Under Colin Liddell, the firm has developed a leading role in the provision of legal advice, Company Secretarial and administrative skills and financial services to charities, community organisations and other not-for-profit-distibuting bodies. Colin was the first solicitor in Scotland to be accredited by the Law Society for Scotland as a Charity Law Specialist and he remains the only one outwith Edinburgh and Glasgow. Colin also convenes the Perthshire Solicitors' Charity Law Group.
The Charities and Trustee Development (Scotland) Act came into force in 2006, when the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), based in Dundee, were given its full powers. Colin gives lectures about this throughout Scotland (as well as at the Official Launch of OSCR in April 2006) and is able to provide detailed advice to those involved with existing, new and prospective charities.
The firm acts for a growing list of charities and other non-profit distributing organisations - some with a national profile (such as the Children's Parliament, the Dunard Trust, The Guidelines International Network (involving some 50 member organisations in 26 countries), the Maritime Rescue Institute, Millennium Forest for Scotland Trust, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, Scottish Environment LINK, Scottish Native Woods, the Scottish Tartans Authority, and WWF Scotland), with a regional role (such as Arran Access Trust, Braemar Royal Highland Society, Glenesk Trust, Birse Community Trust, Benbecular Community Association, Grampian Woodlands Company, the Museum of Abernethy, Newburgh Community Trust, the Solway Firth Partnership, and the Southern Uplands Partnership) and others more locally-orientated (such as Logierait Bridge Company, Heartland Radio Foundation, Highland Perthshire Communities Partnership, Locus Breadalbane, and Pitlochry Festival Theatre).
Specifically, we can provide:
- advice about whether charitable status is appropriate (see FAQ)
- the setting up of charitable associations, trusts and guarantee companies
- the running and development of charities
- financial services for charities, including payroll services
- advice and assistance in fund-raising schemes and obtaining tax relief
- advice on trading by charities and setting up separate trading companies
- the amalgamation and changing the structure of existing charities
We provide a quick response to charities needing advice
