Trethowan’s dedicated charities team is adept at handling governance and regulatory matters, including restructuring, incorporation and trustee duties. The firm can further draw on its specialist expertise in data protection, IP, employment and contentious probate to provide wider advice to its clients. The practice is led out of Southampton by Sarah Humphrey, who is expert in charitable property issues, and Kirsteen Hook is well-versed in advising on governance matters, particularly in the education sector.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The team working between disciplines is a stand out for me. As matters cross, between governance and property, the solicitors from different departments work together seamlessly.’

  • 'Kirsteen Hook is sensible, practical and amazingly effective. She turned around problems and found solutions that had seemed impossible.’
  • ‘The team provide excellent support.'

  • ‘The charities team, and Kirsteen Hook in particular, are extremely knowledgeable, wise, and unlike most other charities' teams in the legal world, they are locally-based which is important to us.’
  • ‘Kirsteen Hook has exceptional knowledge, wisdom, and ability in dealing with unusually complex issues and deals with the details well also. She does not promise what she cannot deliver but understands what can and cannot be achieved.’

  • ‘Great all round service from the team at Trethowans LLP.’

Key clients

  • RSPCA
  • The Army Museums Ogilby Trust
  • Stewardship Services (UKET) Limited
  • Royal Navy Winter Sports Association
  • Home Start Portsmouth
  • The F. Glenister Woodger Trust
  • Launchpad Social Enterprise
  • Paint Pots Nurseries and Pre-Schools
  • MyTime Young Carers
  • Hawk Conservancy Trust

Work highlights

  • Representing the RSPCA on a number of prosecution matters.
  • Advising on the formation of a new charity formed to advance education in readiness to receive estate funds > £1 million.
  • Advising MyTime Young Carers on steps required (including a Charity Commission order and a cy-pres scheme) to deal with a number of historic complex governance arrangements.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Sarah Humphrey, Kirsteen Hook