Job Description

Professional Support Lawyer - Charity

Department: Charity & Social Enterprise

Employment Type: Part Time

Location: London

Why Bates Wells?


We’re an award winning, purpose driven City law firm. We were the first UK law firm to become a B Corp and are the highest scoring global law firm in the B Corp community. Globally recognised as the market leading UK firm for charities and purpose-driven organisations, our commercial teams are also using law as a force for good and driving change from the inside out.

Our values are key to our success, and you’ll be able to make a real impact from day one.

Come and join the firm who have a standout and authentic commitment to a triple bottom line, where we’ll never prioritise profit over people and planet.

The role


The knowledge team within our market leading Charity and Social Enterprise practice group is recruiting a knowledge lawyer to join its friendly team of four experienced knowledge lawyers and a knowledge paralegal.
You will get involved in all aspects of our work – sharing knowledge via training and written updates, drafting and updating precedents and practice notes, helping partners and fee earners with technical queries and contributing to business development and policy work.

Key Responsibilities

Professional support

• Update existing precedents and create new precedents
• Update existing Practice Notes and create new Practice Notes on specialist areas of law affecting our charity and social enterprise clients
• Maintain the charity and social enterprise section of the firm-wide knowledge bank and contribute to strategies for improving knowhow sharing
• Disseminate knowledge via departmental knowhow meetings and other internal training sessions
• Provide high quality support to other fee earners by carrying out research and responding to queries
• Contribute to Bates Wells publications and external resources
• Participate in client events when required

Marketing and Business Development

• Contribute to newsletters and briefings for clients
• From time to time, deliver training to clients and write articles for external publication

Client relations

• Client contact will be limited to allow you to focus on knowledge, but when it occurs:
• Provide a high quality legal service to all Bates Wells clients
• Record any chargeable time

Personal development

• Participate in team meetings
• Attend internal training and external training as and when required
• Read journals and attend courses and conferences as part of continuing technical competence and to keep abreast of developments in the field of knowledge management
• Develop our Knowledge Paralegal by supervising them in elements of their work

About You

• An experienced charity lawyer, ideally with at least 5 years’ PQE advising charities and social enterprises on charity law, company law and contracts
• High levels of technical ability, with experience providing detailed technical advice to fee earners
• Ability to draft precedents, maintain practice notes and produce written legal updates
• Willingness to devote time to detailed and accurate drafting of legal and explanatory content
• Experience managing know‑how and contributing to system and process improvements
• Clear and accessible communication skills, with the ability to prioritise a varied workload
• Self‑motivated, collaborative and client‑centric, with a genuine interest in the work we do and a positive problem‑solving approach

About our Charity and Social Enterprise team


Our top-ranked Charity and Social Enterprise department advises on some of the most complex, high-profile, and high-value matters for charities, philanthropists, and purpose-driven businesses.

With exceptional breadth and depth of expertise, we act for clients of all sizes across the full spectrum of non-profit activity.

What are we like to work for?

Impact‑Driven Purpose: We align profit with social purpose to create lasting positive impact for our people, communities and planet.
Committed to the Climate: Through our Climate & Nature Group, we reduce environmental impact and support a just transition to net zero.
Championing Inclusion: We foster a diverse and inclusive culture where creativity and innovation thrive.
Flexible and Hybrid Working: Our hybrid model supports balance, with at least two office days per week.
Progressive Benefits: We offer sustainable pensions, IVF support, private healthcare and a range of wellbeing and personal‑development benefits.

At Bates Wells, equity, diversity and inclusion are part of who we are and how we work. As a B Corp and purpose‑driven law firm, we’re committed to building a workplace that is fair, inclusive and representative of all.