Karen Collins

Election ’24: Charities and campaigning ahead of a general election

In spite of myths to the contrary, the vast majority of charities can campaign and engage in policy advocacy in the run up to elections, making the most of the opportunity that a pre-election period presents for furthering a charity’s purposes through policy and political work. Provided that your governing document does not expressly restrict …
Read more

Does government ‘do’ God?  The Bloom Review

Four years in the making, stretching to 159 pages, and considering over 21,000 responses from the public, the Bloom Review was published on 26 April 2023 by Colin Bloom, Independent Faith Engagement Advisor.  It is the first of its kind, a far-reaching and independent review into how government engages with faith in a broad range …
Read more

Election ’24: How election law might affect your organisation

For many organisations, general elections are a chance to push forward their agenda and build relationships with potential future MPs, ministers and parties of government. This includes charities and campaigning organisations seeking to promote their issue base and acquire pledges of support from candidates; businesses and trade associations seeking to influence commercial policy; and ‘pop-up’ …
Read more

The New UK Data Protection Bill – A Practical Summary

The UK recently introduced a new data protection bill, titled the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill (the Bill). The Bill is still at an early stage (second reading), and it remains to be seen how it will be amended, if at all, but we wanted to take the opportunity to give you an …
Read more

FAQ: How Bates Wells’ Parliamentary Agent could help your statutory not-for-profit

After a rigorous application process, Bates Wells’ Mark Abbott has become a “Roll A” Parliamentary Agent, meaning Bates Wells is now one of a small number of firms able to introduce and promote private Acts of Parliament for our clients. What is a Parliamentary Agent? A parliamentary agent is a specialist lawyer who can draft, and help clients to obtain, a …
Read more

UKVI refuses to commit to closing loophole for transgender individuals in right-to-work checks guidance

Employers are required to carry out right to work checks for any new employee or for an existing employee on a time bound visa. UKVI’s current guidance is clear on how right to work checks are to be carried out – but the guidance currently does not address how transgender individuals can adequately address discrepancies …
Read more

Setting up your EdTech company in the UK: What you need to know

If you are an overseas EdTech company considering setting up in another country, there are lots of advantageous reasons for choosing the UK. As well as being a popular jurisdiction for cross-border trades, it is simply really straightforward to set up a company in the UK. In this quick guide, Jean Tsang and Laura Hobbs explore the reasons why …
Read more

Remembering Andrew Phillips, founder of Bates Wells

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our founder, Andrew Phillips, Baron Phillips of Sudbury. Andrew died peacefully on Sunday (9 April 2023), after a short illness, with his family at his side. Andrew founded Bates Wells in 1970 and fought tirelessly to use the law as a force for good with both …
Read more

Take note | Bringing employee values to the table

According to a survey from Deloitte, nearly 2 in 5 young people have rejected a job offer or assignment because it did not align with their values. Another survey from McKinsey has shown that 90% of 18-25 year olds ranked having a positive societal and environmental impact in their career as a priority. Employers are …
Read more

B interested | Why and how does the B Corp community go against the grain?

This year, the theme for B Corp month is We Go Beyond. As well as promoting our usual resources and social media posts, we’re going even further by putting together a fanzine to give insight into the how and why our B Corp community goes against the grain. So, dive in to hear from radical …
Read more

Consider the Lilies: Giving Nature a Voice in the C Suite

Magazine articles and blogs, conference videos and podcasts, books and films: we are awash with information and ideas, making it hard for any, however good, to break through. Occasionally, one does and, happily, that appears to be the case with Giving Nature a Seat on the Board. The traction this idea is gaining lies in …
Read more

Bates Wells works with fellow B Corp Triodos to secure a loan for Heal Rewilding, a pioneering charity that takes action for the large-scale restoration of nature

At Bates Wells, we think beyond legal matters to ensure the work we’re doing helps our clients to create long-term positive impact, even after a solution has been achieved. We recently worked with fellow B Corp Triodos Bank to secure a loan for Heal Rewilding, which has now acquired its first landholding of 460 acres …
Read more