United Law Clerks' Society

The United Law Clerks' Society was founded on 14 April 1832 at a meeting of law clerks in the Southampton Coffee House, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane. Its purpose was to make mutual provision against the hardship of fellow law clerks who were overtaken with sickness and infirmity, and, on their death, the poverty of their dependants.

There were two funds, the General Benefit Fund, with assured benefits in sickness, old age and payments on death, and the Benevolent Fund (or Casual Fund) which was for discretionary grants.

The society developed its role as the oldest friendly society for law clerks becoming a health insurance society after the National Health Insurance Act was passed in 1911. Membership of the society was at first restricted to law clerks residing in London but in 1924 the society's operations extended to the whole of England and Wales.

The society was based at the Southampton Coffee House between 1832 and 1839, at which time it removed its meetings to the Crown and Anchor Tavern (at the corner of Arundel Street and the Strand) until 1847. Between 1847 and 1874 it used the Freemasons Tavern, Great Queen Street. By 1874 it had grown large enough to move into its own office at 3 Old Serjeant's Inn, Chancery Lane, and in 1900 it moved to its more permanent home at 2 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn.

The society still exists as a registered charity providing grants and annuities in cases of distress to persons employed in the legal profession in England and Wales, and the widows and children of such persons. It is managed by a voluntary committee of trustees.