Legal Practitioners Call for Action on Safety as Almost Two-Thirds Subjected to Threat or Abuse

(L-R): Peter O’Brien, Deputy Chief Executive of the Law Society Northern Ireland; Emma Lyons, Solicitor Safety Group; Denise Kiley KC, Vice Chair of the Bar Council Northern Ireland; Stewart Dickson MLA, All Party Group Chair; and David A. Lavery CB, Chief Executive of the Law Society Northern Ireland.

The All-Party Group on Access to Justice has hosted a discussion at Parliament Buildings examining the urgent need to protect legal practitioners and justice sector workers from threats and attacks, and what the forthcoming Sentencing Bill must do to safeguard both personal safety and the rule of law in Northern Ireland.

The discussion brought together MLAs, leading legal practitioners and stakeholders to hear directly from those working on the front line of the justice system about the very real and growing threat of intimidation and harassment they face.

In a recent survey conducted by the Law Society of Northern Ireland, 66 percent of respondents said they had been subjected to some form of threat or abuse in the course of their work, ranging from online harassment to physical attacks. 

The Sentencing Bill, soon to be introduced in the Assembly, will include a new offence and higher sentences for assaulting those providing a service to the public or performing a public duty. There are growing calls for legal practitioners to be explicitly included within the scope of these provisions.

The event featured expert contributions from David A. Lavery CB, Chief Executive of the Law Society Northern Ireland; Emma Lyons, Solicitor Safety Group; and Denise Kiley KC, Vice Chair of the Bar Council Northern Ireland.

David A. Lavery CB, Chief Executive of the Law Society Northern Ireland, said:

“Threats and attacks on solicitors, barristers and justice sector staff is a critical issue that needs to be tackled head-on. Beyond the devastating personal impact on individual practitioners, such incidents strike at the very foundation of the justice system.

“Legal practitioners are officers of the court — when they are threatened or attacked, the rule of law itself is under assault. The Sentencing Bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to act, and ensuring that legal practitioners are explicitly and robustly protected within its provisions is crucial.”

Denise Kiley KC, Vice Chair of the Bar Council Northern Ireland, said:

“Today's session was an important opportunity to ensure that the voices of those working within our justice system are heard by our elected representatives. Ensuring that legal practitioners are able to carry out their work safely is fundamental to the effective functioning of our justice system and the maintenance of the rule of law.”

Stewart Dickson MLA, Chair of the All Party Group on Access to Justice, commented:

"It was a privilege to hear directly from practitioners and those who work at the coalface of our justice system every day. Hearing about the challenges they face is exactly the kind of conversation the All-Party Group exists to facilitate, and I am grateful to all of our contributors for sharing their experiences and expertise.”