Helen Hirst

Helen advises a wide variety of charities and social enterprises from start-ups to established organisations including academies, NHS charities and social care charities. 

Helen’s expertise includes advising charities and social enterprises on choosing the most appropriate structures, as well as governance more generally. This involves registering of charities and CIOs with the Charity Commission, CIC requirements, varying governing documents, mergers of charities and contractual queries. Recent advice includes providing critical support to charities in relation to governance, funding and mergers required as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the education sector, Helen’s experience includes steering community, foundation, faith and PFI schools through Academy conversions and transfers to multi academy trusts. Helen supports academies and independent schools in respect of day-to-day advice they require including governance and contracts.

Helen completed her training in local government where she gained a solid grounding in public law and gained further experience in local government post qualification. During this time Helen worked for three different Councils advising on projects in the education, housing and waste sectors.

Helen joined Hempsons in 2018 as an Associate in the Charities and Social Enterprise department.

Areas of expertise

  • Governance
  • Charity law
  • Contracts
  • Academy conversions
  • Academy transfers

The clients Helen works with

  • Charities
  • Social Enterprises
  • Multi Academy Trusts
  • Single Academy Trusts
  • Independent Schools

Recent publications

Qualifications and memberships

  • Legal Practice Course (2005)
  • Law (LLB) (2003)
  • Member of the Charity Law Association

 

“Helen Hirst is an exceptional individual who provided a wonderful training programme to our Corporate Trustee, supporting them in understanding their roles and accountabilities.” (Legal 500 2020-21)

EventsView all

  • Trustee Training Webinars September 2021 – Session 1

    Hempsons' Free Trustee Training Webinars September 2021: Session One - Legal duties and responsibilities of charity trustees - The legal duties and responsibilities of charity trustees, including managing conflicts of interest. We will explore the need for trustees to take responsibility for their organisations and how boards have been responding to the challenges of the pandemic.

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  • Trustee Training Webinars September 2021 – Session 2

    Hempsons' Free Trustee Training Webinars September 2021: Session Two – Improving governance at Board and Senior Management level - Making governance work better at Board and Senior Management level, looking at Board effectiveness and its role, how this relates to the work of the Chief Executive, efficient delegation and how to approach taking the difficult decisions.

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  • Trustee Training Webinars September 2021 – Session 3

    Hempsons' Free Trustee Training Webinars September 2021: Session Three - Trustees’ responsibilities for both external and internal financial reporting, examining key areas such as the different types of funds and how they can be spent and the linking of reserves policy to strategy, taking the difficult decisions.

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