Withers LLP

Charities and philanthropy.

Head of the firm's charities & philanthropy practice.  Particular areas of expertise are: regulatory investigations; safeguarding; cross-border collaborations, structuring and fundraising; charity governance and mergers; Royal Charter work; and advice to educational and healthcare charities.  Chris also advises on the structuring of complex charitable groups (both domestic and international) arrangements and the ownership by charities of underlying business and social enterprises. Chris has a strong reputation for advising corporate and private donors on their philanthropy strategies and the structuring of family foundations. He regularly addresses conferences on charity law topics, is a member of the executive board of the Charity Law Association and authored the ICSA Charity Trustee's Guide. Clients include Macmillan Cancer Support, Arts Council, College of Optometrists, Cancer Research UK, NSPCC; Girls’ Day School Trust; British Red Cross Society; and the Tate.

Trained Robson McLean; qualified 1994 (Scotland); partner Withers LLP 2003. Author of fundraising chapter in Tolley’s ‘Charities Manual’; regular contributor to Charity Press; trustee:  Barrow Foundation; and W.O Street Foundation.

English

Executive committee, Charity Law Association; Institute of Fundraising Codes of Practice Committees.

George Heriot’s School, Edinburgh; University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons; Diploma in Legal Practice).