Work concerning the establishment, governance, fundraising, trading and property of charities carrying out activity in Wales or based in Wales, including registration, reporting, mergers and winding up. A solicitor drafts and revises constitutions and trust documents, prepares registration submissions and annual returns to the Charity Commission for England and Wales, advises trustees on conflicts, remuneration and fiduciary duties, negotiates grant and commissioning agreements with Welsh public bodies, handles Gift Aid and tax compliance with HM Revenue & Customs, and completes land and property transactions. Devolved policy and Senedd Cymru legislation and guidance from Welsh Ministers can affect public benefit assessments and delivery of charitable services in Wales, particularly where charities work with devolved services.
What a solicitor handles in these matters
Solicitors manage registration and statutory reporting to the Charity Commission for England and Wales, advise trustees on governance in the context of Welsh devolved policy, draft grant and commissioning agreements with Welsh public bodies, and handle Gift Aid and tax filings with HM Revenue & Customs. They also complete land and property transactions with the relevant land register, document restricted funds, and prepare formal responses to regulatory enquiries, mergers and restructuring procedures.