Rebecca assists charities and other not-for-profit organisations with issues such as:

• changing structure, including through incorporations, conversions and mergers;

• restricted funds and permanent endowment;

• drafting, reviewing and amending governing documents;

• engagement with the Charity Commission, including applications, Schemes, Orders, FOI requests, complaints and investigations;

• setting up new charities, including where an initial application has been refused;

• reviewing and drafting agreements, including for grant funding, sponsorship, fundraising, partnerships and other types of collaboration;

• intellectual property, including trade mark applications and licensing arrangements;

• providing training for charity trustees on their legal duties and other governance issues;

• internal disputes, serious incident reporting and removal of trustees; and

• charity-specific issues relating to the Equality Act 2010.

Rebecca is particularly known for advising charities with unusual or historic governance arrangements, including ancient trusts, multiple linked charities, permanent endowment and missing governing documents. She helps organisations simplify their structures, manage risk and establish governance arrangements that support their long-term objectives.

Rebecca also regularly advises on engagement with the Charity Commission, including registration applications, Schemes and Orders, investigations, complaints and complex regulatory matters. She has successfully assisted organisations in overturning decisions refusing charitable registration.

Clients value Rebecca’s ability to explain complex legal and regulatory issues in a practical and accessible way, particularly where organisations are navigating sensitive governance issues or significant organisational change.

Rebecca trained at Russell-Cooke and joined the team on qualification.

Prior to becoming a solicitor, Rebecca worked for several years in legal research, publishing and knowledge management. She has also worked within the charity sector and volunteered in the fields of criminal justice, education and homelessness. This experience gives her a first-hand appreciation of the practical challenges faced by charity leaders and trustees.

• Advising a wide range of charities, including health and care charities, charities governed by Scheme, religious organisations, corporate foundations and community organisations, on incorporations, conversions and wider structural change projects.

• Acting for a well-known cancer charity in connection with a wide variety of relationship/contractual matters, including with multinational corporations, small businesses, other charities and individuals.

• Advising a large educational charity in connection with intellectual property, restricted funds, contracts with local authorities and universities, and general governance matters.

• Supporting a prominent national charity to release restrictions attached to various permanent endowment and/or restricted funds, and therefore free up capital.

• Supporting a number of PCCs in connection with difficulties and disputes arising from complicated and ancient governance and funding arrangements.

• Assisting several organisations to successfully challenge Charity Commission decisions refusing registration, in some cases securing charitable status within weeks.

• Advising charities supporting other charities, including through grants, gifts and the establishment of permanent endowment funds.

• Obtained an LPC, London Metropolitan University, Distinction.

• Obtained a BVC, University of Law, Outstanding.

• Obtained an LLB Law, Cardiff University, First Class.