Mewburn Ellis

Charity Number: CUSTOM_CCE84A83

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £219,000 (2023/2024)
  • Total Given Since 2020: £1,300,000+
  • Decision Time: Applications close February; decisions by end of May (approx. 12-16 weeks)
  • Grant Range: £3,000 - £50,000
  • Geographic Focus: UK (London, Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester) and Europe (Munich)
  • Application Window: July to February annually

Contact Details

General Contact:

  • Website: www.mewburn.com/community-giving
  • Email: mail@mewburn.com
  • Phone: +44 (0)20 7776 5300 (London office)

Office Locations:

  • London: +44 (0)20 7776 5300
  • Bristol: +44 (0)117 945 1234
  • Cambridge: +44 (0)1223 420383
  • Manchester: +44 (0)161 247 7722
  • Munich: +49 (0)89 244 459800

For Partnership Inquiries: Complete the Charity Partnership Application Form available on their Community Giving page

Overview

Founded in 1867 by John Clayton Mewburn, Mewburn Ellis is one of Europe's largest and oldest intellectual property law firms with over 350 staff across five offices. Through their Forward Community Programme Charity Fund, established in 2020, the firm donates 1% of annual profits to charitable causes. Since inception, they have distributed over £1.3 million to local, national, and international charities, with £219,000 committed in 2023/2024 alone. Their giving is structured on both firmwide and local office levels, ensuring maximum impact in the industries and communities where they operate. The firm focuses on breaking down barriers to STEM education, the IP profession, and addressing critical social issues including food poverty, academic access, mental health, gender equality, sustainability, and inclusion and diversity. Mewburn Ellis has been recognized with a Great Place To Work Certification™ (first European IP firm to achieve this) and an EcoVadis Silver Medal for sustainability, scoring in the 83rd percentile of all assessed companies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Firmwide Charity Partnerships: £20,000 - £148,000 (multi-year commitments)

  • Major strategic partnerships with charities aligned to their business sectors and IP profession
  • Recent example: British Science Association (£148,000 since 2020 for CREST Awards programme)
  • Application method: Complete Charity Partnership Application Form between July and February

Local Office Partnerships: £30,000 over two years (£15,000 per year)

  • Each of five offices selects one local charity through staff voting
  • Two-year partnership commitments
  • Rolling basis with office-specific timelines

Network Group Donations: £3,000 - £25,000

  • Charities nominated by employee network groups (WoMEn, I&D Collaboration Group, LGBTQ+ME Group)
  • Focus on diversity, inclusion, and sustainability themes
  • Typically £3,000-£5,000 for women's charities; £5,000-£25,000 for I&D/sustainability charities

Employee Fundraising Match: Variable amounts

  • Direct support for charities championed by staff through fundraising activities
  • All employees receive one community day per year for volunteering

Priority Areas

Core Focus:

  • Removing barriers to entry in the IP profession
  • STEM education for underrepresented groups
  • Food poverty and homelessness
  • Academic access and literacy
  • Mental health support
  • Gender equality (especially women's health and women in STEM)
  • Sustainability and environmental causes
  • Inclusion and diversity initiatives
  • Emergency humanitarian relief

Recent Successful Partnerships:

  • British Science Association (CREST Awards for underrepresented youth in STEM)
  • National Literacy Trust (literacy skills for life success)
  • Support Dogs (training assistance dogs)
  • Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre (£50,000)
  • The Booth Centre Manchester (kitchen upgrade and hospitality training for employment)
  • Shelter from the Storm London (emergency homeless shelter)
  • Save the Children and British Red Cross (Ukraine appeals)
  • FoodCycle (food poverty)
  • Rewilding Britain, Ocean Conservation Trust, Climate Coalition (environmental)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, their funding priorities suggest they do not typically support:

  • Charities unrelated to their business sectors (IP, STEM, innovation)
  • Organizations not aligned with their I&D and sustainability values
  • Non-registered charities (all payments must go through Charities Aid Foundation)
  • Individual requests (focus on organizational partnerships)
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Governance and Leadership

Richard Clegg - Managing Partner

Richard Clegg leads the Management Board and is responsible for devising and delivering the firm's strategy. He has personally signed the IP Inclusive Leader's Pledge and champions diversity and inclusion as a key strategic focus. Under his leadership, the firm has invested over £1.3 million in charitable giving since 2020. Clegg states: “As a forward-looking business, we invest in our people as our greatest asset, striving to give every member of our team the opportunity to succeed on their own terms, supported by an unwavering commitment to well-being, inclusivity, and development.”

Leadership Team:

  • Lillian Cunliffe - HR Director
  • Maria Hall - Chief Commercial Officer / ESG Lead
  • Shaun Harvey - Chief Financial & Operating Officer

Community Champions: The firm employs a dedicated Community Champion who leads charitable activities and works with a group supporting community initiatives, feeding ideas into the selection process and working closely with chosen charities.

