Bates Wells

Key contacts

Leticia Jennings – Partner

Leticia is a partner in Bates Wells’ Dispute Resolution & Litigation team, where she leads on a variety of contentious matters with a particular focus on litigation relating to charities, charity governance, charity legacies and charity fraud. She is often instructed by charities and other not-for-profits who wish to make a positive impact by bringing or supporting claims with strategic objectives, including those relating to climate change.

 

 

Laura Soley – Partner

Laura is a charity law specialist who advises on a broad range of charity and governance matters. Laura has particular expertise in advising on charitable trusts, endowment and legacies, legacy fundraising and administration matters, as well as helping charities to resolve difficult legacy issues.

 

 

Lucinda Ellen – Associate

Lucinda works with charities to resolve disputes relating to their legacies, including claims brought under the 1975 Act and challenges to the validity of wills. She also advises charities on requests for ex gratia payments. Lucinda provides training on these issues including as part of the ILM member training programme.

 

 

Natalia Brownlie – Solicitor

Natalia advises a wide range of charities on how to resolve challenges to their legacies. She has experience of resolving claims brought under the 1975 Act, challenges to the validity of a will, and where a legacy has been paid to the wrong beneficiary. Her aim is to resolve matters in a prompt and cost-effective way.

 

Location

London: 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE

Testimonial

“Always very impressed with the advice and guidance provided by Leticia Jennings. She is pragmatic, commercially-minded and appreciates the reputational sensitivities that clients are conscious of.”
Head of Legacies at leading UK charity

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About Bates Wells

Bates Wells understands charities and all aspects of the charity sector, having specialised in this area for more than fifty years. We know that you need a prompt, practical, cost-effective service, balancing all relevant matters including financial pressures and reputational issues.

Our experienced legacy team can provide you with all the services you need, from advice and assistance on day-to-day legacy administration, through to advising on more complex legacy issues such as permanent endowment; trusts and trust disputes; gifts of shares, property; art-work and IP rights; challenges to legacies left by Will; claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975; claims in proprietary estoppel, cy-près schemes, ex gratia payments and the refusal of gifts where necessary or appropriate.

Our sector-leading experts are also on hand to help with the legal aspects of legacy fundraising, including preparing and reviewing legacy marketing materials, advising on setting up new legacy fundraising campaigns, and advising on all regulatory and compliance issues.

We advise more of the top 3,000 charities than any other UK law firm, and are consistently ranked in the top tier for Charities by the leading legal directories Chambers UK and Legal 500. We are committed to supporting charities of all sizes including by offering a free initial consultation and discounted rates to our charity clients. We are the only law firm in the UK certified as B-Corp (a certification that is to business what Fair Trade is to coffee).

Beyond legal advice, we foster a community of charity practitioners, both experienced specialists and newcomers to the sector, by providing regular training and other events, and we have created a hub of resources for charities.

We look forward to working with you!