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24 September 2021 / Helen Stephenson
Issue: 7949 / Categories: Features , Profession , Charities
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Charity sector proved its value during the pandemic

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Helen Stephenson sets out the Charity Commission’s priorities & plans
  • The Charity Commission has set out its key priorities for the coming year— helping charities deliver as we emerge from the pandemic; IT and data; regulation; and people.

There is much yet to learn about the impact of the pandemic on the charity sector—on charities’ finances, their ways of working, and on the wider economic and social context in which they operate. But the unequivocal lesson of the past year is that a resilient, vibrant voluntary sector is integral to the healthy functioning of our society. Indeed, Charity Commission research published in July, Public Trust in Charities 2021, suggests that a decade-long decline in people’s perception of charities’ importance in society is beginning to reverse, possibly because of what we have witnessed during the pandemic.

Commission achievements

I am proud that our Contact Centre was able to provide uninterrupted service throughout the pandemic, answering calls every working day throughout the crisis to help charities and trustees access

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Taylor Rose—Jessica Draganescu & Emily Hewlett

Taylor Rose—Jessica Draganescu & Emily Hewlett

Firm strengthens growth strategy and group litigation capability with senior hires

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
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