Solicitors
Main Contact
Louisa Saunders
Legal Director, Head of Charity Property
Providence House, 141-145 Princes Street, Ipswich IP1 1QJ
T: 01473 406331/232300
E: charitiesteam@birketts.co.uk
W: www.Birketts.co.uk
Regions covered: East Anglia, London, South East, South West
About Birketts LLP
Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, the firm has more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Cambridge, Bristol, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. They advise businesses, government and public sector organisations, charities (inc. almshouse charities), social enterprises and individuals in the UK.
The Charity Property Team is uniquely positioned to support almshouse charity clients with complex legal, regulatory and practical challenges that come from owning, managing or developing property, including heritage properties. The Charities Team supports almshouse charities with broader charity law matters, including governance, incorporation and advice on powers and duties.
Almshouse charity clients include The Charterhouse, London, which has been in operation since 1611. Recent examples of work include advising on incorporations, governance matters and various property-related issues, including leases, acquisitions and disposals.
Law firm
Contact details
Samantha Pritchard
Partner, Charities team
Time Central, 32 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4BF
T: 0191 211 7905
E: samantha.pritchard@muckle-llp.com
W: www.muckle-llp.com
Regions covered: Tyne & Wear, Northumberland, County Durham, Cumbria, Teesside, North Yorkshire
Profile summary: Muckle LLP is a full-service law firm based in Newcastle upon Tyne and Penrith, guided by our values as a certified B-Corp.
Our specialist Charities team understands that almshouse charities are complex organisations – often with historic governing documents, property and investment portfolios, and assets held as permanent endowment or restricted funds – navigating regulations while supporting their older and often vulnerable residents.
We provide a range of legal services to almshouse charities including:
- Governance advice and trustees’ duties
- Conversions to become a CIO
- Mergers and collaborations
- Expending or borrowing from permanent endowment
- Amending governing documents
- Applying to the Charity Commission for cy-pres schemes and orders
- Liaison with the Charity Commission and reporting serious incidents
- Sale and purchase of property and investments
- Disputes and anti-social behaviour
- Construction projects
- Banking and grant funding arrangements
- Social housing regulation
Almshouse charities previously worked with
Tyne Mariners’ Benevolent Institution, Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association, Hospitaller Order of Saint John, Hospital of King James in Gateshead.
Law Firm
Contact Details
125 Wood Street, London, EC2V 7AW
T: +44 (0)20 7457 3000
E: Virginia Henley Virginia.Henley@penningtonslaw.com
E: Saffa Mir Saffa.Mir@penningtonslaw.com
W: www.penningtonslaw.com
Regions covered: Basingstoke, Birmingham, Cambridge, Guildford, London, Reading
About Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP
Penningtons Manches Cooper is a full-service law firm which operates across an extremely wide range of sectors enabling us to meet all the legal needs of almshouse charities. Our newly established charities team brings together experts in the charity field who have each long experience of working with countless almshouse charities. Our team’s previous almshouse client experience includes:-
- Conversions to become a CIO
- Mergers
- Governance support and advice
- Reviews and drafting of policies and procedures
- Cy pres schemes and applications to the Charity Commission to enable changes to objects
- Identifying and advising on the use of permanent endowment
- Disputes and anti-social behaviour
- Disposals and other use of almshouse property
- Correspondence with the Charity Commission and serious incident reporting
Our Charities team works closely with colleagues across the firm to enable us to provide Almshouse charities with the full support they need.
Law Firm
Contact Details
Charlotte Cook
Partner
Arbor, 255 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 9AX
T: 020 7593 5107
M: 07949 841 414
E: ccook@wslaw.co.uk
W: www.wslaw.co.uk
Region/s covered: UK wide
About Winckworth Sherwood LLP
We work extensively on the provision of care and supported housing, from both the development and provider perspectives as well as on the management and support of those schemes. We work for many clients including RPs, almshouses, local authorities, charities, lenders, private providers and agencies and management bodies.
We offer the advantage of a full service law firm with a deep knowledge of the care sector, with expertise in care and support, commercial, constitutional and governance matters, asset management, property dispute resolution and litigation, employment and HR, construction, energy and property finance.
Our clients span the public and private sectors including key partners for you such as developers, local authorities and landowners. This means we understand the cultural and legal drivers for these organisations, allowing us to help you develop constructive relationships in negotiations, whilst remaining focussed on your objectives and protecting your interests.
Law firm
Contact Details
Archie Sherbrooke
Partner and Head of Commercial Property
1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT
T: 0207 222 5381 M: 07749 706 410
E: archie.sherbrooke@lbmw.com
W: www.lbmw.com
Regions Covered: England and Wales
About Lee Bolton Monier-Williams LLP
LBMW work with a variety of charities from small enterprises, religious and educational institutions through to national charities and large grant making organisations.
