Good Law Project has set up its new ownership structure in Jersey to ensure it can continue to mirror the structure of a charity “but outside of the moving political guardrails policed by the Charity Commission”.

It was set up by barrister Jolyon Maugham in 2017 as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee to give the legal campaigning organisation “the public interest features of a charity” away from regulatory control of the Commission, which it has been critical of in recent years.

In announcing it is changing ownership, to move to a model where it is run by a board of trustees, it has turned to the Jersey legal system to ensure it can continue to replicate its charitable model.

Through its new ownership structure Maugham has been replaced as the owner of the Good Law Project by a ‘purpose’ trust set up in Jersey.

“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,” said Good Law Project.

The organisation will remain a “UK resident for tax purposes and there will be no change to how its income is taxed”, it said, adding “there will be no change to its articles, the asset lock will obviously remain in place, and it will continue to be unable to declare dividends”.

In the short term the only trustee will be a company owned by Maugham who 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,” said the Good Law Project.

The Good Law Project has been particularly critical of the Charity Commission stance on regulating climate change denying lobbying groups.

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