Suhan Rajkumar

Solicitor, Bates Wells

As a partner at Bates Wells, I support organisations seeking to create positive social impact. My expertise spans charity law and governance, campaigning and election law, public law (including public procurement and subsidy control), and equality law.

Whether it’s setting up and maximising impact in daily operations, or navigating tricky situations such as crises, inquiries and investigations, I deliver robust and practical guidance. My clients span a wide range of charities, INGOs, campaigners, public bodies, and purposeful businesses.

As co-leader of our top-tier Politics, Campaigning, and Elections team, I support political parties, candidates, and advocacy groups in campaigning and influencing public policy. Beyond technical expertise, I bring a strong understanding of how political parties and campaigners operate – and the realities of making change happen.

I consider myself lucky to work with brilliant clients trying to make the world a better place – and try to play my own part through voluntary roles. I am currently the Chair of Bail for Immigration Detainees, and a director of Liberty (the National Council for Civil Liberties). I was previously a trustee of CARAS (Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) for six years.

Contributed to

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Charities sector—introduction

Practice Notes

As we reflect on the evolution of the charity sector, we can see distinct changes in how and why people give to causes, and in the causes they choose to support. What has remained persistent is our human instinct to care about something beyond ourselves: our communities and our environment, the rights and wellbeing of others, and the moral, cultural and artistic causes that enrich our societies.Much of the charity sector can be seen as having one of two related roles:•providing support to people, and•trying to prevent the need for that support arising in the first placeIn each sphere, the relationship between charities, government, business and individuals has grown and evolved. Increasingly, individuals and organisations want to play a role in driving change and to shape the world as it could be.Globalisation and digitisation have also brought us closer to events and communities far beyond our immediate surroundings. We can see, often in real time, conflict, injustice, humanitarian emergencies and environmental

Private Client