Legal advice for faith-based organisations
Explore how we can help your charity organisation with any legal requirements.
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We are a leading charity law firm with a genuine understanding of faith-based organisations
Many of our lawyers are actively involved in their own faith communities in a personal capacity and accordingly bring a deep experience of the faith-based sector and the legal issues you are likely to face.
Our clients include organisations applying their faith in a wide range of contexts including: churches (CofE, Catholic and a range of independent denominations), hospices, youth work projects, international development organisations, alms houses and mental health charities. We also advise a large number of faith-based independent schools.
What is a faith based organisation?
A faith-based organisation is a non-profit organisation that is based on a particular religious belief or faith. These organisations are often involved in charitable work, community service, and advocacy for social justice issues, and their activities are guided by the principles and teachings of their faith.

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What legal services do we offer faith-based organisations?
Our areas of expertise include:
- Charitable status and public benefit
- Faith-based occupational requirements
- Safeguarding issues
- Trustee disputes
- Data protection
- Equality/discrimination issues
- Charity Commission investigations
- Property acquisition/disposal/disputes
- Legacies and fundraising
- Faith-based education
- Governance issues
Contact us
We have offices in Richmond, London, Guildford, Southampton, Lymington and Woking. Contact us for more information and expert legal advice.
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Don’t take our word for it…
The team’s specialist knowledge of the process for registering a new charity was invaluable as we needed to move at speed. From the initial call, it was clear that we were in safe hands with Moore Barlow’s charities and not-for-profit practice.
Legal 500, 2026
Detailed knowledge of legal issues and legal requirements facing charities. They seek to understand the particular circumstances and offer practical and tailored advice.
Legal 500, 2025
The personal touch and understanding of the people and the business they support is superb. The range of knowledge within the practice covers all the elements we would possible need and more.
Legal 500, 2025
Moore Barlow has a great understanding of charity law. The firm has always been able to answer any queries and communicate with us in layman’s terms.
Chambers and Partners, 2025
Moore Barlow provides a comprehensive range of advice for national and international charities. The team largely handles governance, transactional, and structural matters, including areas such as fundraising, mergers, regulatory, property, registration, and employment. Moore Barlow also has expertise in youth charities alongside regularly dealing with the Charity Commission. Another facet to the firm’s practice is handling cross-border charity mandates.
Chambers and Partners, 2024
The charities team work hard to get to know their clients and to give a personal service that recognises our own specific needs. We are confident that they will give us accurate, timely and helpful advice in times of crisis as well as more routine needs.
Legal 500, 2024
We have been delighted with the service we have received from the charities team at Moore Barlow. The team have supported us on a range of matters, including establishing a trading a subsidiary, support with collaboration agreements, governance advice, and copyright advice. They have an excellent approach to customer service combined with really strong expertise in the charity sector.
Legal 500, 2023
We used Moore Barlow for a charitable organisation’s restructure during the midst of the pandemic and were delighted by their responsiveness then and their familiarity with the legal and financial territory. Their team work was great – we got continuity and level of staff seniority appropriate to each stage of the process.
Legal 500, 2023
The charities team are outstanding. There can’t be many law firms where clients actually enjoy having to get in touch. They are responsive, personable and incredibly knowledgeable. Not only do they grasp the issues quickly, but they are solutions focussed. You don’t come away with a range of options which you are left to chose between, but you are expertly guided through those decisions, and end with a clear sense how to progress the problem.
Legal 500, 2022
The team has considerable expertise in advising charities, in particular in educational sector. They are unusual in being able to advise on the intersection between charity governance and other issues including employment and safeguarding and so we are confident that they understand the context in which we are operating.
Legal 500, 2021
These guys are fun to work with. They give excellent, clear, thorough advice. Just who you need in a crisis (which, let’s face it, is mostly when you call a lawyer). They guide you rather than just present the options. Highly responsive and professional. Seems a good balance of big enough to have specialist capability, small enough to offer personal and really good service.