Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP

Charities and Not for Proft

Emma is a partner and head of the firm's charities and not for profit team.

Emma’s clients are both national (Addaction, Katie Piper Foundation, Children in Need, Crisis UK) and regional (Mental Health Matters, Gateshead College, St John of God Hospitaller Services); and she has provided support to trustees and senior management on a variety of legal issues ranging from governance reviews and restructuring exercises, incorporations and mergers, fundraising trading and tax, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Emma is also an approved Interim Manager, appointed by the Charity Commission on cases where there are regulatory concerns relating to a charity.

Emma's clients benefit from comprehensive advice in areas such as employment and pensions, data protection, property and health and safety.

Emma's approach is to understand what her clients wish to achieve, so she can deliver excellent technical advice, but in a straightforward and commercial manner, focusing on solutions and outcomes.

Emma has worked on a number of college mergers resulting from a consolidation of the FE sector, she has acted as Interim Manager for a charity in relation to high profile safeguarding concerns, and is Interim Manager for a charity with internal governance issues to resolve. Emma is supporting a large membership body in its move to independence (creating an entirely new constitutional and governance framework) and is working with a significant national charity looking to develop its partnership arrangements with commercial fundraising partners.

Emma is immersed in the sector through her trustee roles, through her interaction with umbrella bodies and regulators. She is a regular speaker at events on issues affecting the sector, and is a member of bodies including ACEVO, CFG and AoC.

Trained and qualified at Farrer & Co 2002-07; solicitor, Dickinson Dees 2007; associate, Dickinson Dees 2009; director Dickinson Dees 2011; (head of team from 2012); Bond Dickinson on merger 2013; partner, Bond Dickinson 2014; partner, Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP on combination 2017. Trustee of Melete Foundation, Clerk Gateshead College.

Charity Law Association, Association of Colleges, ACEVO, CFG.