Charitable Activities
There are two strands to The City of London Solicitors’ Company’s charitable activities:
Grants made through the Charities Committee which manages the Company’s Charitable Fund
Charitable giving and the relief of suffering have always been at the heart of livery companies and the CLSC has been no different. On obtaining its grant of Livery in 1944 a formal process was established with new members being encouraged to contribute to the “Poor Box” on admission. The present Charitable Fund was constituted as a charity under a Trust Deed in 1965. The fund relies on the charitable donation of members to be able to give these grants and it makes awards each year totalling over £40,000. The annual membership fee does not go to the Charitable Fund.
Grants Awarded
The objects of the Charitable Fund are wide enough to permit donations for any charitable purposes, but the Court of the Company agreed guidelines in October 2007 which give precedence to organisations which have charitable purposes with a legal or City of London connection.
No donations will be made from the Fund to, or for the benefit of, specific individuals, nor will donations be made to sponsor an individual for the benefit of any charity. The only exception to this is that the Company’s Prize shall be paid out of the Fund and other prizes open to lawyers from the City, whether or not also open to other lawyers, may be paid wholly or in part out of the Fund.
Charitable purposes with a legal connection shall include charities which make legal services available to those who might not otherwise have access to such services, those which promote the law or human rights and those which directly or indirectly support lawyers and/or their dependants.
Charitable purposes with a City connection shall include charities or charitable projects which operate primarily within the City of London and its neighbouring boroughs and those which are sponsored by, or have a connection with, the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, the City of London Corporation or any Livery Company.
The Charitable Fund makes regular donations to The Solicitors’ Benevolent Association, the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, the Mansion House Scholarship Fund, the Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund, Royal British Legion, the Company’s affiliated Cadet Unit and the Tower of London Choral Foundation.
It has also made one-off donations to many legal and local projects. Recently, grants have been made to many charities including the following: Family Rights Group, Prisoners’ Advice Service, The Hardman Trust, Happy Days Children’s Charity. See how your donation makes a difference here.
Join us for the next Celebration of Impact on 30 September 2026 and hear how the charities have benefitted from their grants. (Members can book here.)
Applications for Grants
These are encouraged for all charitable organisations which meet the critieria above. The Fund makes one-off grants in September each year, applications will be open between 1st July and 1st September 2026.
Applications will be via this website.
If you have any queries, please contact Clerk@citysolicitors.org.uk
Donations to the Charitable Fund
Supporting our philanthropic commitments is expected of all members of the Company. We encourage members to the Company’s Charitable Fund either by way of a standing order or on-line through https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/1334 All qualifying donations attract GiftAid. The recommendation is for donations to be equal to, or in excess of, the membership fees. Members are also encouraged to consider leaving a donation in their Will.
The Charitable Fund is managed by the Charities Committee, chaired by Court Assistant Peter King. The Committee meets regularly to consider ways of promoting the Fund to the members and to look at grant applications and projects to support.
The City of London Solicitors’ Educational Trust
The Trust oversees ‘SWSQF’:
The Social Welfare Solicitors Qualification Fund (SWSQF) is a collaborative initiative established by the City of London Law Society (CLLS), BARBRI, and Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) to support aspiring solicitors dedicated to social welfare law. The fund provides financial assistance for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) preparation courses and assessments, aiming to enhance access to justice and diversify the legal profession by enabling practitioners to serve disadvantaged communities.
As of March 2026, the SWSQF has successfully raised over £1.5 million, a testament to the generous contributions from more than 30 supporting law firms and organisations. This substantial funding has facilitated the qualification journey of over 150 legal aid lawyers. Notably, more than 100 candidates have commenced the program, with over 40 individuals having already qualified as solicitors.
The fund’s impact is exemplified by Claire Friel, who became the first solicitor to qualify from the SWSQF cohort after passing her SQE2 in August 2023. Claire’s achievement underscores the fund’s role in overcoming financial barriers that often hinder legal aid practitioners from advancing their careers. She expressed gratitude for the opportunities provided by the SWSQF, highlighting its significance in enabling her to continue her work in criminal defence, representing vulnerable clients.
The SWSQF continues to invite applications from eligible candidates committed to social welfare law, reinforcing its mission to promote greater access to justice and broaden participation within the legal profession.