Jonathan Brinsden
British charity lawyer, partner at Wedlake Bell and trustee of the Disrupt Foundation
| Jonathan Brinsden
| |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1975 |
| Nationality | British |
| Residence | England |
| Occupation | Solicitor (charity law); partner, Wedlake Bell |
| Known for | Trustee of the Disrupt Foundation |
Jonathan Brinsden (Jonathan Edward Andrew Brinsden, born January 1975) is a British charity lawyer and a partner at the London law firm Wedlake Bell. He has been a trustee of the Disrupt Foundation since 11 November 2021.[1] Companies House records him as a director of the foundation's charitable company from that date, of British nationality and resident in England.[2][3]
Legal career
Wedlake Bell announced that Brinsden had joined it as a partner from Broadfield Law, after "more than 20 years" there as head of charities, bringing a team with him.[4] Companies House records him as a member of Broadfield Law UK LLP (OC320798) from 1 June 2009 to 31 January 2026.[3] The firm's profile describes him as a charities lawyer with "over 20 years' experience" who advises charities on registration, governance, mergers and social investment, and has a philanthropy practice including US/UK dual-qualified charities. It lists him as a trustee or committee member of grant-making foundations including The Power of Nutrition, the Monday Charitable Trust, the Telles Foundation, the Disrupt Foundation and the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Foundation.[5] Chambers and Partners ranks him in Band 1 for charities, UK-wide.[6]
Disrupt Foundation
Brinsden is a "Non-Member Trustee" of the Disrupt Foundation, appointed on its incorporation on 11 November 2021; the accounts state that the non-member trustees were appointed to serve a minimum of three years.[7] The foundation's accounts name its administrators and legal advisers as BDB Pitmans LLP (2022 and 2023), Broadfield Law (2024) and Wedlake Bell LLP (2025), the firms with which Brinsden has practised; its registered office is now care of Wedlake Bell, 8th Floor, 71 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4AY.[7][8]
Disrupt Foundation: funding during his tenure
The Disrupt Foundation (registered charity 1198872, company 13738626) is a grant-making family foundation that funds social-justice, migrant-rights and racial-justice organisations in the UK and, since the first quarter of 2023, grassroots and civil-society organisations in Israel, including organisations of Palestinian citizens of Israel.[7] The table shows the foundation's income and spending in the financial years that fall within Brinsden's time as a trustee (from 11 November 2021).[7]
| Year to 31 December | Income (£) | Expenditure (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 (from incorporation on 11 November 2021) | 1,200,000 | 1,071,660 |
| 2023 | 4,024,861 | 3,021,647 |
| 2024 | 2,864,484 | 3,770,390 |
| 2025 | 3,955,767 | 3,990,805 |
Links to Israel and the IDF
No funding for the Israel Defense Forces, IDF soldiers' welfare, pre-military academies or hesder yeshivot is recorded in the Disrupt Foundation's accounts for 2022 to 2025.[7] In 2025 the foundation's grants in Israel totalled £696,579 across 29 grants.[7] Its website states that it is "firmly opposed to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, to measures of apartheid, and to all human rights violations against Palestinians and other oppressed or marginalised communities".[9]
Companies House appointments
Companies House lists the following appointments for Jonathan Edward Andrew Brinsden (born January 1975).[3]
| Company | Company no. | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disrupt Foundation | 13738626 | Director | 11 November 2021 | – |
| Nova Foundation | 16944028 | Director | 5 January 2026 | – |
| 33 Fenwick Road Limited | 06814578 | Director | 7 January 2016 | – |
| Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation | 09887308 | Director | 24 November 2015 | – |
| The Power of Nutrition | 09288843 | Director | 30 October 2014 | – |
| Tuesday Social Investment CIC | 08840358 | Director (company dissolved) | 10 January 2014 | – |
| Womancare Global Enterprises Limited | 07377415 | Director (company dissolved) | 8 March 2013 | – |
| Killing Cancer Concert Limited | 07422311 | Director (company dissolved) | 28 October 2010 | – |
| Society Network Foundation | 07361070 | Director (company dissolved) | 31 August 2010 | – |
| Clean Water for Life | 07195206 | Director (company dissolved) | 18 March 2010 | – |
| Maecenas Trading Limited | 07119458 | Director (company dissolved) | 7 January 2010 | – |
| Broadfield Law UK LLP | OC320798 | LLP member | 1 June 2009 | 31 January 2026 |
| The Busy Group UK | 15234574 | Director | 22 February 2024 | 27 November 2024 |
| Telles Foundation | 09578830 | Director | 7 May 2015 | 2 June 2021 |
| Salvatorian Mission | 07116801 | Director | 5 January 2010 | 2 August 2019 |
| Maecenas | 06972470 | Director | 25 July 2009 | 3 April 2018 |
| SickKids Foundation UK | 06564814 | Director | 5 September 2008 | 13 November 2017 |
| Womancare Global International | 07279512 | Director | 11 February 2013 | 25 July 2017 |
| Womancare Global Trading CIC | 07231920 | Director | 8 March 2013 | 2 May 2017 |
| Imperial Health Charity | 09999900 | Director | 11 February 2016 | 1 April 2016 |
| Frequencies Foundation | 09314697 | Director | 17 November 2014 | 9 December 2014 |
| Lycaenidae Limited | 09194471 | Director | 29 August 2014 | 7 October 2014 |
| Lets for Life | 08972242 | Director | 2 April 2014 | 3 October 2014 |
| Association for a Sustainable Green Future for CEE | 08222720 | Director | 20 September 2012 | 21 November 2012 |
| For Giving CIC | 07574346 | Director | 22 March 2011 | 5 July 2012 |
| Womancare Global Enterprises Limited | 07377415 | Director | 23 March 2011 | 30 March 2012 |
| Womancare Global Trading CIC | 07231920 | Director | 22 April 2010 | 30 March 2012 |
| Womancare Global International | 07279512 | Director | 9 June 2010 | 30 March 2012 |
| Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity | 07795583 | Director | 3 October 2011 | 21 March 2012 |
| Hedge Funds Care UK Trading Ltd. | 07833640 | Director | 3 November 2011 | 9 January 2012 |
| The Gordon Burn Longformacus Trust | 07431535 | Director | 5 November 2010 | 14 March 2011 |
| The Goldsmiths' Company Trustee | 07343075 | Director | 11 August 2010 | 22 December 2010 |
| The Philosophy Foundation | 07416912 | Director | 22 October 2010 | 13 December 2010 |
| The International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumours | 07358100 | Director | 26 August 2010 | 4 November 2010 |
| Victim | 07406157 | Director | 13 October 2010 | 2 November 2010 |
See also
Notes
- ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Disrupt Foundation (1198872): trustees Register of Charities, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Disrupt Foundation (13738626): officers Companies House, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Companies House, Jonathan Edward Andrew BRINSDEN: appointments Companies House, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Wedlake Bell, Wedlake Bell makes major strategic move with the hire of charities specialist Jonathan Brinsden and team to bolster Charities & Not for Profit practice Wedlake Bell (Wedlake Bell-side), accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Wedlake Bell, Jonathan Brinsden Wedlake Bell (Wedlake Bell-side), accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Chambers and Partners, Jonathan Brinsden, UK Chambers Profiles, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Disrupt Foundation, Trustees' report and financial statements for the periods ended 31 December 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, filed at Companies House and the Charity Commission, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, Disrupt Foundation (13738626): filing history Companies House, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Disrupt Foundation, Disrupt Foundation disrupt.org (Disrupt Foundation-side), accessed 21 October 2026.