Jo Coleman

Jo specialises in advising charities and not for profit organisations and those who work with them on all aspects of law and governance. 

Whether establishing new charitable organisations for philanthropists, or advising national household name charities on new projects or ventures, Jo delivers the project efficiently and in a straightforward manner. 

Jo advises across the range of charitable activity and has particular experience in advising membership organisations, religious bodies and family and corporate foundations. She advises on charity mergers, including on the mergers that created Cancer Research UK and Age UK. Jo also advises charities throughout their life cycle including: formation and registration, establishing trading subsidiaries and ensuring appropriate arrangements are in place; acquiring and selling properties; restructuring and incorporation; grant-making and fund-raising and bank financing; financial and social investment; managing special trusts and endowments; dealing with complaints and board room disputes; and ensuring a safe and ordered wind down. She is also an expert on all forms of charity and not for profit structures from Statutory Corporations and Royal Charter bodies, to companies limited by guarantee and charitable incorporated organisations through to charitable trusts, will charities and unincorporated associations.

She also advises on the governance of charities and not for profits. Using her decades of experience she helps to ensure that your organisation can meet the highest standards of charity governance by improving policies, procedures and working practices to enhance board effectiveness and deliver more for your beneficiaries.

Jo is a calm and expert support when charities face difficulties. Supporting trustees and charities that are the subject of regulatory scrutiny by the Charity Commission, face complaints by their members, beneficiaries or volunteers, and working with others in the firm in the event of data and health and safety breaches or probity issues.

She served a member of the Executive Committee of the Charity Law Association for nine years and as its Chair from 2020 to 2022 and was asked to give evidence to the Joint Scrutiny Committee in the House of Lords on the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act. She speaks on matters of charity law and governance and writes for the sector press. Jo has been a school governor and is currently a charity trustee.