Associate (Charities and Philanthropy) - 3-5 PQE

About Withers

A law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration.

For the past 125 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organisations at defining moments in their lives.

As the global private client firm, we are trusted advisors to families, founders, fiduciaries and businesses – and more than this, to governments, charities and financial institutions.

We structure, grow and preserve capital. We protect reputations and relationships, ideas and innovations. We secure our clients' legacies across generations. We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality and collaboration. We have a culture of high performance and deliver excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals.

Many of our clients are shaping the future and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. It makes for a fascinating and challenging practice.

Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them to get there – whether they are building a business, buying a home or protecting and defending their interests.

To meet their unique needs we are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones. And we are agile – focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy.

We are delighted that we have been awarded Mansfield Certification Plus in relation to our recruitment and leadership progression efforts in the US and UK. This certification is an encouraging milestone as we continue to champion diversity within our organization and in the wider legal sector.

Join us to be part of a team that is always looking to the future. Where initiative, big ideas and bold moves are always encouraged. Where you can truly be yourself.

The Team

Providing legal services to charities has always been a core area of work at Withers. The team helps not-for-profit organizations at every stage of their development involving lawyers from many of the firm's different practice areas.

We are recognized as one of England's leading charity law practices advising both domestic and international clients, being ranked in Band 1 in both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. We act for many of the UK's top charities and are frequently referred work by other lawyers and intermediaries because of our in-depth knowledge of charities and the law and regulation that apply to them.  We have particular experience in relation to charities operating in the fields of education, healthcare and the arts and in advising family foundations. 

Many members of our Charities and Philanthropy team are themselves charity trustees, giving our team a very real insight as to the concerns, governance and aspirations of not-for-profit organisations.  Members of our team are also regularly seconded to major clients, gaining further valuable insights and experience.

Our charity clients represent the diversity of the sector.  We act for charities across the sector, including those working in education (including schools, Oxbridge colleges and various universities), healthcare and research (including Cancer Research UK and NHS Charities Together), international relief (including British Red Cross), the arts (including Arts Council England and the TATE), animal rights charities (including the RSPCA) and the support of the charity sector itself (including National Council for Voluntary Organisations). 

The Role

We are seeking to appoint a mid-level associate to work on a caseload consisting of charity law, trust, tax and commercial advice for charities; regulatory work in dealing with the Charity Commission; and philanthropy advice for businesses and individuals wishing to establish or work with charities.

The successful candidate will be involved in all legal aspects affecting the businesses of many leading organisations including: 

Key skills and experience

• Must be admitted in England & Wales
• 3 - 5 years post qualification experience
• Excellent academics and the benefit of broad training in a well-regarded charities team or strong commercial and/or trust law skills and a demonstrable interest in the charity sector
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, technical ability and solid drafting skills
• Effective team player - able to work effectively with colleagues in a vibrant but close-knit, friendly environment
• An engaged attitude with excellent people skills and a good, clear communication style
• A willingness to take responsibility and ability to form strong working relationships across all areas of the practice in the UK and internationally
• Ability to communicate and handle client contact (both internal and external) from the outset
• Good commercial awareness and a pragmatic outlook
• Familiarity with using IT e.g. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

The essentials

• Working hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm but flexibility is a must
• Hybrid working (a minimum of 2-3 days per week on average in the office)
• Flexible benefit package

Information for Recruitment Agencies

Withers endeavours to recruit and fill vacancies directly. However, when we do need to engage with agencies, Withers operates a preferred supplier list and will not be accepting unsolicited applications from non-PSL agencies for this role.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement 

It is the policy of Withers to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion.  Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.