Support Group Missions and Charities
Charity organisations are those organisations within a community that seek to serve the less fortunate by ensuring that they get basic living necessities at minimal or no cost. The less fortunate may include homeless people, the sick, the poor or even those with different forms of disability. The organisation acquires funds from donors in order to minimise the financial burden on the less fortunate. Legal professionals who work with these organisations are called charity solicitors.
More information on charity solicitors
Community organisations on the other hand are establishments that seek to satisfy a specific need or serve a certain purpose in a given community. These organisations are established by the members of the community and may often require that different members contribute either financially, through offering products or services to the other members of the society. More often than not, they are formed to improve the living conditions or the welfare of the members of the said community.
Charities usually target individuals who may not have the capacity to get the services or products provided on their own while community organisations target all members of the said community. Both charities and community organisations can be funded by donors or well wishes and may also require volunteers from the community to enhance success.
Assistance offered by lawyers to charities
As with all other organisations, charity organisations are governed by a set of rules and regulations. In order to comply with these rules, the organisations must understand the laws. Charity solicitors interpret these laws and ensure that the charities operate within the precincts of the law.
Guidance during registrations, overseeing contracting of different stakeholders such as employees and different service providers, ensuring that terms and conditions of service are worded in the clearest manner to communicate effectively to stakeholders as well as ensuring that other organisations do not infringe on the property of the organisation are some of the duties of solicitors to charitable organisations.
Within the course of discharging their mandate in the society, charities and community organisations may stumble upon legal suits brought about by different stakeholders. Lawyers who specialise in Charities and community associations will represent the organisation in such suits to ensure the best interest of the organisation is represented.
Specialised lawyers
While a general solicitor may have knowledge of how charities and community organisations work, they may not have the experience like that of specialised lawyers. While knowledge is important, there are skills and knowledge that can only be acquired through practice. This is why it is essential to work with solicitors or lawyers who specialise in charity law or community organisations.