Posted by John Wilson on December 09, 2000 at 13:12:37 from 203.96.26.98:
In Reply to: Re: Company Status; was TARS Membership List posted by Jock on December 08, 2000 at 16:52:29:
Solicitor Tim Curtis in “Committee Blues” (Family Tree Magazine, March 1999) says that club committee members and trustees should ensure that they are indemnified against liability by the club rules. Most clubs are legally “unincorporated associations”.
The Rugby club he was on decided to channel the club’s commercial activities through a limited company (and apparently retaining the club for non-commercial activities).
He mentions two British 1997 cases. In Marston Thompson & Evershed v Bend when a rugby club defaulted on a clubhouse mortgage the lenders sued the trustees personally - and succeeded! In Grice v Stourport Tennis, Hockey and Squash Club a member injured when gaining access to the clubhouse sued (amongst others) the trustees, the steward and the chairman of the ground and premises committee; but the outcome is not given.