‘Activist’ lawyers video condemned

 

THE Faculty joined condemnation of a reference in a Home Office video to lawyers who provide legal advice to migrants as “activist lawyers”.

Roddy Dunlop, QC, Dean of Faculty, said: “Faculty shares the condemnation of attacks on lawyers as 'activists' in the Home Office video. Lawyers pleading their clients’ case in accordance with the law are not 'activists'. They are lawyers. Any lawyer pulling his or her punches because the Home Office (or anyone else) doesn’t like it isn’t doing the job properly.

“Independence of thought and fearless scrutiny of executive power is essential to the rule of law, and should not be denigrated by any government."

Other groups which severely criticised the video included the Law Society of Scotland, the Bar Council and the Law Society of England and Wales.