UK legal bodies express grave concern at hostility towards lawyers and judges

The Bar Council of England and Wales, the Law Society of England and Wales, the Law Society of Scotland, the Faculty of Advocates, the Bar of Northern Ireland and the Law Society of Northern Ireland, representing 250,000 lawyers, have come together to express grave concern about the climate of increasing hostility towards lawyers and judges.

Legal professionals have been vilified and targeted simply for doing their job. The judiciary is independent from parliament and politicians, and lawyers represent their clients without fear or favour. Politicians have a responsibility to respect the role of judges in upholding the rule of law and interpreting legislation that has been agreed by parliament. Unlike politicians, members of the judiciary are expected to be strictly impartial when considering how the law should be applied. Lawyers must abide by their professional ethics code and ensure that people facing life changing legal problems get a fair hearing.

Politically motivated attacks on the legal profession are irresponsible and dangerous. They weaken public trust and confidence in the rule of law and erode the very foundations of justice that underpin fairness and democracy.

Barristers, solicitors and judges have been subjected to violence, death threats and rape threats. Some have faced threats to their family members. We have repeatedly seen law firms and offices be set upon by protestors. We are deeply disturbed by this rising tide of intimidation targeting those who serve our justice system and uphold democratic principles.

Lawyers should never suffer adverse consequences because they are identified with their clients or their clients’ causes. Lawyers are not their clients. Those who are unpopular or despised are still entitled to access the courts just as much as anyone else. Nobody is above the law, including politicians. Nobody is beneath the law’s protections.