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Funded/Community Legal Services

A local Law Centre can often provide advice to community groups although not necessarily on employer matters (use the Law Centres Federation web site to find info). A Council for Voluntary Service (or similar) often has some legal advice service for voluntary groups (see Local contacts page), usually free.

• LawWorks (was Solicitors Pro Bono Group) aims to enable and encourage lawyers to provide free legal help to individuals and community groups in need. Its LawWorks for Community Groups project provides free business law advice to community groups. Phone 020 7929 5601.

• Interchange Legal Advisory Service Over 15 years providing specialised legal advice to sector organisations at subsidised and affordable rates. Now at Hampstead Town Hall Centre, 213 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3 4QP, phone 020 7692 5860, email: legal@interchange.org.uk

• Environmental Law Foundation is the national UK charity linking communities to legal and technical expertise to prevent damage to the environment. Suite 309, 16 Baldwins Gardens, Hatton Square, London EC1N 7RJ, phone 020 7404 1030, email: info@elflaw.org

• Activists' Legal Project provides information about the law to people who are thinking of taking direct action, or who have taken direct action. Run by volunteers.

Commercial firms

Your local solicitor can probably deal with most legal matters for the organisation. If it is more of a personal issue, check out Community Legal Service Direct.

Specialist charity lawyers can be helpful on constitutions, contracts, possibly fundraising literature (e.g. legacy promotion or covenant forms), endowment arrangements. Advice on some of these may be available from accountancy firms. If your auditors are any good, they may be a cheaper source. If you want a 'city' type firm, the charity specialist is likely to be more cost effective than others.

NCVO has extended its approved lawyer panel to local firms around the country. Contact NCVO legal team on 020 7713 6161.

The following law firms are known to have specific charity/voluntary sector knowledge:

• Bates, Wells & Braithwaite Do various training events, including with Directory of Social Change; 15 specialist lawyers, produce regular legal update for clients; have experience in social enterprise too. 2-6 Cannon Street, London EC4M 6YH, phone 020 7551 7777.

• Berwin Leighton Paisner, Adelaide House, London Bridge. London, EC4R 9HA , phone 020 7760 1000.

• Bircham Dyson Bell# Charity clients from major national and international charities to smaller, grant-giving charitable trusts, include family charities, learned societies, royal charter companies, heritage trusts, membership organisations, service providers and research institutes. 1 Dean Farrar St, London, SW1H 0DY, phone 020 7222 8044, email: simonweil@bdb-law.co.uk

• Brabners Chaffe Street A north west England law firm with a Charities and Social Enterprise Unit. Stephen Claus is (at summer 08) one of the five legally qualified members of the Charity Appeal Tribunal. Horton House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool, L2 3YL, phone0151 600 3341.

• Burness (see under Business Units). Offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

• Campbell Hooper Charities group has acted for over 30 national charities (including Barnardo's) as well as local ones. In-house courses, free telephone helpline for charity clients. 35 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9JD, phone 020 7222 9070, email: ch@campbellhooper.com

• Anthony Collins# Based in Birmingham, "the largest social housing, charities and community regeneration operations outside London". 134 Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2ES.

• Thomas Eggar Sector clients generally larger charities? Offices in the south east.

• Farrer & Co Tends to have high-status clients. 66 Lincoln's Inn Field, London, WC2A 3LH, phone 020 7242 2022, email: enquiries@farrer.co.uk

• Foot Ansteys Offices in Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and Truro with dedicated charity and social enterprise team acting for organisations ranging from local voluntary groups through to national charities. Contact James Evans, Senate Court, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter EX1 1N, phone 01392 685243, email: james.evans@foot-ansteys.co.uk

• Goodman Derrick 90 Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1EQ, phone 020 7404 0606.

• Hempsons Offices in London, Manchester and Harrogate. Email: (city)@hempsons.co.uk

• Henmans has offices in Oxfordshire - clients include RSPCA, Oxfam, Cancer Research UK and Save the Children.

• Hewitsons Offices in Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Norhtampton, Saffron Walden. Clients include RSPB, local WIldlife Trust. (Head of Charities Team is Mr Chris Knight in Northampton office.)

