Claris D'cruz

Combining 25 years’ expertise as a charity lawyer and governance trainer with frontline experience from a range of voluntary leadership sector roles, I deliver trustee training, diversity and inclusion training and provide board support. Having qualified as a Barrister in 1994 I left the bar to become a specialist charity lawyer. I worked at the ‘coal-face’ as an in-house lawyer for a registered charity, Interchange Trust, and then on the other side of the fence as a legal advisor at the Charity Commission, before going into private practice. I have worked for various law firms including as Head of Charities for a major north east firm. My mission now is to support charity trustees and directors of NfP boards and empower them with the knowledge they need to carry out their roles with greater impact. My voluntary leadership sector roles include being: A director of Northumberland Cricket Board A local governor of Excelsior Academy, Newcastle A governor, director and charity trustee of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle