Constitutional & Governance

“Wilsons offer a unique service to charities, dealing with both contentious and non-contentious matters. They have excellent levels of knowledge across the teams dealing with complex matters.”

Chambers, 2027

“The team provides strong and reliable support for the charity legacy sector with great wills, trusts, and estate administration services. There is breadth and depth in the team, across both contentious and non-contentious issues. They are approachable and friendly, understand our internal governance processes, and some of the quirks that come with charitable clients.'”

Legal 500, 2027

“There's nobody quite like them in that they forge this extraordinary reputation in the market.”

Chambers, 2026

“Wilsons is able to put themselves in the charity's shoes and understand the risk/benefits which are prevalent in the charity sector.”

Chambers, 2026

“Wilsons is very good, very professional, very knowledgeable.”

Chambers, 2026

“Wilsons is very friendly and approachable.”

Chambers, 2026

“The charity team has built up a formidable reputation for excellence in advising across the whole area of charity law, from probate to contentious matters.”

Legal 500, 2026

“Strong and experienced team with significant experience in dealing with charity related estate administration and probate matters. A very high level of knowledge of issues affecting registered charities and strong governance advice.”

Legal 500, 2027

“This is a fantastic team. What really marks them out is the depth of their client-base: they act for seemingly all the major national charities dealing with the simplest claims up to the most complex ones.”

Legal 500, 2027

“Both the charities and the contentious trusts and probate teams at Wilsons are thoroughly excellent.”

Legal 500, 2026

Helping you put others first

Clear-sighted, connected and compassionate, our charity team is consistently ranked among the top two legal advisers to charities in the UK. From establishment and governance to collaboration and compliance, we advise charities across the spectrum.

Strength on your side

We have a wealth of experience in the charity sector and we’re proud to count a former senior lawyer at the Charity Commission among our team. As well as advising on governance and constitutional issues, we also cover:

•    Restructuring
•    Permanent endowment
•    Incorporation
•    Trustee powers and duties
•    Intellectual property
•    Charity land
•    Funding and fundraising 
•    Trading subsidiaries

For those starting up new charities, we can advise on charitable status and public benefit requirements. We also regularly help clients dealing with the Charity Commission and other regulatory authorities, from obtaining consents to handling formal inquiries.

Always up-to-date with the latest developments in charity and company law, we can review your governance reviews to ensure compliance and provide training specific to your trustees’ needs.