class charity lawyer. She is enthusiastic, proactive, knowledgeable, approachable and readily available. She has great contacts in the sector, including with OSCR, and goes the extra mile to find solutions for her clients. Her work is of a very high quality. Helen provides an understanding of her client needs in a no-nonsense way. She is immersed in the charity sector and makes herself available at key charity events to interact with her clients.’
‘They understand the business and advise appropriately. They listen and are pragmatic, and we work together to get to where we want to be.’
‘I have found the Lindsays team very knowledgeable about various aspects to support our governance activity including articles of association review, rebranding, and renaming of the charity. They provide additional knowledge about changes in the sector, and are also very helpful in keeping us up-to-date of key changes.’
'Lindsays is a well resourced and approachable firm.'
'Helen Kidd combines experience of dealing with charities in a variety of situations with in depth knowledge of charity law. She is highly professional and trustworthy, whilst at the same time being extremely approachable and easy to deal with.'
Key clients
- The Brewgooder Foundation
- Crossroads Caring Scotland
- Glenalmond College
- EMMS Nazareth
- Cattanach
- Scotland’s ART
- Verture
- Viewpoint Trust
- Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers
- The Stove Network Limited
Work highlights
Advised the Brewgooder Foundation on bespoke articles of association and governance policies as the trustees sought to implement new strategic aims and ambitions.
Advised Glenalmond College on their merger with Craigclowan School.
Advising Scotland’s Art on the acquisition of the historic West Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Helen Kidd
Other key lawyers
Ben Doherty; Kate Wyatt; John Thom; Kenny Gray; Connor Barnes