England - London • Private client
1

Charities and not-for-profit

Stone King LLP

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Co-led by Stephen Ravenscroft and Hannah Kubie, Stone King LLP has an enviable reputation in the market for its work on a broad range of issues from crisis management work to advising on innovative charity formations and registrations. It has a strong national offering, and is particularly well regarded for its work with education-related charities and faith charities. Julian Blake is another important member of the ‘friendly and responsive’ department. Rosamund McCarthy Etherington is a leading charity lawyer who works across many sectors, and has a keen interest in governance, while Ann Phillips is another known name in the market who has a wealth of experience in diverse areas, and has advised many long-established charities on complex trusts and endowments. Lee Coley has a broad practice that predominantly focuses on ecclesiastical law and charity law affecting the Church of England. Chris Jones joined the team from Harris & Harris.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Stone King offers first class legal and management expertise at all levels, combining exceptional expertise in sectors, leading solicitors across a wide range of specialist fields, regional teams as centres of excellence nationwide and client care second to none making the firm a first choice for my clients'.

  • ‘Responsive team. Support us over a variety of different areas, including government contracting, commercial activities, HE/employment law, IP and charity governance. Committed to the charity's success'.

  • ‘Stephen Ravenscroft - Responses to claims have been handled with judgement, care and sensitivity, and have seen the firm working successfully and very constructively with trustees of the trust and gallery'. 

  • 'The specialist support and advice provided by Lee Coley and more recently by Frances Godden is excellent. This is particularly in respect of land and trust matters. Lee Coley is measured and considered and provides clear advice and guidance that supports me to make effective decisions'.

  • ‘Julian Blake is the most committed, probably the most able and in my view the best charity and social enterprise solicitor. He provides exceptional client care and support and consistently achieves effective solutions whatever the complexities'.

  • ‘Stone King has exceptional expertise in the field of social enterprises and the wider social economy. They are highly skilled and experienced and value driven which makes them stand out from lawyers in other firms. Key people working in this area that really stand out include Julian Blake, Hannah Kubie and Nicole Reed'.

  • ‘In my experience of Stone King, their depth of knowledge - both legal and practical within the charity sector is fantastic. Their ability to make the law accessible but also 'put themselves in the shoes' of their charity clients is so valuable. They are consistently strong listeners, pragmatic whilst guiding you within the law'.

  • ‘Ann Phillips has been a great source of strength, expertise and legal brain. Equally Julian Blake. Efficient, focused, rounded and informed in their advice. Their work is pre-emptive, thoughtful and acknowledges the operating environment of their client’'.

Key clients

  • Mermaids
  • National Union of Students
  • Higher Education Statistics Agency
  • Reach Foundation
  • Oasis Charitable Trust
  • Baker Dearing Educational Trust
  • Northern Roots (Oldham)
  • Community Leisure UK
  • Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
  • Alzheimer’s Society
  • De La Salle Brothers
  • Diocese and Bishop of Bristol

Work highlights

  • Advising Mermaids on its engagement with the Charity Commission and governance matters.
  • Advising the National Union of Students in relation to allegations of antisemitism.
  • Advising the Higher Education Statistics agency on its merger with Jisc, creating a sector body capable of generating ‘real time’ data on educational outcomes to inform improvements in educational provision.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Julian Blake
Hall of fameStone King LLP
Julian has specialised, for over 30 years: in Social Enterprise; Charity; Responsible Business; Public Service Reform and Innovation; Co-operatives and Stakeholder Participation; blending business and public benefit legal disciplines. He has been especially involved in the development and maturing of Social Enterprise, Social Finance, Social Value, and Social Impact Investment and Measurement and their application to Public Policy. He promotes public value, purpose and partnership in Public Procurement and Public Sector Contracts and State Aid and Public Sector Grants, championing the Innovation Partnership. He promotes a distinctive approach to contracts as practical working agreements (as noted in the 2020 Kruger Report to Government on Civil Society). He works particularly in relation to: Community Transport; Education (particularly Further Education); Health and Social Care; Rehabilitation and Justice; Renewable Energy; and Employment and Youth Services  
Ann Phillips
Hall of fameStone King LLP
Ann Phillips is a former Chairman of Stone King, and now works in the Charity & Social Enterprise Team as a Consultant. Her work encompasses all varieties of charity and social enterprise structures, advice on constitutional and governance issues, mergers and restructuring, trading and commercial relationships, dealings with the Charity Commission and other regulators and international operation and arrangements. She also has considerable experience of military charities, as well as heritage and fine arts organisations and endowed charities of all kinds, many of long establishment, including Royal Charter charities.
Rosamund McCarthy Etherington
Hall of fameStone King LLP
For more than 25 years, Rosamund has utilised the law to create, merge or restructure charities and not-for-profits, set up efficient funding arrangements and work alongside as well as challenge the decisions of regulators. As well as advising on long-term and technical charity law issues, she also advises charities in the eye of the storm, helping them to navigate through a regulatory, governance and media maze. Rosamund has a track record in defending the rights of charities and campaign bodies. She also advises political bodies and campaigners on non-party campaigning electoral law and is the co-founder of the Electoral Law Forum. Rosamund is a trusted advisor to the Chief Executives, Chairs, and Boards of charities.  She works across many sectors, including children and young people, international development, education, the arts, faith, animal welfare and health. Rosamund’s clients include start-ups, household name charities, international foundations, membership bodies, royal charter bodies and corporate foundations.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Stephen Ravenscroft, Hannah Kubie

Other key lawyers

Julian Blake, Rosamund McCarthy Etherington, Ann Phillips, Chris Jones, Lee Coley, Reema Mathur, Nicole Reed, Frances Godden

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