Jayne Adams

Jayne has specialised in advising charities and not for profit organisations of all varieties for over 20 years. She helps clients to design the optimum outcome in any scenario and advises on how that may be achieved in a legally compliant and effective manner. Her advice is comprehensive, clear and commercially-minded and she always has command of the big picture, the fine detail and the nuances of personality and context.

With a particular interest in good governance, Jayne’s knowledge and experience are greatly enhanced by the practical understanding and empathy she has gained from extensive involvement at board level, as well as in-house experience.

Jayne trained and worked at Bircham Dyson Bell for many years and now provides her services on a consultancy basis.

Restructuring, incorporation and mergers
Interpretation and revision of constitutions
Governance matters (including governance disputes)
Formation and dissolution of charities and not for profits
Investigations and regulatory requirements
Fundraising, grants and legacy matters
Policies, agreements and contracts
Cross border concerns
Serious incident management and reporting.

£25 million merger of two education charities

£25 million merger of two education charities plus subsequent advice on and preparation of policies and procedures for the merged entity.

Restructuring a multi-million pound group of organisations

Restructuring a multi-million pound group of organisations including a charity and a commercial entity with multiple stakeholders including local authorities, land, heritage and other assets and collaborative working needs.

Advising a charity with multiple branches

Advising a charity with multiple branches on dealing with alleged fraud and theft in different branches, including reviews of governance and financial governance.

Governance and restructuring advice for a performing arts charity

Governance and restructuring advice for a performing arts charity requiring to pivot when its local authority landlord suddenly chose to reclaim its premises.

Incorporation of substantial service-providing charities

Incorporation of substantial service-providing charities.

Governance and constitutional review and multi-jurisdictional registration

Governance and constitutional review and multi-jurisdictional registration of a large benevolent fund.

Amalgamation

Amalgamation of long-established literary charitable trusts and prize funds.

Merger of an alumnae association

Merger of an alumnae association with its school, including due diligence on over 100 years of indifferent record-keeping, confusion over permanent endowment, restricted and designated funds, constitutional uncertainty and legal muddles and mistakes.

£28 million merger of two medical research charities

£28 million merger of two medical research charities, including the formation of a new charity, fundraising, property and UK cross border considerations.

Advising on charity restructuring

Advising on charity restructuring, including of a charity operating overseas also requiring amended objects, of a celebrity-founded charity with a high profile and significant reputation considerations and of a charity with a deeply entrenched culture and a large, difficult membership.

Types of client

Arts, culture and heritage, including grant-makers, service-providers and museums
Educational
Independent schools
Children
Medical research
Social care
Military
Almshouses
Benevolent funds
Archives
Faith charities with UK and international projects
Livery company charities
Community organisations
Sports
Animals
Environmental.

Achievements & other appointments

Jayne is currently Chair of Governors of Ardingly College, an independent co-educational day and boarding school in Sussex, and previously served for 10 years as Chair of the Governing Body of Walthamstow Hall. An experienced charity trustee, she has also served on the boards of an international arts charity and a London youth club.

Jayne also serves on the Advisory Board of Financial Fraud Awareness Campaign CIC. She is a member of the Charity Law Association.

Other work includes drafting charity law precedents and accompanying technical guidance notes for the leading provider of legal knowhow and preparing and presenting professional development webinars on charity law topics.

Best Will Writing Firm 2024 - Winner award

Education

Jayne holds a joint honours degree in French and Italian from the University of Durham. She completed her academic legal studies at the College of Law, Guildford and qualified as a solicitor in 2003.

Charities Consultant, Wills, Estate & Tax Planning

Specialisms & expertise

Examples of work