Philip is a partner in the charities and philanthropy team.
Philip advises charities, not-for-profits and philanthropists on a wide range of charity law and related issues. This includes governance and strategic matters, mergers and restructuring, establishment and registration, trading and their relationship with non-charitable subsidiaries, tax, fundraising and regulatory issues.He has a broad practice, but with a particular specialism in advising organisations in the education and arts sectors. These include schools, colleges, universities, arts bodies, artists and related entities.
Through the Charity Law Association, Philip is a critical friend to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
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Me in a minute
After training at a magic circle firm, I realised that I wanted to work with clients who are really making a difference in the world
After training at a magic circle firm, I realised that I wanted to work with clients who are really making a difference in the world, whether they're charities, other not-for-profit organisations, or philanthropists. I've now served these third sector clients for many years, and there's no doubt at all in my mind that I made the right decision. These clients need high-impact, cost-effective advice and that's exactly what I always aim to provide.
One of the benefits of working in this sector is that it always delivers a huge variety of work. In recent years, I've advised on a £1bn corporate donation, a high-profile public fundraising campaign in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Charity Commission statutory inquiries into household name charities, new global philanthropic projects and many more.
My wife is also a lawyer - in publishing - and we have two young children. In between work and parenting I'm a keen runner and a budding novelist. I'm also a trustee of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Arts Trust.