The Good Law Project - currently embroiled in a dingdong with the Bar Standards Board over its response to a complaint about a family practitioner - is approaching its tenth birthday. What better way to celebrate than by a change of corporate status?
Under the headline 'Our ownership structure is changing', the crowd-funded outfit announces that founder Jolyon Maugham KC (pictured) has handed over ownership to a vehicle in Jersey.
No, it's not what you think: 'Good Law Project will remain UK resident for tax purposes and there will be no change to how its income is taxed,' the announcement stresses. Rather, the idea is to replicate the characteristics of charity status without being bound by the 'moving political guardrails policed by the Charity Commission'.
Thus, the announcement continues, 'Jolyon has been replaced as owner of Good Law Project by a Jersey "purpose" trust. The purpose of the trust will be to hold the membership interest in Good Law Project. It has been set up in Jersey because the UK’s legal system has no such thing as "purpose" trusts, except for charities, and Jersey’s legal system does.
'In the short term the only trustee will be a company owned by Jolyon and he will be the “person with significant control”. However, the changes mean it is now possible for other people to join as trustees, so that the trust operates a bit more like a charity board, and discussions are underway with several individuals.'
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