The Profits of Charity

The Profits of Charity examines the contemporary law governing the involvement of charity in commerce and explores the reasons why this involvement is dramatically changing. From a perspective familiar to charity lawyers, NGO managers, and scholars, Kerry O'Halloran identifies the concepts and the law underpinning charities and their profits by tracing legal developments in the field and identifying the resulting opportunities and challenges for the future. At a time when many leading nations are confronting economic recession, the threat of terrorism, and the retreat of the 'welfare state,' this book explores why governments are turning to charities in their quest to cultivate social capital, consolidate civil society, and promote civic engagement.

In The Profits of Charity, Professor O'Halloran undertakes a comparative analysis of the balance struck among government, charity, and commerce in five leading common law nations, including the United States, Canada, England and Wales, New Zealand, and Australia. He uses analysis of legislation, outcomes of charity law reviews, and recent case law to illustrate jurisdictional differences, and concludes with an assessment of the extent and significance of the recalibrated relationship and considers the overarching issues that arise between charity law and social policy.

Kerry O'Halloran is an Adjunct Professor at the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at the Queensland University of Technology. He has served as Assistant Director (Research) at the Centre for Voluntary Action Studies at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, and advised the Court Service (Northern Ireland) on their training program for lay magistrates as well as the Guide to Family Proceedings in Northern Ireland. He is also a consultant to Open University on the law relating to child care and social work. He has authored Charity Law, 2nd edition (2009), Charity and Social Inclusion (2006), Charity Law (2000), and numerous other publications.