# Good causes could benefit from law firms’ unclaimed client funds

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/02/17/good-causes-could-benefit-law-firms-unclaimed-client-funds/
- Published: 2009-02-17T10:04:31+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Law firms in England & Wales could be putting thousands of pounds of unclaimed client
money to a good cause by donating to charity, says the Law Society Charity.

 

The Law Society Charity is calling on solicitors to not let unclaimed funds gather
dust but to donate them to the Charity instead.

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The Charity has provided essential financial support to a number of initiatives,
including being a major supporter of LawCare, the International Lawyers for Africa
programme and the NSPCC to name a few. Donations of unclaimed client funds will 
allow the charity to continue its support for these and many other good causes.

 

Law Society Charity Chairman Nigel Dodds says:

 

“As many law firms tighten their belts in the current downturn, the philanthropic
endeavours of the profession risk a decline. Donating unclaimed client funds allows
firms who want to continue to donate to charity to carry on doing so. The money 
cannot be used for anything else.

 

“The Law Society Charity acts as a catalyst for solicitors to give something back
to the profession and provides for worthy causes both at home and abroad. We have
donated to a broad range of causes aimed at supporting the legal sector and those
seeking access to justice. We could do more, so rather than have unclaimed money
collecting dust in a client account, it could be helping the Charity provide much
needed funds for a number of initiatives.”

 

Solicitors are only permitted to dispose of unclaimed client funds to charity and
the Law Society Charity is urging the profession to follow in the footsteps of other
firms and put the money to good use.

 

Following successful lobbying by the Law Society the Solicitors Regulation Authority
approved an amendment to the Solicitors Account Rules last year, allowing balances
of £50 or less of unclaimed funds per client to be released to charity without SRA
approval.

 

Where the donation amounts to over £50 of a client’s unclaimed funds, the Law Society
Charity will provide an indemnity for that amount subject to the donor firm having
prior SRA approval to make the donation.

 

Once all efforts to reimburse the client with the funds have been exhausted solicitors
can donate them to charity. Where funds have been donated to the Law Society Charity
and a client subsequently request the funds the Charity will reimburse the firm 
in respect of the monies claimed.

 

Ends

 

To find out more about the work of Law Society Charity and how to contribute, visit

 

www.lawsociety.org.uk/charity

 

Journalists can contact the Law Society Press Office on 020 7320 5764.

 

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