Job Description

If you are an experienced Charities lawyer who is looking for a new opportunity and the chance to join a leading, national firm, then we would love to hear from you!

The role

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a talented and motivated charity lawyer to join our dynamic and growing team. We are a leading national law firm with a strong reputation in the charity sector, acting as trusted adviser to charities and not-for-profits regionals, nationally and internationally. We are committed to providing high-quality, practical legal advice that supports our clients' missions and values. Our clients include household charity charities, foundations, educational institutions, and social enterprises.



This role will ideally be located in either our Cambridge, Leeds or London office.

The person

You will have a strong background within charity law, with 5+ years PQE, gained in a reputable firm with a substantive charity law practice or equivalent in house experience. You will have solid experience in both transactional and advisory work for charities and be able to demonstrate the ability to work both within a team and independently. You are likely to have a passionate interest in this sector.



Depending on your PQE, you will be expected to perform (or develop your skills) as follows:



Client service


Deliver outstanding client service to both internal and external clients to encourage client retention and referrals Have a sound understanding of clients' legal, commercial and service requirements Have effective client relationship and client service skills ensuring we are easy to work with Willingness to take initiative and to participate in marketing activities and charity business development strategy planning Organisation and prioritisation - keenness to support colleagues and work as part of a supportive team, including collaborating with colleagues across our thriving sectors Able to cope with the demands that tight timescales can bring and thrive in a busy and dynamic environment

Technical excellence


Have strong technical competence, experience and legal knowledge in charity law Deliver high quality and commercially focussed advice Have excellent drafting and written communication skills Have excellent attention to detail Deliver training to clients and target clients Willingness to contribute to blogs, know-how and precedents supported by our professional support lawyer

The activities

This opportunity will suit ambitious charity lawyers who have experience and/or a keen interest in advising charity clients on high profile and interesting projects across the sector, and who want to be part of a truly collaborative and forward-thinking firm.



You will be involved in a wide range of matters, including:


Advising on charity law, governance and regulation Establishing new charities, including drafting governing documents and supporting policy documentation; Drafting and reviewing funding agreements and collaborations Supporting clients with Charity Commission & Privy Council applications and regulatory issues Providing advice on restructuring and corporate structures, including incorporations and mergers, joint ventures and charity trading

You will work closely with our charity partners and other members of the charity team, and be supported by a professional support lawyer. [Experience of working with other not-for-profit structures is desirable, but not essential].



We act for over 450 charities of all sizes, including some of the largest charities such as the Wellcome Trust and Children's Investment Fund Foundation and other high-profile names such Children in Need, The King's Trust and Chatham House. We also act for a number of registered and exempt charities in the Higher Education sector, including a number of Oxbridge colleges. Our core team of charity lawyers are supported by a national team of over 140 lawyers across our National Service Lines, working with charity and not-for-profit clients across the full range of our practice areas. We have monthly charity sector training sessions delivered by our professional support lawyer, together with cross-office and sector away days.


We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

The benefits

As you'd expect, we offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits.

Pre employment screening

If we offer you a role, we will conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening. This screening will include, but is not limited to, a basic DBS, verification of your right to work, a three year employment history and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details of our pre-screening employment process are available upon request.

The firm

Mills & Reeve is centred on achieving more for clients, their businesses and the wider communities we serve. Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning, and receive consistent experiences with no surprises. We tell them what they need to know when they need to know it.



We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don't offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations. Our 1,450 plus people and over 850 lawyers share one vision - achieving more for clients.



By joining Mills & Reeve, you'll have the chance to build your skills and experience within a firm that's not only ranked in the top 50 UK law firms, but also one that truly values their people. We're also ranked in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, and have been awarded Platinum Investors in People. Our mantra is "Achieve more. Together.", which we feel embodies our purpose and is more than just a catchphrase!



Our values are the principles that help us fulfil our purpose. Our people shaped them and live them every day.

We're ambitious

- We aim high, we embrace new ideas and we're passionate about our work

We're open

- We communicate openly and honestly to build trust, and we do what's right

We care

- We're committed to each other, our clients, our communities and the planet

We collaborate

- We're easy to work with, we offer help willingly and we get things done - together

And finally

Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help each person to thrive. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these.