We hosted our online charities conference on 7 October looking at how Scotland’s charities can best respond to the changing landscape and how a commercial mind-set and sound governance can support a positive future.
We covered:
Victoria Simpson
Charity law specialist | Director
Victoria advises on all aspects of charity law and charity tax law and is a Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in charity law as well as a private client practitioner. She is also tax and investment qualified. She is co-author of “A Practical Guide to Scottish Charity Law”. Victoria sits on the ICAS Charities Panel and the Law Society of Scotland Charities Committee. She has also been a charity trustee of a large Scottish charity for over 14 years and was recently appointed to the board of the Andrew Carnegie Dunfermline Trust and Hero Fund, so has first-hand experience of the issues affecting the charity sector. Victoria acts for numerous charities. These include housing associations, royal charter bodies, religious bodies, higher education, schools, educational endowments, trusts, charitable companies, Scottish Charitable Incorporated organisations, community benefit companies and many more. Victoria also acts for a number of dual registered and international clients.
Gillian Harkness-McKinlay
Charity law, third sector corporate & commercial specialist | Director
Gillian is a corporate, commercial and charities lawyer specialising in working with public and third sector clients. Gillian specialises in advising on corporate structures for the third sector and on third sector corporate governance together with all aspects of charity law. She also works on the development and negotiation of commercial contracts for third sector organisations (services agreements, grant agreements, consortium agreements) and advises on procurement and subsidy control. She is also regularly involved in project-managing third sector mergers and joint ventures. Gillian was involved in the incorporation of Scotland’s first ever SCIO, drafted the legal sections of the “Developing Consortium Guide” (which was subsequently used as the basis for similar guidance developed by Westminster) and is a member of the Charity Law Subcommittee. Gillian is a charity trustee and finds this role invaluable in helping her to understand some of the key concerns affecting other trustees in the sector.
Scott Fyfe
Charity law, third sector corporate & commercial specialist | Associate
Scott advises third sector clients on all aspects of charity law, corporate law including corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and intellectual property. He also advises on the drafting, revision and negotiation of commercial contracts. Scott is frequently asked to present to clients on contract law matters, and the implications of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
Jon McGee
Property specialist | Director
Jon is a member of our Commercial Real Estate team with a wide ranging experience of commercial and estates property transactions including management of leasehold portfolios. Jon has an extensive background acting on behalf of public bodies, Higher and Further Education clients and is currently providing advice to Social Bite on its innovative village for people affected by homelessness. Jon’s experience allows him to understand the social and public benefit purposes that drive third sector client transactions, enabling him to provide focussed advice that balances regulatory, governance and budgetary considerations with sound commercial focus.
Barry Nichol
Employment law specialist | Partner
Barry advises employers in the third sector in relation to the whole spectrum of employment and equality law. He has particular experience in the education and charity sector and works closely with a number of independent schools and universities. Barry has practical experience of charity governance having served as a charitable trustee of arts charities for over 10 years. He also regularly runs bespoke practical training on equality and employment law issues.
No charity is too big or too small for us, we greatly value all of our clients and will take the time to get to know you properly. We’re regularly asked to advise on the variety of opportunities and challenges the sector faces, and seek to provide advice that is practical, straightforward and to the point.
Through our Charity and Third Sector group, clients can access recognised legal experts across all legal fields and we can provide advice on every area of the law. Contact our Charity law team to see how we can help you.