Employee Networks: Charity selection involves input from several employee-led groups:

  • WoMEn of Mewburn Ellis Network (nominates and votes on women's charities)
  • I&D Collaboration Group (nominates diversity and inclusion charities)
  • LGBTQ+ME Group (supports relevant causes)
  • Sustainability group (nominates environmental charities)

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Check Eligibility

  • Must be a registered charity
  • Alignment with Mewburn Ellis's business sectors (IP, STEM, innovation) or community values
  • Payments processed through Charities Aid Foundation

Step 2: Determine Application Type

  • Firmwide Partnership: For charities aligned with IP profession/STEM education nationally
  • Local Office Partnership: For charities serving communities in London, Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester, or Munich
  • Network Group Nomination: For charities focused on women's issues, I&D, or sustainability

Step 3: Submit Application

  • Complete the Charity Partnership Application Form on their Community Giving page
  • Application window: July to February (applications accepted July through February)
  • Include clear demonstration of alignment with their priorities
  • Specify which partnership type you're applying for

Decision Timeline

  • Application Opens: July annually
  • Application Closes: February
  • Decisions Announced: End of May
  • Total Timeline: Approximately 12-16 weeks from February deadline to May decision
  • Partnership Start: Typically following financial year (after May notification)

Local Office Decisions: Each office creates a shortlist and holds staff votes to select their two-year charity partner. Timeline may vary by office but generally follows the firmwide schedule.

Success Rates

Specific success rate data is not publicly available. However, the firm supports:

  • 1 major firmwide partner (ongoing multi-year commitment)
  • 5 local office partners (one per office, two-year terms)
  • Multiple network group nominations (variable number annually)
  • Employee-driven fundraising partners (variable)

This suggests they support approximately 10-15 charity partnerships annually from their central fund, not including employee fundraising matches.

Reapplication Policy

No explicit reapplication restrictions were found. Given that local office partnerships are two-year terms, previously supported local charities could potentially reapply after their partnership concludes. The firm maintains ongoing relationships with some partners (e.g., British Science Association received £148,000 since 2020), suggesting successful partnerships may be renewed or extended.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Their Mission:

The firm explicitly states they support charities that are “relevant to our business and the sectors and technical areas in which we operate.” Successful applicants demonstrate clear connections to:

  • Intellectual property profession
  • STEM fields and innovation
  • Breaking down barriers to entry in technical professions
  • Sectors represented in their patent portfolio (life sciences, engineering, technology, physics)

Employee Connection:

Charities “important to their staff” receive priority. Applications that can demonstrate:

  • Local presence near their offices
  • Relevance to employee networks
  • Opportunities for employee volunteering and engagement
  • Staff nomination or endorsement

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

The firm prioritizes charities addressing inequality:

  • Focus on underrepresented groups in STEM and IP
  • Gender equality (particularly supporting women and girls)
  • Diversity and inclusion initiatives
  • Accessibility to education and professional opportunities

Examples of Funded Projects:

  • British Science Association CREST Awards: Creating kit boxes to help teachers inspire young people underrepresented in STEM - £20,000 annual commitment
  • The Booth Centre Manchester: Kitchen upgrade enabling hospitality training and qualifications for people seeking employment - £30,000 over two years
  • Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre: Supporting women's safety and trauma recovery - £50,000
  • National Literacy Trust: Empowering people with literacy skills for life success - £40,000

Language and Terminology:

Successful applicants use language aligned with Mewburn Ellis values:

  • “Breaking down barriers” and “removing barriers to entry”
  • “Diversity of thought, ideas and viewpoints”
  • “Empowerment” and “access”
  • “Sustainability” and “climate action”
  • “Inclusion and diversity”
  • “Community impact”
  • References to STEM, innovation, research, and intellectual property

Strategic Advice from the Funder:

While specific application guidance is limited, the firm's public statements emphasize:

  • Demonstrate clear alignment with their business sectors and values
  • Show how funding will create lasting impact in communities where they operate
  • Explain opportunities for employee engagement and volunteering
  • Highlight focus on underrepresented or underserved populations
  • Connect your mission to their commitment to diversity, sustainability, or IP/STEM education

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Perfect fit charities: STEM education organizations, IP profession access initiatives, women's charities (especially women in STEM/tech), literacy programs, sustainability/climate organizations, and homelessness/food poverty charities near their five office locations
  • Geographic strategy matters: With five offices (London, Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester, Munich), target the local office partnership route if you serve one of these communities - each office has £30,000 to award biennially through staff voting
  • Employee engagement is key: Applications demonstrating opportunities for staff volunteering, involvement of their employee network groups, or existing staff connections significantly strengthen applications
  • Timeline planning: Applications open in July and close in February with decisions by end of May - plan ahead for this 11-month cycle; don't miss the February deadline
  • Think multi-year: The firm prefers sustained partnerships over one-off grants (e.g., British Science Association partnership exceeding £148,000 since 2020) - emphasize long-term relationship potential
  • Network group route: If your charity focuses specifically on women's issues, LGBTQ+ rights, or sustainability, mention this in your application as these network groups have dedicated funding pots (£3,000-£25,000)
  • Prove your alignment: Generic applications will fail - explicitly connect your work to intellectual property, STEM fields, innovation, or the specific communities where they operate; use their language about “barriers to entry” and “diversity of thought”

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