Legal support charity Support Through Court has launched a new campaign encouraging law firms to release unclaimed client balances to help people facing court without a lawyer.
Last year, Support Through Court assisted over 50,000 individuals without legal representation, guiding them through complex court systems and processes. Demand for this free service has surged as more people find themselves with no option but to represent themselves in legal proceedings.
Every year, law firms across the UK hold residual client balances—funds left in accounts after a case concludes and all reasonable efforts to return them have been made. Rather than allowing these funds to remain unused, Support Through Court’s ‘Residual Impact’ campaign offers a meaningful way to transform them into life-changing support for vulnerable individuals.
The campaign takes advantage of changes introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in 2014, which raised the threshold for unclaimed funds that can be donated to charity without SRA permission from £50 to £500. Support Through Court provides indemnity insurance on donated funds, ensuring law firms can contribute with confidence. Ali Evans, Deputy Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager at Support Through Court, said:
“Companies donating their residual fund balances can have an undeniable impact by donating their unclaimed balances. A donation of just £50 can fund a trained volunteer to support up to two people through the court system, providing critical assistance during one of the most challenging times in their lives.”
Law firms and finance managers can make a difference by supporting ‘Residual Impact’. To learn more, visit www.supportthroughcourt.org/residualfunds or contact Ali Evans at a.evans@supportthroughcourt.org.
