Law Rocks, the legal market battle of the bands which has raised more than $2m since launching in 2009, has officially become a registered charity with the pro bono help of Howard Kennedy.

The firm advised Law Rocks on its application to the Charities Commission, with its charity status confirmed last Monday.

Law Rocks was founded in 2009 by Nick Child, a managing director at consultancy Navigant, and Damian Hickman, CEO at the International Dispute Resolution Centre.

The new charity has appointed four trustees: Sir Vivian Ramsey (formerly of Keating Chambers and now an arbitrator), Ted Scott of Secretariat International, Child and Hickman.

Law Rocks was advised by consultant Alan Banes, a charities specialist, having been introduced by Peter Birkett, a real estate lawyer at Howard Kennedy and lead guitarist in the firm’s band, Take It To The Bridge.

Hickman said: “Law Rocks has grown year on year, and obtaining charitable status will allow us raise more money, take advantage of the tax reliefs on gift aid, and deliver more money to those charities we and the bands support. It will add a greater degree of professionalism to everything we do.”

In 2013, Law Rocks was made an official part of the IBA annual conference, and in 2016, more than 140 bands across 17 global cities competed. This year will see Law Rocks form a part of both the Dubai and Hong Kong arbitration weeks.

It will also hold its ‘Six of the Best’ show on 16 March at its regular home, London’s 100 Club, with winners of previous events battling it out. Bands from Howard Kennedy, Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst, TWM, Irwin Mitchell and Simons Muirhead & Burton will be competing.

Child said it had been “a great week” for Law Rocks, during which it not only achieved charitable status but also secured a sponsor for its series of events in London throughout 2017.

Technology provider InfoTrack, which previously sponsored Law Rocks’ Sydney events, has now sponsored the three London 2017 100 Club gigs as well as the annual Unplugged show.

Child also confirmed that following the untimely death of Charter Chambers barrister David Batcup following last year’s Unplugged event, Law Rocks will be creating an annual award in his name.

Batcup, a former head of chambers, was hit by a car outside the venue in Balham on 13 September was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement Charter said: “Over the years David established for himself a reputation as a highly regarded advocate prosecuting and defending the gravest criminal cases with absolute professionalism and integrity.

“To those of us who were his friends, he will be remembered further as a warm, modest, loyal, open and big-hearted family man, good-humoured, ever ‘there for you’, ready with a good word, never angry or bad tempered, always beaming up at you – he was very short!

“He had a particular strength in that he was genuinely interested in everyone he met, he never forgot anyone, even those of brief acquaintance. It was a knack that he had of making everyone seem important to him, as they were. But David was also hugely important to us and we shall miss him terribly.”