Independent advice and governance
We take a partnership approach when it comes to guiding and advising trustees. We will work with you closely to ensure you not only meet your responsibilities in the role, but also have a clear understanding of the impact of your investments. Our advice is fully independent, and we are able to search the whole of the market for the most suitable solutions.
Independent investment review
Our independent investment review service is designed to give you total confidence. From ensuring your regulatory requirements are met, to providing detailed and intuitive reports that benchmark performance, trustees and stakeholders alike can have complete peace of mind about the trust’s management.
Meeting the goals of the trust
We understand the importance of ensuring investments are aligned with the trust’s goals and values. We will establish where things stand now and where they need to be in the future, then carefully plan the route to success – carefully and actively managing the process from beginning to end.
Stephen Claus – Charity Law Specialist at Group IFA
Stephen spent the first part of his career as an administrator with the DWP. After about 10 years he moved on to private practice to qualify as a Solicitor and shortly after qualification, he joined the Government Legal service and was posted to the Charity Commission as an in-house lawyer. He became lead lawyer in the first prosecution of two trustees under the then new powers in 1995. He was with the Charity Commissions for 14 years.
On leaving the Commission he became the Head of Charity at what was then known as Martineau Johnson (a large commercial legal practice in Birmingham). He was also the assistant Diocesan Registrar to Bishop David Urquhart in that time.
The turnover of the legal charity practice which Stephen had built, grew 6 times during his time at Brabners. He provided trustees training and was a member of the University of Liverpool’s Charity Law unit external advisory panel with others including High Court Judges and senior members of the bar.
Stephen has been rated as first in the North West for many years by the legal 500, and advised on secular law for charity as well as ecclesiastical law for both Anglican issues and Roman Catholic issues. Stephen had many eastern religious charities who sought advice from him.
In April 2022, Stephen became a consultant to Group IFA. Stephen has provided some useful documents regarding charities and trusts which you may find helpful. See links below:
- Charities within England and Wales
- What is a charitable purpose?
- Duties of Directors of a company
- Types of Charity Structure
- Charity trustees and investment -ESG
- Charity Act 2022 Phase 2 Implementation
- Charity Trustees – am I personally financially safe?
- Charity and the Law in 2023
- Charity: Trouble at Mill?
- The Charities Act 2022
- Charities: More to know about financial difficulties