A North East law firm has highlighted three legal blind spots that it says charities should keep on their radar.
Newcastle firm Muckle, which has a team of specialist charity lawyers, says it can be easy to overlook legal issues affecting charities without access to lawyers who understand the sector. It has issued three tips for voluntary organisations to consider:
* Does your grant funder want comfort around subsidy control?
Grant funders that obtain their money from public funds will now require you to confirm that any grant you secure will not breach the º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s subsidy control regime, Muckle says. Charities should make sure they get specialist advice early to assess the position before you sign on the dotted line.
* Do your staff have firmly held beliefs?
Where a charity has a diverse staff, it stands to reason that they may hold strong but competing beliefs on matters like transgender rights or gender-critical beliefs. Sometimes those beliefs will reflect their faith but charities should ensure that their EDI policies and the way they treat their staff shows tolerance for all beliefs and does not prioritise one group over another, unless the law allows.
* Are you one post away from front-page news?
Not all publicity is good publicity. A charity’s reputation is one of its most important assets and should be protected throughout your operations. Organisations should ensure they have social media policies that meet Charity Commission guidance and set the framework for publishing content and engaging online.
Muckle has a team of charity specialists that can advise on the breadth of issues affecting charities. For more information, people should contact Samantha Pritchard, Charities Partner at Muckle on samantha.pritchard@muckle-llp.com.