We have particular expertise in acting for charities with substantial property portfolios and advise on the implications of the Charities Act on property assets. We are regularly asked by our charity clients to provide strategic property advice and work closely with our Charity team to ensure that our clients understand and work within the confines of their trusts/governing documents.
Solicitors
Contact details
Arani Arunan
Associate
Andrew Mackie
Associate
Senate Court, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter, EX1 1NT
T: 01392 685371.
E: arani.arunan@footanstey.com
E: Andrew.Mackie@footanstey.com
W: www.footanstey.com
Regions covered: UK-wide
About Foot Anstey LLP
Foot Anstey LLP write: Foot Anstey LLP’s Charity Property Practice is nationally renowned and respected. We have charity specialists who can manage portfolios, complete property transactions and advise on the full range of disputes and issues arising in relation to residential, commercial and rural land and buildings.
We provide strategic problem-solving advice and assist with dispute resolution if required. Our expertise covers the full range of property and charity property law.
Awards and accreditations
- Top 100 Law Firm
- UK wide Legal Adviser League Table Top 20 *Experian
- Multiple innovation award winners
- Highly Commended, National Law Firm of the Year 2019
*The Lawyer
- Top 10 fastest growing law firms for organic growth *The Lawyer
- Partner Firm of Institute of Legacy Management
Member Firm of Charity Property Association and Charity Retail Association
Solicitors
Contact details
William Scott
Partner, Real Estate Dispute
The Northcliffe, 28 Tudor Street, Temple, London EC4Y 0AY
T: 0207 400 8770
M: 07385 385919
E: will.scott@irwinmitchell.com
www.irwinmitchell.com
Region/s Covered: All England & Wales
About Irwin Mitchell –
William Scott writes:
I have acted for many almshouses over the years advising on all manner of property related disputes including noise nuisance, anti-social behaviour issues, hoarding and termination of appointments and rights of occupation.
I have a background in advising charity trustees in relation to their fiduciary duties and their obligations under the Charities Act when dealing with property, having specialised in advising charities in relation to their property for the last 15 years.
I work with my colleagues in the public and regulatory teams to provide holistic advice to ensure compliance by the trustees and managers with the occupiers’ rights under the Care Act and Equality Act.
I also provide advice on property strategy and how to manage the almshouses in a cost-effective manner, taking into account the charities objectives and the organisations ESG agenda.
Solicitors
Contact details
Dominik Opalinski
Head of Charities and Safeguarding
9 New Square, London WC2A 3QN
T: 020 7412 0050
E: Dominik.Opalinski@hunterslaw.com
www.hunterslaw.com
Areas covered: England and Wales
About Hunters Law
Hunters is a full-service law firm with a well established background in advising charities. We deliver pragmatic advice to a broad range of charities, providing comprehensive guidance for all the business activities and transactions they undertake.
The team at Hunters includes experts in charity law and regulation, investment governance, safeguarding and property matters. We have a good working relationship with the Charity Commission and extensive experience of advising almshouse trustees on a range of legal and regulatory matters, including:
- the rights of residents;
- governance and the duties of trustees;
- safeguarding;
- permanent endowment and restricted funds
- restructuring, incorporation and mergers;
- modernisations and construction projects; and
- property sales, leases and purchases.
Member of the Law Society
Legal Services
Contact Details
James Millis
Partner
Somerfield House, 59 London Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8JH
T: 01622 776 457
E: jamesmillis@brachers.co.uk
W: www.brachers.co.uk
Regions covered: South East
About Brachers LLP
Brachers is an award winning law firm, providing valuable legal support to individuals, businesses and charities. We offer a full range of legal, regulatory and governance advise on areas such as:
- Property/construction related matters including planning
- Charity mergers and acquisitions
- Day to day governance and compliance issues
- Employment matters.
- Litigation and disputes
We have worked with the almshouse community for over 5 years. Our successful and often long-standing relationships with clients are borne out in the excellent feedback we receive and our high rankings in in the Chambers UK Guide, Chambers HNW Guide and The Legal 500.
As members of ‘Solicitors for the Elderly’ we can provide specialist legal advice for older and vulnerable people and would be happy to support almshouse residents.
Solicitors
Contact details
Rachel Gwynne
Head of Charities and not-for-profit
Lancaster House, Nunn Mills Road, Northampton, NN1 5PA
T: 01604 463 345
E: rgwynne@hcrlaw.com
W: www.hcrlaw.com
Regions Covered: In practice, East Midlands, East Anglia, London. If required, England and Wales and via Associate firm, Scotland also
About HCRL
HCRL is a full service legal firm with a specialist charities practice. We do all legal, regulatory and governance work charities require. Previous work for almshouses: all property related and construction and planning; mergers / acquisitions; employment matters; governance and constitutional; Charity Commission dealings.