Disputes over governance within charities often involve trustees, prospective trustees, members or other supporters and when they occur, they can be hugely damaging to the organisation. This is when you need a team of dedicated charity solicitors to step in and resolve the dispute quickly and decisively, otherwise it can prevent the charity from functioning effectively, as well as severely damaging its reputation.
In worst-case scenarios, disputes over internal governance can pose a more serious threat to your charity than those coming from outside your organisation. Internal disputes arise for a variety of reasons, such as disagreements or clashes between individuals, wider changes in society or concerted efforts to alter the direction of your organisation. Murria Solicitors excel at resolving all disputes rapidly and always in the charity’s best interests.
We can help by:
- reviewing the issues at the heart of your dispute and exploring mediation and other possible alternatives, always avoiding legal action if at all possible
- deciding whether to involve the Charity Commission and if so, how and when to do so
- assessing your chances of success when legal proceedings are unavoidable, as well as the likely impact on your organisation
- complying with the rules that apply when disputes involve ‘charity proceedings’, a specific kind of dispute that involves a charity’s internal administration
Dealing with and solving internal disputes involves highly complex legal issues and trustees may be called on to justify their decision or actions. They may also be required to meet the costs of any subsequent legal proceedings. In order to minimise these risks, you are well advised to seek legal advice at your earliest opportunity.
At Murria Solicitors, our team of charity specialists bring their experience to bear and are able to offer focused and practical advice, as well as a clear and objective perspective to aid you in understanding the advantages and disadvantages of your position. Our extensive knowledge of the charity sector is guaranteed to help you through any dispute and when necessary, we are happy to fight your corner in the courts.