Karen Collins

How B Corp status might revolutionise football

Following the government’s welcome announcement on 25 April that it would seek to implement the recommendations of the Crouch Review – a “Fan-led Review of Football Governance” – there is now finally momentum in the need of reform for the country’s most loved sport. The issue with the various reviews into football, including the Crouch …
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Covid-19 Inquiry update: Terms of Reference

As you will have seen in the national press, last Thursday the Chair of the Inquiry wrote to the Prime Minister setting out her recommended changes to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference. The Chair has recommended that the Terms of Reference should be reframed to put possible inequalities at their forefront, so that an investigation …
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The new Subsidy Control Act – your FAQs answered

Lindsay Draffan and Suhan Rajkumar are here to untangle the new Subsidy Control Act and explain what it could mean for your organisation. What is the Subsidy Control Act (or SCA)? Sounds ominous. This is new legislation which effectively replaces the EU State Aid regime in the UK. The simple answer is that SCA controls …
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Bates Wells appoints new partner, Nirav Patel, to join corporate practice

We’re delighted to welcome Nirav Patel as a partner in our Corporate practice, where he will strengthen the firm’s M&A advisory offering and bring a wealth of experience in advising ESG-focused companies. Nirav has 10 years’ experience advising financial institutions such as private equity funds, UK and foreign government-backed funds and development finance organisations. Nirav …
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Managing investigations: a guide for charities

Investigations and inquiries are a difficult fact of life for charities, social enterprises and other public interest organisations. What are the key legal considerations? In this guide, we focus on investigations – both internal and external – and ask: • What’s the best way to respond to an external investigation? • How should you navigate …
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Mitigation, not litigation: let us help you avoid costly disputes

Our dispute resolution health check can identify and remedy potential issues that could cause you a problem in the future. Read more on how the health check could help your organisation.
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Covid-19 Inquiry: Organisations submit their responses

Following the closure of the public consultation on the Covid-19 Inquiry’s terms of reference, some organisations have made their responses to the Inquiry public. By way of example, in recent days, we have seen JUSTICE and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services Ltd (available here) publish their responses. The NHS Confederation published their response …
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Responding to a humanitarian crises – legal issues

Charities across the sector have been taking action to respond to the war in Ukraine and have been encountering some common legal questions in the process. When taking action in a humanitarian crisis, like the war in Ukraine or crises in Afghanistan and Gaza, our charity clients frequently encounter some common legal issues. We’ve prepared …
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Bates Wells’ 2022 partner promotions; 42% of partnership now women; 39% of partnership works part time

Bates Wells has promoted three women to its partnership, bringing the total partner headcount to 33, 14 of whom are women. Erica Crump, the firm’s head of Culture and Creative, has also been promoted to senior partnership. Sung-Hyui Park is at the forefront of the firm’s Purpose and Impact practice, where she supports businesses, charities …
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Choosing the right legal team for your foundation

When it comes to managing an emerging situation, early advice from the right legal team can make all the difference. Whether you’re already dealing with a difficult situation, or safeguarding against future disputes, it’s never too early to find the team with the right fit for your foundation. Our specialised legal team regularly helps foundations …
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Covid-19 Inquiry – Seeking views on the Terms of Reference

Further to our update yesterday in which we discussed the newly published Terms of Reference for the Covid-19 Inquiry, these Terms of Reference have now been posted on the Inquiry website, alongside terms of reference for the public consultation and a letter to the public from the Chair. A number of new pages have also …
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Covid-19 Inquiry: The Terms of Reference published today

The Terms of Reference for the Covid-19 Inquiry were published today. The Terms of Reference are available on the government’s website here, but do not yet appear to have been posted on the Inquiry website.From an initial review, the Terms of Reference seem to be widely drafted, stating that the aims of the Inquiry are to “examine …
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