The Law Society Charity

• Who we are
• What we do
• Our aims and objectives
• How you can help
• Ways to donate

Who we are

The Law Society Trustees Ltd Charity is a small charitable fund that awards funding and works with other charitable organisations that aim to further justice, both in the UK and overseas.

Founded in 1974, the Charity acts independently of the Law Society but in close collaboration with it. Several of the trustees are members of the Law Society’s governing Council and committees.

What we do

We provide award funding and support to organisations working to promote human rights, access to justice and legal education in the public domain.

We also work with the Law Society’s Human Rights Committee, International team, the Access to Justice Foundation and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) ethics team, to name a few of the cross-working relationships we’ve established with other organisations.

We participate in events at the Law Society with many of the communities, divisions and conferences.

Our aims and objectives

Our trustees' aims are to:

• seek out charitable projects supported by local law societies and directly legally related groups, whether in partnership with others or standalone
• explore means of outreach, such as joint ventures with other charities, particularly within the charitable branches of firms of solicitors
• respond to ad hoc requests, in exceptional cases, for support from other charitable organisations whose work redounds to the credit of the profession

Our trustees support:

• other registered charities whose principal aims are to support members of the legal profession in need in the areas of either:
  • access to justice
  • legal education
  • human rights
• charitable work done domestically or internationally to promote:
  • human rights and assistance in the development of law
  • access to justice
  • pro bono assistance for people facing capital punishment
• maintenance of high standards of general legal education via:
  • educating members of the legal profession in the interest of the public
  • legal professionals educating the public in legal matters

We focus award support to registered charitable organisations who:

• are unable to obtain funding from elsewhere
• do not have established or significant income streams
• meet the needs of those from excluded, under-represented and disadvantaged groups

The Charity supports charitable organisations, objects or purposes. In accordance with our charter we're not allowed to fund advise or assist: 

• individuals seeking legal representation, support for their legal education or work experience
• non-charitable organisations
• charitable organisations that are part of a larger network, group, franchise or parent organisation
• political or religious aims-related organisations

How you can help

We need your support. We’re grateful to receive generous donations from law firms, private and public organisations, sole legal practitioners and anyone wishing to help.

By donating residual or unclaimed client balances, you’ll be helping us to continue to support projects and services both in the UK and overseas.

We also accept personal donations as well as legacy donations.

Ways to donate

JustGiving online

Visit our JustGiving page for personal, local law society or solicitor donations.

Gift Aid can be added to eligible donations made using JustGiving.

You'll receive an automated acknowledgement for your donation.

BACS transfer

For solicitors and law firms donating residual or unclaimed client balances, email lawsocietycharity@lawsociety.org.uk a breakdown of:

• names
• balance amounts
• the date or intended date of your BACS transaction

If any amount is over £500 for a residual or single client balance, you must get SRA approval by completing a withdrawal of residual client balances form.

After receiving approval from the SRA, email the approval to us with a list of names, balances and the intended date of your BACS transaction.

Single client balances over £500 are formally identified.

For a BACS involving Gift Aid or a local law society donation, download the donation form (Word 57 KB).

Barclays Bank account: 00568449

Sort code: 20 32 29

No longer accepting cheques

We’ve updated the way we work due to COVID-19 and no longer accept cheques.