Partner
Before becoming a Solicitor, Dominik worked as a qualified teacher in inner London caring for children and young people from deprived backgrounds with significant learning difficulties. His in-depth safeguarding knowledge and pastoral experience is regularly called upon by institutions and charities across the UK and abroad, whose core activities and purposes are concerned with championing the education, human rights and protection of children and other vulnerable people.
Dominik has extensive operational experience working on the ground across Africa for charities, diplomatic missions and international philanthropists. His accomplishments range from establishing a safe and sustainable presence for organisations and their missions, to co-ordinating and leading complex projects, investigations or audits. Dominik works closely with governments, ministries, their advisors, and established NGOs, particularly in remote and challenging areas. He has considerable expertise in promoting and co-ordinating the improvement of national child protection cultures, structures and protective processes throughout East Africa with leading human rights agencies.
In the UK, Dominik works with a diverse range of charities, staff associations and trade unions to improve and enhance their governance, strategic reviews of their asset portfolios and operational business models for the benefit of their beneficiaries or members. He was selected to develop an annual training programme and forum for charity clients of a leading global investment bank and together with Paul Almy, was appointed to serve as a trustee mentor for a leading UK charity.
Dominik was the architect and lead advisor behind a unique national welfare scheme funded by the Cabinet and Executive Ministers in Northern Ireland and Scotland for the benefit of public sector workers and their families. His achievements also include successfully lobbying the Cabinet with support of members in the House of Lords for an amendment to the Charities Bill 2005 on behalf of the emergency and rescue services. This was adopted in the Charities Act 2006 and now Charities Act 2011.
Following the outcome of the EU referendum in June 2016, Dominik is regularly involved in reviewing strategic plans or potential pan-European projects with charity trustees. He is also the author or several published articles considering the potential impact of Brexit on UK charities.
Dominik is a member of the Charity Law Association, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Catholic Solicitors Conference.
Awards
“Very professional. Very efficient. Very friendly. Dominik Opaliński is excellent in the sensitive work he does for us.”
“Dominik Opaliński is a solicitor who gives it his all. He will always go the extra mile for his clients. He is tenacious and determined to achieve the desired result. He will never give up but always remains realistic in the advice tendered to clients.”
“Dominik Opaliński is an energetic and hardworking partner who shows exceptional interest and enthusiasm for his clients’ causes, and can find himself involved in very unusual cases”