Stewarts Law Foundation

The Stewarts Law Foundation, established in 2010 by Stewarts Law LLP, formalizes the firm's longstanding charitable commitments since 1990, guided by values of justice, compassion, and opportunity. Its mission is to create opportunities for disadvantaged groups and deliver substantial social impact through four strategic pillars adopted in 2016: alleviating poverty, enabling access to justice, supporting disability, and providing educational opportunities. Distinctively trustee-led—all trustees are Stewarts Law partners—it hand-picks UK charities via internal evaluation and majority vote, leveraging legal expertise for targeted, high-impact giving without accepting unsolicited applications.

The Foundation funds direct, measurable interventions for core beneficiaries: those in poverty, facing justice barriers, living with disabilities, or limited by educational disadvantage. Supported activities include project and core costs (e.g., staff salaries), multi-year commitments, capacity-building, scholarships like the Daniel Turnbull Memorial for disabled law students, legal aid via partners such as the Access to Justice Foundation (£2m+ to date), and aid for homelessness (Emmaus), domestic violence (Refuge), food insecurity (FareShare), and children's hospices (Shooting Star, Forget Me Not).

Eligible entities are exclusively UK-registered charities delivering UK-wide benefits, with a preference for small to medium-sized organizations (incomes from under £100k to a few million) showing strong impact alignment. Typical grants range £10,000–£250,000 annually, often £10k–£30k for one-year awards or £50k+ for flagships exceeding £1m over time. Decisions are adhoc via internal cycles, with no deadlines or open processes. It excludes non-UK work, non-charities, and misaligned causes, standing out for its legal-sector synergy, pro bono ethos, and sustained partnerships fostering equity.