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James Maloney charity lawyer

James advises a broad spectrum of charities, and those who fund, work with and regulate them, on the full range of charity law issues. He has a particular focus on advising philanthropists on the legal aspects of structuring their giving and sits on the STEP Philanthropy Advisors Global SIG Steering Committee.

James is a charity law specialist, helping clients with constitutional and governance matters, incorporations, mergers and restructuring projects. James has the knowledge and experience to ensure charities navigate the law on fundraising (including trading and commercial partnerships), investment, grant-making and charity property transactions.

Philanthropy has become a key area of focus for James. He advises individuals and families, including through the formation of charities and alternatives. He advises on donor tax reliefs and on regulatory requirements. Recent work includes advice on complex cross-border issues.

James has particular experience of working with philanthropists, grant-making charities, sports organisations, livery companies, faith-based organisations and businesses establishing corporate foundations. His work is often international in nature.

James takes a collaborative approach with clients and their other advisers. He is pragmatic and ensures that advice is tailored for the client's specific circumstances. Helping clients to use legal advice to achieve their goals is the most satisfying part of his working life.

James qualified as a solicitor in 2005.

Memberships & Accolades

James lectures on charity law at Cass Business School and regularly speaks on legal issues affecting the sector. He is a member of the Charity Law Association and is a charity trustee.

He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and currently serves as chair of STEP's Philanthropy Advisors Global SIG Steering Committee.

He contributes the chapter on charitable structures for sports entities in Lewis & Taylor's leading textbook Sport: Law and Practice.

James co-authored a chapter in the "Family Philanthropy Special Report" on choosing a legal structure for philanthropic endeavours.

Testimonials

"James is very thoughtful and ensures he understands the full depth of a question and what the charity would like to achieve, before advising." (Chambers UK 2025)

"James is calmly confident and brought us through a project that we had really no background knowledge of. He really brought us through what needed to be done and was easy to follow." (Chambers UK 2025)

"We have worked closely with James Maloney who has gone above and beyond to get to know myself and my colleagues, but more importantly, our charitable organisation, product and client base. This is evident in his communications with us and willingness to go above and beyond so that we can respond swiftly to our clients." (Legal 500 2024)

"The practice is strong in charity law and company law which are the two areas where we seek advice. I have found them to be very responsive and eager to find solutions. James Maloney is always available and responsive." (Legal 500 2024)

"We found James to be engaging, knowledgeable and highly competent." (Chambers UK 2024)

"James is incredibly detail-oriented and gets to know his clients very well. He is very thorough and brings great experience to his work." (Chambers UK 2024)

"He is responsive and understands the needs of our organisation." (Chambers UK 2024)

"James has a very holistic understanding of the charities sector and has a can-do attitude." (Chambers UK 2024)

"He is a superb lawyer who is technically excellent. James' calm and unflappable manner means one feels that he can deal with any scenario." (Chambers UK 2024)

"James is great to deal with and a source of consistent advice on charity law." (Chambers UK 2023)

"He is incredibly thorough, hard-working, personable and knowledgeable." (Chambers UK 2022)

"He provided an excellent service and kept us informed throughout the process." (Chambers UK 2022)

"He is calm, responsive and smart - we have total confidence in his output." (Chambers UK 2021)

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