Morrison Foerster’s New Charity of the Year for the London Office

At Morrison Foerster (MoFo), we support underserved communities and promote equal access to justice. One of MoFo’s core values is ‘Committed to Service’, which ensures that as a firm we make a meaningful impact for our clients, communities, and society.

Since 2018, MoFo has had a pro bono partnership with Z2K (Zacchaeus 2000 Trust), a charity whose vision is that everyone should live a life free from poverty. Through this collaboration, we support low‑income individuals in London who have been denied disability benefits and need tribunal representation to see this rectified. MoFo volunteers have helped over 100 individual clients with physical and mental health conditions to appeal disability benefit decisions at the tribunal level, with a success rate of over 90%.

All the clients we have worked with have long-term conditions, including mental health challenges and disabilities that impact their daily living and mobility in a variety of ways. Volunteers have learned a great deal through working closely with these individuals, understanding their challenges, and advocating for them to get the financial support they need. 

Z2K’s mission is to end poverty for the more than one in five people in the UK who experience it. To secure adequate incomes and freedom from high costs, Z2K provides frontline advice and representation services, and campaigns for change. They work alongside “experts by experience” (those with lived experience of poverty) in everything they do. This work is more vital now than ever, as more and more people are pushed further into poverty with increases in the cost of living. To support this vital work, MoFo’s London office has chosen Z2K as its Charity of the Year for 2024/2025.

Trevor James, a partner at Morrison Foerster, said, “Through my role as the London representative for The Morrison & Foerster Foundation and the firmwide secretary for the Foundation, it has been my privilege to support and see the important role our charitable partners play in making a difference in our communities. Over six years on, we are immensely proud to be working side-by-side with Z2K and look forward to participating in more fund-raising opportunities alongside our pro bono team to help Z2K to continue its crucial work in seeking to bring an end to poverty in the UK.”

Samantha Evans, head of Fundraising at Z2K, said “We are thrilled to be chosen as Morrison Foerster’s London office’s Charity of the Year and have been blown away by the support we have received through our pro bono partnership already. As a charity 100% reliant on fundraising (94p in every £1 is spent on service delivery), and whilst we face an increase in demand for our services, this partnership is invaluable to a small charity like Z2K. We look forward to raising vital funds and are truly grateful to MoFo for being an integral part of our journey toward a life free from poverty.”

The MoFo London office charity committee, MoForOthers, is creating an exciting programme of fundraising activities to raise vital funds throughout the year to support Z2K’s mission.

To help make a difference, visit the charity’s website.