• Hunters (incorporating Alexanders).

• Jordans Ltd, perhaps best known in the charity field for legal publications, also provides company formation, charity constitution, trademark and other services.

• Laytons, in Guildford, London and Manchester.

• Martineau Johnson has offices in Birmingham and London with a dedicated charity focus group of 8 specialist lawyers led by ex-Charity Commission lawyer Stephen Claus, and in excess of 200 charity clients. Contact Stephen Claus, Senior Associate phone 0870 763 1330, email: stephen.claus@martjohn.com

• Matthew Boyer A Devon-based practice. "Well over half of my work is for charities or for bodies seeking charitable status. In addition to charity law and corporate governance of charities, I specialise in planning & environmental law and health & safety. I work hard to keep overheads down so that I can offer a highly competitive specialist service to causes that I support". Phone 01647 432222, email: boyer@matthew-boyer.demon.co.uk

• Michelmores Offices in London and Exeter. The Charity Team aims to provide responsive and cost-effective advice to voluntary sector organisations. Phone 01392 688688.

• Pearcelegal "have been advising charities of all sizes for over 20 years, from village halls, Scout groups, schools, churches and missionary organisations to national and international organisations." The Corner House, 60 Colebank Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, B28 8EY, phone 0121 777 9099.

• RadcliffesLeBrasseur Various Updates publications, including Mental Health Law Briefings. 5 Great College Street, London, SW1P 3SJ, phone 020 7222 7040, email:jean.dollimore@rlb-law.com. Offices also in Leeds and Cardiff.

• Robinsons East Midlands firm with national coverage, and claim to be the leading provider of legal services to independent religious charities. 83 Friar Gate, Derby, DE1 1FL, phone 01332 291431, email: stephen.marshall@robinsons-solicitors.co.uk

• Charles Russell Some useful basic advice on the charity section of their web site. Has a dedicated team of charity specialists. 8-10 New Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 4RS. Phone 020 7203 5000, email: enquiries@cr-law.co.uk. Also in Cheltenham, Guildford and Oxford.

• Russell Jones and Walker Particular expertise in membership organisations, phone 020 7837 2808, email: enquiries@rjw.co.uk. Offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield.

• Sinclair Taylor and Martin have become the Charity Team at Russell-Cooke#. James Sinclair Taylor remains in charge and is a regular contributor at various sector events. 2 Putney Hill, Putney, London, SW15 6AB, phone 020 8789 9111.

• Speechly Bircham# They act for a broad range of charities, schools, housing associations etc, including service-providing and grant-making charities, and a number of significant family charitable trusts and foundations. Look under Private Client on the site. 6 St Andrew Street, London, EC4A 3LX, phone 020 7427 6400, email: speechlys@speechlys.co.uk

• Stone King Offices in Bath and London. "Act for many hundreds of voluntary organisations including over 150 of the country’s largest charities". Charity Services.

• Tozers# West country firm with offices in Exeter, Plymouth, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot.

• Turcan Connell has a charity law unit, and a Scottish focus (based in Ediburgh). Princes Exchange, 1 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9EE, phone 0131 228 8111.

• Veale Wasbrough#, based in Bristol, has a charities team.

• Watson Esam 18 Paradise Square, Sheffield, S1 1TY, phone 0114 2753350.

• Withers (site totally in Flash so we haven't been able to review it) See charity law as a core area of work, and run a programme of conferences and in-house seminars. 16 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7EG, phone 020 7597 6000.

• Wrigleys Solicitors. Particular interest in social economy matters, publishing a quarterly newsletter with Unity Trust Bank. The leading charity lawyers in the North East. 19 Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 3AG, phone 0113 244 6100, email: thepartners@wrigleys.co.uk

Also worth a mention

• Charlie Cattell has many eyars experience advising on social economy legal structures, and provides comprehensive registration services for companies, charities and community interest companies.

• EarthRights Solicitors 'A unique law firm which seeks to protect the environment by working with individuals and groups, ranging from local campaigns to NGOs, and green businesses - where appropriate for free or at low cost'. Email: earthrights@gn.apc.org or Devon office: charlie@earthrights.org.uk