As part of the opening of the legal year, lawyers' organisations from around the world will convene in London on Tuesday 30 September to discuss the threats facing the global legal profession and the urgent need to bolster coordination and safeguards.
Lawyers are increasingly vilified and targeted by state and non-state actors. Many are facing attacks and harassment simply for doing their job. Hostility directed at lawyers is not just an attack on the legal profession, it jeopardises access to justice and undermines the rule of law. Our event will bring together Bar and Law Society leaders to focus on ways to respond to threats and attacks.
Our event will also explore how to use the new Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer and the long-standing UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers in order to defend lawyers and, by extension, the rights of the people they serve.
Hosted jointly by the Bar Council and Law Society of England and Wales. The event will be chaired Barbara Mills KC, the Chair of the Bar and closing remarks will be given by Richard Atkinson, the President of the Law Society.
Our guest speakers include:
- The Istanbul Bar Association President Professor Dr Ibrahim Kaboğlu
- The American Bar Association President Michelle A. Behnke
- The Law Society of Zimbabwe President Lison Ncube
- The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific President Shyam Divan
Chair of the Bar Barbara Mills KC said: "Barristers have told us they have faced death threats and rape threats, threats to their family members, threats made by politicians, physical surveillance and lawyers have been traduced in some parts of the media both at home and abroad. The Bar Council of England and Wales condemns all acts of intimidation and the targeting of lawyers who are simply carrying out their work. There must be no impunity for governments or non-state actors who target the profession. There are patterns of intimidation that show we are facing an increasing hostile environment for lawyers globally.
"That's why we are now focused on the safety and protection of lawyers at this year's Bar leaders' event as part of the opening of the legal year. Bar and Law Society leaders are coming together to share experiences, to learn from each other and to offer support that is coordinated across jurisdictions. As a globally connected profession, we must work together to protect one another. It is vitally important for us to support the profession at this critical time, emphasise the value of independent legal practitioners and promote adherence to the rule of law.”
Law Society President Richard Atkinson said: “We are delighted to welcome Bar associations and Law societies worldwide to mark the opening of the legal year in England and Wales. This year’s theme focuses on addressing threats and safeguarding the global legal profession. Lawyers must be able to carry out their duties and uphold the rule of law safely and independently, free from undue interference. This matters to every single person. When the rule of law is under threat, it affects not only lawyers but also the everyday lives, rights and freedoms of all people and their communities.
“We stand at a moment where the stability of our legal systems is being tested by political, economic and social pressures that threaten to weaken public trust in the rule of the law and erode the very foundations of justice that underpin fairness and democracy. Strengthening our profession is about more than defending the justice system. It is also about protecting the rights of people everywhere. Through our steadfast commitment to access to justice, we ensure the legal profession remains a beacon of equality, accountability and hope, protecting the principles that touch every person, every day.”