Updates

Our Response to the Law Commission’s Consultation on Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies

December 2024 saw the submission of our firm’s response to the Law Commission’s consultation on the Co-operatives and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. In preparing our response we worked alongside the Charity Law Association and a group of lawyers from other leading firms in this sector. The consultation covers a range of issues, from fundamental …
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Lord Briggs defends fixed recoverable costs regime for professional negligence cases

In a speech for the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association, Lord Briggs championed voluntary adjudication and gave qualified support to the use of fixed costs and one way costs-shifting to promote access to justice. On 11 November 2024, Bates Wells was pleased to host an event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the PNLA’s formation. In …
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Faith-based Organisations: 2024 and 2025 update

Welcome to our annual faith-based update. In this packed edition, we cover a range of issues that commonly present challenges for faith-based organisations and explore recent developments that will impact faith-based charities. In this edition, we explore: Read the update here or download a copy here. We hope you enjoy this update and find it …
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The Football Governance Bill – does Rugby Union need its own independent regulator?

English sport has traditionally followed a model of self-governance. However, times are changing. The Independent Football Regulator is being introduced imminently, and the England and Wales Cricket Board has opted to create its own arms-length regulator. In this series, Clara Hutter and Ben Thomas look at rugby union and ask whether a similar approach to …
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Strategic litigation and the water crisis

A few weeks ago, the March for Clean Water swept through London, with thousands demanding action on water pollution. The scale of the crisis is undeniable; only 14% of English rivers are ranked as having “good” or better ecological status, and over 10% of our freshwater and wetland species are threatened with extinction.[1] The Labour …
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Changing seasons heralding changes to private rented sector

This month we saw a test case brought in the High Court by a group of registered social landlords in Wales who sought clarification on whether contract-holders were required to pay rent whilst a landlord was in breach of their obligation to provide them with electrical condition reports.   The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 …
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Managing member disputes: what’s changed for social and private members’ clubs?

In the recent case of Gina Mok v The Lansdowne Club, Mr Justice Ritchie dismissed Gina Mok’s claim against The Lansdowne Club in its entirety. Bates Wells Leticia Jennings  and Katy Sawyer and David Reade KC acted for the Club throughout, and our statement about the judgment can be found here. A significant case for social and private members’ …
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Impact investing: key trends for 2024 and beyond

With increased awareness about the need for impactful decision-making, business operations and investments (both on a personal and corporate level), it is unsurprising that the rise in impact investing continues. The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) estimates that over 3,907 organizations currently manage $1.571 trillion USD in impact investing AUM worldwide, representing 21% compound annual …
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How corporate foundations can help give life to a purpose-driven business’ impact goals

Do you want to create greater positive impact that goes beyond your business? If you do, you might want to think about setting up a corporate foundation. In the UK, corporate foundations are usually registered charities set up by a commercial company. A corporate foundation works in long-term partnership with the business, maintaining a level …
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Strategic litigation roundtable: the present and the future, the threats and the opportunities

On 6 November 2024, we hosted a group of experts and leaders from charities, campaign groups and funding organisations to discuss the current strategic litigation landscape in the UK and the opportunities (and challenges) it presents for claimants. We reflected on the huge recent successes claimants have had, both domestically and in the international courts. …
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Getting granular about our science-based target

Greenwashing is a growing risk and these days everyone seems to be making claims about their environmental credentials. So, in this world of increasing misinformation and fake news, how can we (and others) be sure that claims about carbon reduction are legitimate? Being open and transparent about green claims will bring us very quickly to …
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UK Budget 2024: What does it mean for the charity sector

Yesterday, the Chancellor delivered what must be one of the most highly anticipated and politically charged Budget announcements in recent years. There has been a great deal of speculation of what was to be included and so it is good to know, with certainty, what tax changes are to be implemented so that organisations can …
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