The law and practice referred to in this article or webinar has been paraphrased or summarised. It might not be up-to-date with changes in the law and we do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided at the time of reading. It should not be construed or relied upon as legal advice in relation to a specific set of circumstances.
Our work with charities and social enterprises
Stone King’s work with charities and social enterprises has always been at the heart of our practice. We are recognised as one of the leading law firms for charities in the UK. Our lawyers act for many hundreds of charities across the sector from household names, including almost 200 of the largest charities in the UK, through to local community groups.
The lawyers in our charity and social enterprise sector group work predominantly for charity clients and are able to provide practical solutions to problems based on our in-depth knowledge and experience of charities and how they operate. We understand the environment in which charities and social enterprises operate and that “charities mean business”.
Our charity and social enterprise sector group of over 50 lawyers is spread across our regional office network and is headed by Tim Rutherford (Partner, Bath and London). Within the sector group we have one of the largest teams of specialist charity lawyers in the country, including Ann Phillips (Senior Partner Charities, London), Julian Blake (Partner, London), Tom Murdoch (Partner, Leeds), Hannah Kubie (Partner, London) and Reema Mathur (Partner, London).
Supporting charities and social enterprises is our core focus. Please get in touch with us today to discuss how we can support you and your organisation.
Key partners
![]() |
Core partner of E3M, Stone King, provides expertise and shares experience and knowledge about the key ingredients for successful social enterprise development and growth. |
What our clients say
‘Tom Murdoch has provided very sound advice that reflects his understanding of the practical realities of running a charity. He has continued to provide pragmatic advice.’
What our clients say
‘The firm uses a good thoughtful and consultative approach in its client interactions.’
What our clients say
‘Both Tom Murdoch and Sam Dowgill have been approachable, listen well and respond in a timely way.’
What our clients say
‘They have taken time to understand our issues and tailored their approach to our circumstances. Stone King have also been clear with their advice and challenged us when appropriate.’
What our clients say
‘I have worked with one individual in particular at Stone King (Tom Murdoch). He has gone out of his way to support, encourage, inform, structure, enable and ensure success in the projects that we have been working on together (gaining charitable status for local news organisations). I cannot speak highly enough of Tom, who demonstrates both a deep knowledge of the law and the ability to apply it exceptionally well on behalf of his clients (in this case the charitable body on whose board I sit).’
What our clients say
‘I have been privileged to work with a number of people from Stone King. I have found them to be assiduous, helpful, insightful, constructive and – very importantly – always good listeners.’
What our clients say
‘They have a real understanding of religious organisations and can offer support for a variety of matters that wouldn’t occur for many secular organisations.’
What our clients say
‘Their knowledge of the charity sector is excellent. We worked very closely with Tim Rutherford and Alice O’Mahony and they are a superb team.’
What our clients say
‘They are outstanding in their expertise, approachability, efficiency, and support.’
What our clients say
‘I found Stone King utterly refreshing. Their collaborative approach, made it possible for me to get the outcome I wanted whilst being compliant, this is very different to having to mold my ideas to fit a model with other firms.’
What our clients say
‘Ann Phillips has been a great source of strength, expertise and legal brain. Equally Julian Blake. Efficient, focused, rounded and informed in their advice. Their work is pre-emptive, thoughtful and acknowledges the operating environment of their client’.
What our clients say
‘In my experience of Stone King, their depth of knowledge – both legal and practical within the charity sector is fantastic. Their ability to make the law accessible but also ‘put themselves in the shoes’ of their charity clients is so valuable. They are consistently strong listeners, pragmatic whilst guiding you within the law’.
What our clients say
‘Stone King has exceptional expertise in the field of social enterprises and the wider social economy. They are highly skilled and experienced and value driven which makes them stand out from lawyers in other firms. Key people working in this area that really stand out include Julian Blake, Hannah Kubie and Nicole Reed’.
What our clients say
‘Julian Blake is the most committed, probably the most able and in my view the best charity and social enterprise solicitor. He provides exceptional client care and support and consistently achieves effective solutions whatever the complexities’
What our clients say
‘The specialist support and advice provided by Lee Coley and more recently by Frances Godden is excellent. This is particularly in respect of land and trust matters. Lee Coley is measured and considered and provides clear advice and guidance that supports me to make effective decisions’.
What our clients say
‘Stephen Ravenscroft – Responses to claims have been handled with judgement, care and sensitivity, and have seen the firm working successfully and very constructively with trustees of the trust and gallery’.
What our clients say
‘Responsive team. Support us over a variety of different areas, including government contracting, commercial activities, HE/employment law, IP and charity governance. Committed to the charity’s success’.
What our clients say
‘Stone King offers first class legal and management expertise at all levels, combining exceptional expertise in sectors, leading solicitors across a wide range of specialist fields, regional teams as centres of excellence nationwide and client care second to none making the firm a first choice for my clients’.
What our clients say
"The team is lauded for its ‘well-presented advice’ and for the fact that there are ‘sufficient subject matter experts on hand to be able to tackle a wide range of questions’."
Legal 500