England - East Anglia • Private client
Birketts LLP
Birketts LLP‘s team has ’a great and growing charity law practice; the team is very responsive and knowledgeable’. The Ipswich office is the key hub of related expertise, and is home to charity law specialist and practice head Liz Brownsell, who is ‘always on hand to give quick, practical advice in a responsive and tailored manner’. Employment expert Sonya O’Reilly also plays a key role in the practice, as do senior associate Jennifer Marley and legal director Louisa Saunders, who both assist with incorporation, governance, commercial and land-related matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Birketts have a great and growing charity law practice; the team is very responsive and knowledgeable, with lower rates than London firms; their fee arrangements are always clear, upfront and transparent.’
‘I have worked with Liz Brownsell for many years; she is very knowledgeable, abreast of the latest developments in charity law and regulation, and always on-hand to give quick, practical advice in a responsive and tailored manner. Her client care is exceptional.’
‘The practice ensures it has a good understanding of the operation of our organisation, the needs and challenges that we face. There is a good diversity of strength within each respective team.’
‘Sonya O'Reilly is our lead partner and she works hard to ensure that we receive a high level of customer care and support as well as in her specific field of law. Liz Brownsell has also been very supportive and worked well to ensure a recent change in our structure went through as smoothly as possible.’
‘I found Birketts LLP to have the experience of dealing with charities and the expertise necessary to sort out our particular needs. This gave me the confidence that our legl problem was in good hands and would be resolved and this proved to be the case.’
‘Associates at Birketts LLP are knowledgeable, understanding of the issues that need to be resolved and helpful in sorting them out. In particular, I was very impressed with Amy Bradburne who became my regular contact and constantly updated me with progress reports to arrive at our end goal.’
‘The practice is particularly strong and innovative in the creation and governance of charitable structures. The team is also exceptionally well-placed to handle cases which cross over with litigation, real estate, or probate and succession because they work so well with the strong teams that Birketts have in those areas.’
‘Liz Brownsell is extremely astute and knowledgeable, and has a fabulous grasp of developments in the third sector. She also works very hard for her clients.’
Key clients
- Amnesty International
- Barnardo’s
- Trust for London
- The UK Cyber Security Council
- The Institution of Engineering and Technology
- What Works for Early Intervention and Children’s Social Care
- Child Health Research CIO
- The Royal Academy of Arts
- The Diocese of London
- The Royal Horticultural Society
- National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB)
- London Diocesan Fund
- East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices
- East Anglian Air Ambulance
- Quadram Institute of Biosciences
- The All Saints Educational Trust
- St Mary's West Kensington
- Margate Creative Land Trust
- St Elizabeth Hospice
- Priscilla Bacon Norfolk Hospice Care Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising Amnesty International on a major governance reform project, following a governance review report presented to the International Board.
- Advised What Works for Children’s Social Care on its merger with the Early Intervention Foundation to become 'What Works for Early Intervention and Children’s Social Care', which completed in December 2022.
- Advising The UK Cyber Security Council on its transfer to Royal Charter status as a new professional membership charity established to raise and regulate standards of practice within the cyber security industry, having previously advised on its establishment and on its application for a Royal Charter.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Liz Brownsell