Brabners & We Love MCR extend Maurice Watkins social mobility bursary

We’re pleased to share that we’ve renewed our support for the Maurice Watkins Bursary — pledging a further £45,000 over the next three years to help young people pursue a career in law.  

Originally launched in 2022 in memory of former Partner and Manchester United Director Maurice Watkins CBE, we’ve contributed £30,000 through the bursary scheme with the latest funding bringing our total commitment to £75,000.

The scheme has supported 11 young people to date with awards covering tuition fees and essential equipment to support their studies. With annual support now increased from £10,000 to £15,000, the next phase of the bursary will run until at least August 2028 as part of We Love MCR’s Rising Stars Fund.

The bursary is open to young people aged 15 to 22 who are from — or live in — Greater Manchester and aim to enter the legal profession. Applicants can apply for funding to help cover the cost of essential items such as laptops and study materials, travel and clothing for internships or interviews in addition to tuition fees. Applications are assessed by We Love MCR Trustees.

The bursary scheme honours our former Head of Sport, Maurice Watkins CBE. His tireless fundraising efforts — raising over £68m for local hospitals as chairman of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital charity appeals board — earned him a CBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

The Maurice Watkins Bursary is part of a range of initiatives supported by our Social Mobility Affinity Group to improve diversity in the legal profession. Earlier this year, our broader commitment to strengthening the legal community was recognised when we were named Law Firm of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards.

We also continue to support local charities through our independent grant-making charity, The Brabners Foundation, and through True North — our growing network of nearly 500 purpose-led organisations working to unlock the North’s economic potential.

Nik White, our Managing Partner, said: “Maurice’s commitment to giving back to the community continues to inspire us and is a constant reminder of our purpose — to demonstrate that business can bring about positive and lasting change. By recommitting to the bursary and increasing its funding to £15,000 per year, we can better support young people not only with the obvious costs of studying, but also with the less visible barriers — like the expense of travel, laptops or professional clothing — that can quietly serve to exclude them from our profession. 

“Our partnership with We Love MCR reflects our long-term commitment and it’s been a pleasure to see the impact it has had to date. We’re proud to play our part in promoting social mobility as we look to ensure that the legal sector better reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.”

Simon Wright, Head of Charity at We Love MCR, said: “We are pleased to continue our work with Brabners in supporting Manchester’s Rising Stars. The Maurice Watkins Bursary has already had a life-changing impact for its recipients, and this renewal, together with the increased funding, means we can provide even more opportunities for talented young people from diverse backgrounds to succeed in law.” 

Talk to us by calling 0333 004 4488 or emailing hello@brabners.com.