Stephen Ravenscroft

Partner, Head of Independent Schools

07971 272008

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Stephen advises a wide variety of charities on their affairs, from charity formation and governance to operational matters, including management of major transactions and restructures. He also has extensive experience advising charities on their dealings with government, both national and local. He is also well known for his work with charities operating in the education sphere. This includes not only education providers and funders but also charities providing essential education infrastructure and sector bodies at the forefront of education policy.

Stephen has specialised in charity law for over 25 years and has a broad-based practice, acting for many large well-known charities as well as smaller and newly established organisations.

He has a national reputation for his work with education related charities. He has worked with education providers of all types and, having been involved in the school academies project from its inception, he worked on over 80 sponsored and 200 converter academy projects. This background means he brings a depth of expertise and understanding to his charity law advice to education charities, whether they be schools, colleges, education groups or sector bodies.
Stephen has also led a number of large projects to establish charities to take on services, such as leisure facilities, previously provided by local authorities and has dealt with the complex structural and funding and property relationships involved.

In addition, Stephen has long experience advising on fundraising techniques and regulation. He has advised, over the years, on many emerging and innovative fundraising techniques, some connected with high profile fundraising events. His expertise includes lottery regulation – on which he has given evidence to the Parliamentary select committee, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Reflecting his interest in education related charities, Stephen is a trustee of Bridewell Hospital, a charity established to operate two schools and he sits on the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton’s Academies Performance Committee, a group which oversees education within the Diocese.

He is a member of the Charity Law Association, and has previously served for 9 years on its Executive committee.

Recent work includes:

Leading an in-depth governance review for a high-profile charity with well-known celebrity supporters
Advice on the separation of a leading independent school from an associated higher education body
Advice on a novel lottery fundraising scheme incorporating a free prize draw entry route