Philanthropy

A married couple who held shares in a US company came to us after coming into considerable wealth when it was sold. We helped them to handle the complex tax obligation arising from the windfall and advised on how to protect their privacy. We also discussed routes to philanthropic giving, an area that they were keen to explore and one in which Withers has considerable experience.

We assisted a family in efficient structuring of the family's business activities in the US and the UK as well as their family charitable foundation. The unique nature of our US team based in London enabled us to provide both the UK and US advice on the structuring and charitable foundation under one roof.

We advised a Middle Eastern family who were actively engaged in philanthropic activities around the world. We created a Jersey based charitable foundation to focus the families's activities.

Dr. Lui Che Woo is one of Hong Kong's most successful businessmen, and a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Withers was given the opportunity to advise Dr. Lui Che Woo on the creation of his aptly named LUI Che Woo Prize - the 'Prize for World Civilisation'.

Assisted a well-known international sportsman with the creation of an Italian charity to support philanthropic projects and fundraising events in Italy.

Represented an order of Roman Catholic nuns wishing to use their real estate, a five acre, 100+ year old legacy garden, for philanthropic purposes and in accordance with the charism of their order. We arranged for the garden to be owned by an independent nonprofit corporation qualified under the IRC as a private operating foundation, with directors appointed from the community and a permanent supporting endowment. The garden will be used for contemplative and meditative exercise.

Assisted a client with her estate plan to meet her goal to ensure more than half of her estate goes to giving back to her community and charitable organizations.

Provided ongoing pro-bono work for a prominent New York historical museum.

Assisted an ultra high net worth individual with his charitable endeavors and continued support of research at an elite education institution.  We worked with the individual to establish a non-grantor charitable lead annuity trust, a technique that also incorporated beneficial tax planning for our client.

Creation and ongoing representation of charitable and non-profit entities, including public charities, private foundations, and charitable trusts (charitable remainder trusts and charitable lead trusts).

Withers has supported our client on all its charity law advice as a major new organisation in charity fundraising in the UK.

We worked with not-for-profit organisation masks4NHSHeroes to help register it as a charity so that it can drive forwards its vital fundraising work. The organisation, founded by three doctors amongst others, is looking to raise funds from donations to purchase personal protective equipment to supplement the NHS’s efforts to properly protect health workers as they treat patients with COVID-19. Starting with an initial target of £200k on Crowdfunder, this was surpassed in a short space of time, including a large donation from actor James McAvoy, and masks4NHSHeroes has raised over £2m to source, donate and distribute the equipment.

Governance and fundraising advice to a leading american school foundation both in London and the United States. We provided wide-ranging US and English law advice to the Foundation on a very diverse range of matters relating to its governance, fundraising and dual-qualified structure.

Governance and fundraising advice to a leading american school foundation both in London and the United States. We provided wide-ranging US and English law advice to the Foundation on a very diverse range of matters relating to its governance, fundraising and dual-qualified structure.

Assisted Fawlts, a students' organisation that helps students from less privileged backgrounds find jobs, on the privacy compliance of the information provided by the students in question and on the documentation required to participate in the program.

Assisted a well-known Italian fashion brand with setting up a foundation which will carry out cultural projects in the fields of fashion and the arts. The Foundation will sponsor and promote, both in Italy and abroad, activities related to Italian excellence in industry, craftsmanship, arts and culture.<br /> <br /> Our advice focused on a preliminary analysis of the legal structure best suited to the project, and we recommended an Italian charitable foundation. This structure would benefit from the tax benefits provided by the new Third Sector Law (Codice del Terzo Settore), which is due to be implemented in 2022. This new law provides for an Income Tax forfeit regime, as well as relevant tax reliefs for donors.<br /> We are assisting with the drafting of the by-laws, which should meet the special requirements to qualify as Ente del Terzo Settore (charitable entity). Our advice will also cover the steps to be taken to complete the setting up of the Foundation.