The Stewarts Law Foundation

Charity Number: 1136714

Annual Expenditure: £0.8M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £700,000 - £850,000 (from partners annually)
  • Total Granted to Date: Nearly £10 million to over 250 charities
  • Grant Range: £5,000 - £250,000 (estimated based on known grants)
  • Decision Process: Trustee discretion (no public application)
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom
  • Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept direct applications

Contact Details

Website: https://www.stewartslaw.com/about/social-impact/the-stewarts-foundation/

Foundation Details:

  • Registered Charity Number: 1136714
  • Company Number: 07282606
  • Registered: 5 July 2010

Note: The Foundation does not accept direct applications or unsolicited enquiries.

Overview

The Stewarts Law Foundation was established in 2010 to formalize the charitable giving of Stewarts Law LLP, the UK's largest litigation-only law firm. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated nearly £10 million to over 250 UK charities. The Foundation is funded entirely by the partners of Stewarts Law LLP, with partners contributing between £700,000 and £995,000 annually in recent years (2023: £706,740; 2024: £854,401; 2022: £995,000). The Foundation is governed by 18 trustees, all of whom are partners at Stewarts Law. No trustees receive remuneration, and the Foundation employs no staff. The Foundation focuses its grant-making on carefully selected charities that align with the firm's areas of legal expertise, particularly in access to justice, disability support (brain and spinal injuries), poverty prevention, education, and the arts. Charities are selected by trustees rather than through an open application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Core Grant-Making Programme

  • No fixed grant amounts - grants vary based on charity need and Foundation priorities
  • Multi-year commitments available - the Foundation makes both one-off and multi-year grants
  • Selection method: Trustee discretion only

Major Multi-Year Commitment:

  • Access to Justice Foundation: £250,000 per year (£200,000 for legal advice centres; £50,000 for Access to Justice Centre and Network). Total committed to date: over £2.35 million

Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship:

  • Annual scholarship for disabled law students
  • Covers Legal Practice Course (LPC) fees at University of Law
  • One student supported per year

Charity of the Year Programme:

  • Staff vote annually to select one or two charities as Charity of the Year
  • Recent recipients: Bliss (2024), Roundabout Ltd and The Passage (2023), Refuge (2022)

Royal Academy of Arts Scholarship:

  • Three-year bursary for one RA Schools student at a time
  • Supports students throughout their entire course
  • Ensures access based solely on creative potential and artistic merit

Priority Areas

Since 2016, the Foundation has focused on four key areas:

  • Homelessness prevention and support
  • Food poverty programmes
  • Community support for vulnerable populations
  • Examples: St Mungo's, The Passage, FEAST, St George's Crypt
  • Free legal advice services
  • Legal support for vulnerable groups
  • Public law and human rights work
  • Examples: Access to Justice Foundation, BAILII, Just for Kids Law, JUSTICE, Dads House, LawCare
  • Brain injury support and emergency assistance
  • Spinal cord injury rehabilitation and mental health
  • Services for people with paralysis
  • Examples: Headway (over £400,000 total), Spinal Injuries Association, Back-Up Trust, Neurokinex Charitable Trust, WheelPower
  • Bursaries for disadvantaged students
  • Career coaching for underprivileged youth
  • Support for students with protected characteristics
  • Examples: Finito Education, Future Frontiers, Dr Ateh Jewel Foundation, Daniel Turnbull Scholarship
  • Support for emerging artists
  • Student bursaries at arts institutions
  • Examples: Royal Academy of Arts, Stewarts Prize

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the Foundation's focus areas suggest they do not fund:

  • International charities (UK focus only)
  • Medical research (except where it relates to brain/spinal injury)
  • Animal welfare
  • Environmental causes
  • Sports and recreation (except disability sport)
  • General operating costs for organizations outside their priority areas
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Governance and Leadership

Governance Structure

  • 18 Trustees - all partners at Stewarts Law LLP
  • No remuneration for trustees
  • No employees - Foundation is run entirely by partners
  • Trustee meetings: At least annually to discuss strategic direction, review finances, and consider grants
  • Appointment process: Partners invited to become trustees upon becoming Part I partners, with formal appointment at the first trustee meeting following their promotion

Key Personnel

Stuart Dench - Managing Partner, Stewarts Law LLP

  • Oversees the firm and, by extension, the Foundation's strategic direction
  • Formerly Head of Business Development and Marketing for over 20 years

Daniel Herman - Partner

  • Spokesperson for the Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship
  • Quoted: “Danny was a man whose determination and zest for life inspired everyone who met him... [the scholarship will] assist other disabled people realise their ambition of becoming a solicitor.”

80+ Partners at Stewarts Law LLP who collectively fund the Foundation through annual contributions

Foundation Vision

The Foundation's vision statement emphasizes three core principles:

  1. “Create opportunities for the disadvantaged in our society”
  2. “Treat people less fortunate than ourselves with compassion and respect”
  3. “Make a substantial social impact”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This Foundation does not have a public application process.

The Charity Commission register and the Foundation's website both explicitly state: “Direct applications are not accepted.”

