The independent verdict
Chambers & Partners
This well-known commercial firm has a thriving charities practice, which offers an “impressive spread” of services.
All manner of commercial and constitutional issues are covered, including mergers, co-operation arrangements and joint ventures.
Additional support is near at hand in the form of the firm’s litigation department, which acts for charity clients on breaches of trust and other contentious probate matters.
Recent team highlights include advising a national charity on its trading subsidiaries and establishing several new charities in the education and animal welfare sectors.
(Source: Chambers & Partners UK Guide to the Legal Profession 2007)
Legal 500
Ward Hadaway’s practice is headed by Colin Hewitt, who has experience in establishing charities and has recently been involved in a number of significant mergers and de-mergers.
The team advises corporate charities, and the Arts Council of England also continues to instruct the practice.
(Source: Legal 500, 2009 edition)