Over 100 lawyers urge the government and the Law Society to defend the solicitor in the Hamas case
A group of more than 100 lawyers has called on the government and the Law Society to publicly defend Fahad Ansari, a solicitor who is facing significant backlash for representing clients seeking to challenge the proscription of Hamas as a terror group. The open letter, signed by solicitors, barristers, and legal academics, criticises the “unacceptable attacks” Ansari has faced simply for carrying out his professional duties.
Ansari, currently a consultant at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, was previously the director and principal solicitor at Riverway Law. This firm acted pro bono for Hamas in order to comply with sanctions, assisting the group in applying for deproscription. After the application was submitted, Ansari faced accusations and complaints from figures such as shadow home secretary Robert Jenrick and the Campaign Against Antisemitism, who reported him to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Jenrick described Riverway’s involvement as “sickening” and linked it to the firm’s specialisation in immigration cases. Ansari’s public profile also sparked controversy, with his social media feed including political statements related to the Gaza conflict.
The letter, drafted by barrister Daniel Grütters of One Pump Court, is signed by notable legal figures, including six KCs, law firm founders, and human rights advocates such as Michael Mansfield KC and Sinn Fein MP John Finucane. It stresses the vital role of lawyers in ensuring access to justice, stating that advising clients, even those linked to controversial causes, is an essential part of the legal profession and the rule of law.
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“Advising and assisting clients with exercising their legal rights is an indispensable component of the rule of law,” the letter reads. “If lawyers are unwilling or unable to assist clients, the rights of individuals become meaningless.”
The letter also points out that the UK, as a signatory to the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, is obligated to protect lawyers from adverse consequences due to their professional conduct, including representation of controversial clients. It laments the failure of the Lord Chancellor, the Attorney General, and the Law Society to defend Ansari’s role or offer support during this challenging time.
The signatories argue that the lack of support for Ansari reflects a broader issue, where the rights of legal professionals to represent clients without facing personal or professional consequences are undermined. They consider this a “shocking and shameful dereliction” of the duty to uphold the rule of law.
Ansari himself has yet to publicly respond to the calls for a formal defence, but the legal community continues to rally behind him in what is seen as a crucial case for the independence of legal professionals in the UK.