- Quality Service Putting our clients first and understanding their challenges, objectives and goals and delivering a tailored service that represents value in every sense.
- Heritage Taking pride in our history, embracing our legacy and taking responsibility for the future success of our firm.
- Forward Thinking Striving to be flexible, skilled, able to adapt to the needs of our clients and always thinking several steps ahead.
- Expertise To pursue the delivery of outstanding results in all we do and to be market leaders in our specialist sectors.
- Dynamic To be positive in attitude, energetic, responsive and always on the front foot.
Ian Blaney
Partner
Ian acts for a wide range of charitable organisations, with a particular focus on ecclesiastical and education law.
His practice extends to:-
- the establishment and regulation of charities;
- academies (including academy conversions) and maintained schools, the Education Acts, the law of reverter;
- charity property, acquisition, development and disposal, and trusts of land;
- burial law, churchyards and cemeteries and the post-death treatment of human remains; and
- all matters relating to the Church of England.
Experience
Ian has been a solicitor since 2013 but has worked in the field of ecclesiastical law since 2005. Cases in recent years include:
- amalgamating a village hall and church school charity and facilitating the building of a joint-use school and village hall building on a new site;
- pursuing an amendment to the Higher Education and Research Act to safeguard the right of the Archbishop of Canterbury to award degrees; and
- making a successful application to release the remains of the late Captain Flinders (who circumnavigated and first named Australia), dug up at Euston Station, to his family for burial.
Career to date
- Is the author of respected publications on the law of marriage, ecclesiastical law and the law of burial and cremation and has a detailed knowledge of the law of school sites and trusts.
- Is the Registrar to the Bishop of Lincoln and the Bishop of Derby and a notary public for ecclesiastical purposes.
- Is Deputy Registrar of the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- Is Deputy Registrar of the Diocese of Guildford.
- Out of work is a Governor of St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Hornsey, a member of the Hornsey St Mary and St George Parochial Church Council and a trustee of the Friends of the Church in China.
- Was an ecclesiastical clerk in LBMW and the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury from 2005 until 2011.
- He holds an LL.B in law, a further LL.M in Canon Law and an M.A in History (Cantab).
'Ian Blaney has consistently provided high quality advice in multi-layered matters where acumen coupled with experience are required to solve problems. His knowledge of education and charity legislation has helped to protect the long-term assets that we manage. Ian has a good grasp of the wider educational landscape and provides clear and concise advice. He has a patient and professional manner.'
Legal 500