UK law societies back landmark treaty to protect lawyers

News

To mark Human Rights Day (10 December), the law societies of England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland have united to call for urgent ratification of a groundbreaking new treaty designed to protect lawyers, the people responsible for defending everyone’s rights.

The Council of Europe* Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer** provides a framework to protect lawyers from the rising worldwide tide of harassment, threats and physical attacks that undermine their ability to do their job and serve the public.

It is the first internationally binding treaty to protect lawyers, ensuring they can work safely and independently. However, it will only come into force once eight states have ratified it.

The UK was one of the first countries that signed the convention. Recent attacks and new Law Society research*** expose the urgent need for action, with almost half of solicitors who responded saying that they or their firm received a threat in the past 12 months, with some experiencing multiple incidents.

Early ratification by the UK will allow us to play a key role in developing the monitoring body and, more importantly, to send a powerful signal to the rest of the world about the country’s commitment to supporting lawyers in protecting human rights.

Law Society of England and Wales president, Mark Evans, said: “The UK government has the unique opportunity to play a leading role by being one of the first countries to ratify and align the convention with the country’s well-established legal standards.

“Lawyers play a key role in making sure our justice system works fairly for everyone. This convention is a huge step towards safeguarding the rule of law and ensuring people can access justice, supported by lawyers who can carry on doing their jobs safely and independently.”

Law Society of Northern Ireland president Mark Borland said: “The Convention represents a major milestone, particularly given Northern Ireland’s historical context and ongoing risks to the profession, in reinforcing the importance of ensuring that those who work to uphold the rule of law can do so safely, independently and without fear.”

Law Society of Scotland president Patricia Thom said: “In a fair and just society, it is imperative that lawyers can provide their clients with much needed advice and representation, safely and without fear or favour. Sadly, reports of harassment, threats and attacks on the profession are on the rise. It is therefore vital that we protect members of the legal profession as they serve the public; and ratify this Convention at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Notes to editors

• * The Council of Europe is an international organisation working to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe and beyond.
• ** Read the Law Society of England and Wales’s leaflet on the convention for protection of lawyers (PDF 3.3 MB).
• *** The survey, organised by the Law Society of England and Wales, took place in August this year with 286 responses overall. 139 of the respondents claimed to have received threats. Contact the press office for a copy of the report.

Tony Fisher, chair of the Law Society of England and Wales human rights committee, was the UK representative on the drafting committee for the convention.

The Law Society of England and Wales’s Lawyers at Risk programme aims to support legal professionals worldwide who face human rights violations because of their work and raise awareness of the risks they face.