Charities and social enterprises

The Third Sector (Charities and Social Enterprise Solicitor Newry):
Not for profit organisations are a key third sector of our economy with specific challenging and evolving needs particularly in the areas of competition, procurement, administrative, corporate governance, property and employment law.

What we do (Charities and Social Enterprise Solicitor Newry):
We act for charities, housing associations and local groups on incorporation, constitution, corporate governance, employment, procurement, mergers, collaborations, joint ventures, trading subsidiaries, cy-pres schemes, charitable objects and the leasing acquisition and disposal of property. We also advise on the roles, responsibilities and liabilities of trustees, board and committee members, officers and directors.

We are committed to helping you meet the challenges of being a modern charity by providing an excellent range of Charity Law services.

We offer the highest quality service to clients, complemented by a real commitment to relationship-based working.

Our skills cover a broad range of matters, including:

  • Charity Commission;
  • Trustee(s);
  • Fund-raising;
  • Funding Agreements;
  • Trading;
  • Duties and responsibilities;
  • Governing documentation;
  • Group structures;
  • Joint projects;
  • Amalgamations;
  • Mergers.

As Charity Law solicitors we take a flexible approach to your needs and tailor our services accordingly. Some clients choose to use us to address a wide variety of issues, almost like in-house lawyers. We provide them with advice on matters as diverse as to remunerate a trustee, protecting a charity logo, or entering into a fund-raising agreement with a commercial entity.

Other charities may employ in-house legal staff or receive assistance from NICVA and therefore only call on our services on an ad hoc basis. In these cases we happily provide advice and support in relation to special projects, such as a review of governing documentation to reflect changes in law and best practice, or making arrangements for a joint project with another charity.

However you prefer to work, we do all that we can to add value to your organisation.

  • Employment;
  • Legacies;
  • Trusts;
  • Wills;
  • Intellectual property;
  • Child protection;
  • Data protection;
  • Buying and selling property;
  • Regulatory compliance;
  • Project planning;
  • Funding and coaching;
  • Mentoring and training.

We undertake a wide variety of work for social enterprises – from advice on the right legal structure through to drafting or advising on procurement issues and contracts, employment advice, property, and dispute resolution.

Public service provision is going through a sea change. All across the public sector, groups of providers are being encouraged to “go it alone” by forming separate social enterprises, often taking cooperative or mutual form.  The Localism bill includes a “right to provide” which will apply to all kinds of public services.

If you are on this journey, many questions will come up along the way:

  • What is the best legal structure to choose?
  • What happens to employment and pension rights?
  • What about our offices and our equipment?
  • The process is a challenging one but we can guide you through the minefield.

We are ready to help you, whether you are a local authority or other public body looking to “externalise” a service, or a group of employees looking to form a new social enterprise.

If my you have any questions and want an immediate response please contact our Mr Kevin Newry who is happy to answer your questions by return of email to kevin.neary@scconnolly.com.

Licensed to practice in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (Company Law Solicitor Newry)

A vital extra dimension to all these services is that, since we are licensed to practice in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, we are uniquely placed to advise the increasing number of businesses choosing to pursue commercial projects on both sides of the border.

Being licensed to practice in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, we provide high-quality, all-Ireland legal services to business. Our Strategic location in the city of Newry near the border and within easy reach of Belfast and Dublin also offers obvious advantages.

Whatever your requirements then – acquisitions to restricting, from property to inward investment – our professional approach and practical advice ensure that you maximise your business opportunities while avoiding the pitfalls.

YOUR TEAM

Kevin J Neary
BCL TEP (STEP)
Notary Public Solicitor
Advocate – Principal

Educated at St Colman’s College in Newry, Kevin graduated from University College Dublin in 1982 with a degree in Law (BCL).

He graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Certificate of Professional Legal Studies in 1984 and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 1984. He was later admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland in 1992, as well as in England and Wales in 2008. He qualified as a Solicitor Advocate in 2013. He is also a certified Mediator.

Kevin has worked at Donnelly Neary & Donnelly since he was admitted to the Roll in 1984 and has been a partner in the firm since 1988.

Kevin is a Notary Public, and is currently the President of the College of Notaries in Northern Ireland. He is also a Trusts and Estates Practitioner (TEP) of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a member of the NI Commercial Property Lawyers Association. Kevin currently acts as Treasurer for the Irish Legal History Society and is Deputy Chair of the Statutory Committee for the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.

Kevin has experience in all areas of practise; however, Kevin specialises in commercial property, as well as in general conveyancing, trusts and wills.

Lisa Hynes
LL.B (TCD), LL.M (TCD)
Solicitor – Principal

Born in Donegal, Lisa was educated at Falcarragh Community School. She graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2007 with a degree in Law (LLB). In 2008, Lisa graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Masters Degree in Law. Her dissertation was focused on public interest law and was supervised by Gerard Whyte B.L. and Gerard Hogan, now Advocate General of the European Court of Justice.

Lisa graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a certificate in professional legal studies in 2010 and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 2010. She was then admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland in 2015.

Lisa sits on the Board of Governors of St Matthew’s Primary School. She has also participated on the Young Professionals on Arts Boards programme and was previously on the Board of Trustees of Aware NI.

Lisa has a special interest in conveyancing, as well as probate and administration of estates.

Daniel Neary
LLB (QUB)
Notary Public Solicitor
Advocate – Associate

Daniel was educated at the Abbey Grammar School in Newry. He then went on to study Law (LLB) at Queen’s University Belfast, graduating in 2014.

He graduated from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queen’s University Belfast, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Studies and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 2016.

Daniel is the fourth generation of the Neary family in the firm.

Daniel has a particular interest in immigration law. He also has experience in conveyancing and civil litigation.

About Us

The firm aims to give its clients the benefit of long experience, which is considerable bearing in mind the fact that all of the partners have been in practice in Northern Ireland for over twenty or more years.

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