Charity Governance and Dispute Resolution

Charity governance consultancy

My charity governance consultancy can bring your charity’s governance to where it should be: a robust framework which under-pins and sustains your charity.

Great governance is the key to effective delivery to your beneficiaries now and in the long term.

Getting your governance fit for purpose

I can help you:

  • Review and manage your trustees’ liabilities
  • Robustly assess the governance and financial risks your charity is facing  and identify key enhancements to your risk management
  • Demonstrate accountability and transparency in your decision-making and working practices
  • Update and revise your charity’s governing documents to ensure their procedures are being followed and that your activities are in alignment with them
  • Incorporate or amend your charity’s structure to ensure best fit, whether as a trust, an unincorporated association, a company limited by guarantee with charitable status or as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation

And finally I can help you communicate all of this clearly and crisply to your trustees, donors and beneficiaries

Charity Dispute Resolution

Your charity may be struggling with internal unrest,  disagreements between trustees,  staff, members and volunteers. Your charity may have problems  with its lease or be facing other property-related issues.

I can assist your charity with

  • objective investigations and reviews
  • internal facilitation and brokering
  • independent chairing of your trustees’ and other meetings
  • formal mediation to resolve otherwise-intractable disputes
  • appointment and removal of trustees
  • guidance as to working with the Charity Commission
  • “charity proceedings” with leave of the Charity Commission
  • protection and recovery of charity assets
  • property disputes
  • “serious issue” reporting to the Charity Commission
  • instances of theft, fraud and other dishonesty

A safe pair of hands

I was first a charity trustee in the 1980s. Although no longer in practice, I have thirty years’ experience as a dispute resolution solicitor  in which time I encountered a plethora of charity issues and involvements. I am also a member of the Charity Law Association.

I have a thorough understanding of what best practice looks like for a charity’s governance and for its administration.

My cost effectiveness and flexibility

I will give you:

  • A free initial consultation
  • A clear quote for any engagement – happily my fees are a fraction of those of lawyers or accountants
  • The reassurance of a safe pair of hands, with real experience of your trustees’ concerns and objectives
  • A fresh pair of eyes to evaluate your governance documents and procedures
  • Help with your statutory obligations and your risk assessment

Other ways I can help

I also provide charity governance training.

If legal work is called for, my expert legal services management is available to assist you and to save you time and money.

Where does your charity stand?

Take my popular Charity Governance Quiz and Good Trustee / Bad Trustee – the Quiz to find out!

Get in touch

Contact me on +44 (0)7914 005327 or send me an email.