THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Registered charity 271297 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as LEF, THE COLLEGE OF LAW
We are an independent foundation supporting communities across the UK to use the law to create a more just and equal society.
Causes: Education/training · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the foundation holds substantial free reserves of £275.2 million, significantly exceeding its stated policy target to maintain the Capital Fund at £200 million in real terms. The foundation reports adequate liquidity and no borrowings, with the Trustees satisfied that it has sufficient resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: £200 million in real terms (held: £275.2m)
“It is the Trustee’s policy to maintain the Fixed Asset Investments, otherwise known as the Capital Fund, at £200 million in real terms based on 30 November 2012” — page 31
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Justice Collaborations
“The Group consists of the Foundation and its wholly owned subsidiary, Justice Collaborations. Justice Collaborations was incorporated on 22 November 2019, is a company limited by guarantee and received charitable status on 17 January 2020.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by RSM UK Audit LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Ben Kernighan — Chair of the board (source)
Listed on the charity’s own website when we last crawled it; roles may have changed. Pay-band disclosures above are anonymous statutory disclosures and are not attributed to any named individual.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£1.1m
Reserves (reported)
£275.2m
Reported reserves equal ~164.6 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Investments (85% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 16.5% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2%) (benchmarks).
- ALISON PICKUP
- Barbora Bukovska
- Benjamin Kernighan
- Chrisann Suzanne Jarrett MBE
- Fiona Mactaggart · trustee of 2 other charities
- Maxine Thomas-Asante
- Sajjad Sabur
- Tamsin Evans
- Vivek Luthra
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland · Throughout England And Wales
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the foundation holds substantial free reserves of £275.2 million, significantly exceeding its stated policy target to maintain the Capital Fund at £200 million in real terms. The foundation reports adequate liquidity and no borrowings, with the Trustees satisfied that it has sufficient resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by RSM UK Audit LLP.
Who funds THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE LEGAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION as a grant recipient include THE A B CHARITABLE TRUST, TRUST FOR LONDON, THE BARROW CADBURY TRUST, THE STEWARTS LAW FOUNDATION, MILLS AND REEVE CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
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Side by side with its peers
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