Whether you are starting up a charity, looking to grow, or facing a major challenge as a not-for-profit charity, our passionate and dedicated Sydney charity and not-for-profit lawyers and consultants are ready to help.
We are dedicated to serving charities and have extensive experience across areas our clients operate in. We offer a wide range of legal and business solutions for charities, and we are confident in our ability to provide them with a headstart.
Our Sydney charity and not-for-profit lawyers provide expert advice that will assist you to make decisions and provide you with practical solutions to achieve your mission and charitable objectives, whether you are:
Starting a Charity: what to do before you start, the incorporation decision, choosing the legal structure, registering as a charity, setting up your organisation, outlining your purpose. Think about the resources required, consider any fundraising requirements, and understand the importance of legal structure.
Managing the Charity: how do you run the organisation, who runs the organisations, governance requirements, do you choose rules or constitution, holding meeting, documents and record keeping requirements, undertake compliance health checks and identify areas for improvement.
Managing the People Involved: who are your beneficiaries, how do you gather supporters, how do you manage your employees, members, volunteers, and people privacy.
Fundraising and Trying to Generate Income: how do you seek funds or hold events, fundraising requirements and licences, events requirements as well as accessing grants funding.
Communicating and Advertising: Can you advertise and campaign for your mission, how do you protect your intellectual property, modern communication channels and privacy requirements, website and social media issues and compliance.
Entering into Important Agreements: general understanding of contracts and contracts reviews, funding agreements (Federal, State and Local), IT agreements, leases and property contracts.
Trying to Meet Government Obligations: how to meet your legal obligations and financial reporting requirements, special charities reporting requirements which depend on your legal structure.
Managing Risk and Insurances: appropriate risk management practices, selecting insurance covers, appropriate background checks, dealing with negligence accidents and incidents, adopting appropriate work health and safety measures, dealing with criminal conduct.
Accessing Tax Concessions: how do you gain Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) endorsement, apply for Fringe Benefits concessions, access Goods and Services (GST) exemptions, access Income Tax exemptions and understand State Tax Laws.
Managing Disputes and Conflicts: how do you handle complaints, manage internal and external conflicts especially when you are being taken to court and making best use of mediation, responding to Subpoenas and ACNC investigations.
Partnering and Working with Other Organisations: how do you collaborate successfully to achieve your mission, create effective Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), entering Auspicing Agreements, creating joint ventures, and entering partnerships, acquiring, or merging with other charities or sub-contracting.
Changing or Ending your Charity: if you decide to end your operations or require changing your entity structure, are you required to change your organisation’s constitution or rules, how do you change your organisation’s legal structure (for incorporated associations) or would like to end your organisation either voluntarily or compulsorily.
Contact us to find out more or to arrange a consultation with an experienced charities lawyer in Sydney.