The Slaughter And May Charitable Trust

Charity Number: 1082765

Annual Expenditure: £0.7M

Stay updated on changes from The Slaughter And May Charitable Trust and other funders

Get daily notifications about new funding opportunities, deadline changes, and programme updates from UK funders.

Free Email Updates

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £691,026 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not disclosed
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
  • Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: Slaughter & May, 1 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY

Phone: 020 7090 5286

Email: responsiblebusiness@slaughterandmay.com

Overview

The Slaughter and May Charitable Trust (registered charity number 1082765) is the grant-making charitable trust of Slaughter and May, one of the UK's most prestigious international law firms. The trust operates with a single trustee and distributes its entire annual income (£691,026 in 2024) directly to charitable activities with zero administrative overhead. The trust makes grants to selected charities for specific projects, with most having a legal or educational focus. The trust operates on an invitation-only basis at the discretion of the trustee and does not accept unsolicited funding applications. This approach allows the trust to proactively identify and support charitable initiatives that align with the firm's expertise and values, particularly in areas where legal skills and knowledge can create sustainable social impact.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust does not operate formal grant programs with defined amounts or application windows. Instead, it makes direct charitable grants to selected beneficiaries at the discretion of the trustee.

Total Annual Distribution: Approximately £691,000 distributed entirely to charitable activities

Priority Areas

Based on the trust's stated focus and Slaughter and May's broader responsible business activities, priority areas include:

  • Legal access and justice initiatives: Projects that improve access to legal services and support the rule of law
  • Educational programs: Particularly those related to legal education and social mobility
  • Pro bono partnerships: Charities where Slaughter and May provides pro bono legal support may be considered for funding
  • Social mobility: Programs that support disadvantaged young people, particularly in accessing legal careers
  • Healthcare worker support: The firm has supported initiatives like the Healthcare Workers Foundation
  • Racial justice: Support for organizations advancing equity, as evidenced by support for the Black Equity Organisation

Beneficiary Groups

The trust's registered beneficiary categories include:

  • Children and young people
  • Elderly people
  • People with disabilities
  • Other defined groups
  • General charitable purposes

What They Don't Fund

The trust makes grants to organizations only (not individuals) and does not accept unsolicited applications from any source.

Helpful Hinchilla

Ready to write a winning application for The Slaughter And May Charitable Trust?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Structure: The trust operates with a single trustee who exercises discretion over all grant-making decisions.

Transparency: The trustee receives no remuneration or benefits from the charity. The trust has no trading subsidiaries and no employees with benefits over £60,000, ensuring that 100% of income goes directly to charitable activities.

Parent Organization: The trust is affiliated with Slaughter and May, an international law firm with a strong culture of pro bono work and responsible business practices. The firm has a Director of Responsible Business who oversees the firm's charitable and social impact activities.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Slaughter and May Charitable Trust does not accept unsolicited funding applications. Grants are made to selected applicants at the discretion of the trustee. The trust proactively identifies charities to support rather than accepting applications from organizations.

Getting on Their Radar

While the trust does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations working in the trust's priority areas (legal access, education, social mobility) may come to the attention of Slaughter and May through:

Pro Bono Relationships: Slaughter and May has a strong pro bono culture and regularly provides free legal support to charities and not-for-profit organizations. Organizations that receive pro bono legal support from Slaughter and May may be more likely to be considered for grant funding. The firm's pro bono work focuses on sustainable social impact and includes support for charities on employment matters, data protection, contractual advice, partnerships, and grant processes.

Collaborative Initiatives: The firm has participated in multi-law firm collaborations to support new charitable initiatives. The Healthcare Workers Foundation and Black Equity Organisation are examples where several law firms, including Slaughter and May, provided seed funding and legal support. Organizations involved in sector-wide collaborative efforts may come to the firm's attention.

Legal Social Mobility Partnership (LSMP): Established in 2013 by Slaughter and May, this partnership gives disadvantaged secondary school pupils work experience in the legal sector. Organizations working in educational access and social mobility may connect with the firm through this initiative.

UN Sustainable Development Goals: The firm aligns its charitable work with specific UN Global Goals, particularly SDG16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Organizations working toward these goals may align with the trust's priorities.

Contact for Pro Bono Inquiries: Organizations seeking pro bono legal support can contact responsiblebusiness@slaughterandmay.com. While pro bono support is separate from grant funding, it may be a pathway to developing a relationship with the firm.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed, as grants are made at the discretion of the trustee rather than through application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the trust does not accept applications and therefore does not track application success rates.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the trust does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this trust operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the trust's focus areas and Slaughter and May's broader charitable activities, organizations most likely to receive support share these characteristics:

Legal and Educational Focus: The trust explicitly states that most grants have a “legal or educational focus.” Organizations working to improve access to justice, legal education, or educational opportunities for disadvantaged groups align with the trust's mission.

Sustainable Social Impact: Slaughter and May describes pro bono as “offering legal skills and experience for sustainable social impact.” Projects with long-term, systemic impact rather than short-term relief are likely to resonate.

Operational and Governance Needs: The firm has provided pro bono support on “employment matters, data protection, contractual advice, partnerships and grant processes.” Charities with strong governance needs where legal expertise adds significant value may attract attention.

Alignment with UN Global Goals: Organizations working toward SDG16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals) align with the firm's stated priorities.

Social Mobility and Equity: The firm ranked 5th in the 2024 Top 75 Social Mobility Employer Index and has supported initiatives like the Black Equity Organisation. Organizations addressing social mobility and racial equity align with the firm's values.

Collaborative Approaches: The firm has participated in multi-law firm collaborations. Organizations able to attract support from multiple sources and work collaboratively across sectors may be more likely to be considered.

Healthcare and Essential Workers: The firm's support for the Healthcare Workers Foundation suggests openness to supporting initiatives that benefit frontline workers and essential services.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This trust cannot be approached through traditional grant applications. Organizations should not submit unsolicited proposals.
  • Legal and educational priorities: The trust focuses on projects with legal or educational dimensions, making it relevant primarily for organizations working in these sectors.
  • Pro bono pathway: Building a relationship through Slaughter and May's pro bono program may be the most viable route to the trust's attention, though pro bono support should be valued independently of any potential funding.
  • Collaborative initiatives: The trust has supported multi-organization initiatives. Organizations involved in sector-wide efforts or partnerships may be more visible to the trust.
  • Social impact orientation: Projects offering sustainable, systemic change rather than short-term relief align with the firm's approach to charitable work.
  • Complete expenditure model: The trust distributes 100% of its annual income to charitable activities, demonstrating a commitment to efficient, impactful grant-making.
  • Invitation-only model: The trust's approach allows it to proactively identify and support organizations where its resources can have maximum impact, but this means traditional grant-seeking strategies will not be effective.

🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.

Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.

✓

Data privacy and security by default

✓

Your organisation's past successful grants and experience

✓

AI analysis of what reviewers want to see

✓

A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours

Get Beta Access NowLearn More

References