How Grants Are Awarded:

  • Charities are carefully selected by the Foundation's trustees
  • Selection reflects the firm's areas of legal expertise and the partners' professional interests
  • The Foundation makes strategic multi-year commitments to selected organizations
  • Trustees identify charities aligned with the Foundation's four priority areas
  • Staff participate in selecting the annual Charity of the Year through a voting process

Exception - Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship:

  • Disabled law students can apply through the University of Law's Postgraduate Scholarships & Bursaries website
  • Requires online assessment and confirmation of disability under Equality Act 2010
  • One scholarship awarded annually

Getting on Their Radar

Connection to Stewarts Law's Work:

The Foundation primarily supports charities that intersect with the firm's litigation practice areas. Organizations working in:

  • Personal injury (particularly brain and spinal injuries)
  • Access to justice and legal aid
  • Family law and children's rights
  • Disability support

Staff Engagement:

The annual Charity of the Year programme involves staff voting, suggesting that charities known to Stewarts' employees have a pathway to consideration. Building relationships with individuals who work at Stewarts Law may create awareness of your organization.

Sector Visibility:

The Foundation supports well-established charities with strong track records in their priority areas. Organizations that are recognized leaders in brain injury support, access to justice, or disability services appear more likely to be considered.

Professional Networks:

Given that all 18 trustees are partners at a major litigation firm, maintaining visibility in legal sector networks, particularly those related to personal injury law, access to justice, and pro bono work, may increase awareness of your organization.

Decision Timeline

No public timeline - as grants are trustee-initiated rather than application-based.

Known decision patterns:

  • Trustees meet at least annually to review grants
  • Charity of the Year selection occurs in the last quarter of each year
  • Multi-year commitments suggest long-term strategic planning rather than annual cycles
  • Some partnerships span many years (e.g., Headway support since 2011)

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since there is no public application process, the following factors appear to influence which charities receive Foundation support:

Alignment with Stewarts Law's Professional Expertise

The Foundation's grant-making closely mirrors the firm's litigation specialisms:

  • Personal injury law → brain and spinal injury charities
  • Family law → children's legal rights and homelessness prevention
  • Clinical negligence → medical support charities
  • Public law → access to justice organizations

Strategic Insight: Organizations whose work directly relates to Stewarts Law's practice areas have received the most substantial and sustained support.

Demonstrated Impact and Established Track Record

Recipients include nationally recognized charities with strong reputations:

  • Headway (national brain injury charity)
  • Access to Justice Foundation (legal sector infrastructure)
  • Royal Academy of Arts (prestigious arts institution)
  • St Mungo's (leading homelessness charity)

Strategic Insight: The Foundation favors well-established organizations with proven track records rather than start-ups or experimental projects.

Connection to Personal Stories

The Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship demonstrates the Foundation's willingness to create lasting legacies honoring individuals connected to the firm. The scholarship commemorates Danny Turnbull, a partner who was paraplegic and an advocate for spinal cord injury awareness.

Strategic Insight: Charities with personal connections to partners or that serve populations directly relevant to the firm's client base receive multi-year support.

Multi-Year Strategic Commitments

The Foundation makes substantial multi-year commitments rather than many small one-off grants:

  • Access to Justice: £250,000/year for multiple years (over £2.35m total)
  • Headway: Over £400,000 since 2011
  • Royal Academy: Three-year student bursaries

Strategic Insight: The Foundation prefers sustained partnerships with selected organizations rather than broad-based grant-making to many charities.

Filling Critical Gaps

Specific grants address urgent needs:

  • Headway Emergency Fund provides travel and accommodation for families to be at brain injury survivors' bedsides
  • Access to Justice supports free legal advice when legal aid has been severely cut
  • Student bursaries ensure access based on merit rather than financial means

Strategic Insight: The Foundation responds to charities addressing critical gaps in statutory provision, particularly where vulnerable people would otherwise lack support.

Staff Engagement

The Charity of the Year programme allows Stewarts' 400+ staff to vote for causes they care about, suggesting that organizations known to employees can gain traction.

Strategic Insight: Organizations with existing connections to Stewarts' staff or those working in areas that resonate with legal professionals may benefit from this democratic selection process.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process - The Stewarts Law Foundation operates on trustee discretion only and does not accept direct applications from charities
  • Strategic focus on professional expertise - The Foundation funds charities whose work intersects with Stewarts Law's litigation practice areas (personal injury, access to justice, disability, family law)
  • Substantial multi-year partnerships over broad-based giving - The Foundation prefers making significant long-term commitments (£250,000/year to Access to Justice; £400,000+ to Headway) to carefully selected organizations rather than many small grants
  • Established charities favored - Recipients are typically well-known, nationally recognized organizations with proven track records rather than start-ups or small community groups
  • Total annual giving of £700,000-£850,000 - Funded entirely by contributions from Stewarts Law partners, with grants distributed to carefully selected charities aligned with four priority areas
  • Personal connections matter - The Daniel Turnbull scholarship and support for brain/spinal injury charities demonstrate that personal connections to partners and the firm's client community influence grant-making
  • Staff voting for Charity of the Year - Organizations known to Stewarts' 400+ staff members may gain consideration through the annual Charity of the Year programme, which involves employee voting

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