Geoff Trobridge - Head of Team

Geoff acts for all types of social enterprise and "not for profit” organisations - charities, community interest companies, clubs and societies – covering a wide range of Third Sector activities. Geoff provides advice upon:

• Setting up the organisation – the legal structure and the right governing document
• Registration with the Charity Commission and on going regulatory requirements e.g. on the sale or mortgaging of land and dealings with the Charity Commission
• Re-structuring, mergers and collaborative working
• Property and land transactions
• Charities and trading
• Trustees duties and liabilities
• Fundraising
• Winding up

Geoff trained and worked as a company and commercial solicitor before joining the Charity Commission as an in house lawyer in 2001. He was subsequently the deputy head of the Legal Framework Function in the Taunton office of the Commission, dealing with all aspects of the registration and regulation of charities. In 2005 he rejoined private practice as Head of a Charities and Social Enterprise Team.

• A member of the Charity Law Association and has been a regular contributor to its working parties, particularly upon the Companies Act 2006, Charitable Incorporated Organisations and public benefit and the relief of poverty
• Recognised by the Good Lawyer Guide 2010 for outstanding legal practice
• Ranked as a Leading Individual for Charities (Southampton and surrounds) in Chambers UK 2013.

Recent work

• The outsourcing of leisure facilities by a local authority to a charity
• The conversion of an industrial and provident society to a company limited by guarantee and its registration with the Charity Commission
• Advice on the powers of a charity to enter into interest rate swap agreements
• The merger of two national governing bodies of a sport
• Advice upon the closure of an independent school and subsequently the transfer of its management to a new charity
• The re-organisation and amalgamation of three almshouse charities

Geoff Trobridge works with a broad range of third sector organisations, including charities, social enterprises and other non-profit entities. Clients state that "he is very proactive, delivers ahead of time on pretty much everything, and is very understanding of the nature of our organisation."
Chambers UK 2013

Clients value practice head Geoff Trobridge's "thorough, measured approach".
The Legal 500 UK 2011