Over 100 lawyers operating across the UK and Ireland have signed a declaration vowing to withhold their services for new fossil fuel projects.
They have also promised not to facilitate any legal action against climate activists exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest.
The landmark move was announced by Lawyers Are Responsible amid concerns the world is powering towards 1.5 degrees of global warming.
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LAR member, co-chair of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and Socialist Lawyers Association of Ireland officer, Declan Owens, said: “As a socialist lawyer, I have an inherent disdain for laws implemented in the interests of Capital and the unconscionable harms they cause to the poorest and most vulnerable in our societies, especially in the Global South.
“Similarly, I have a healthy disregard for ethical rules, which enable lawyers acting on behalf of Fossil Capital to facilitate the destruction of human life on the planet and to accelerate the climate and ecological crises.
“Lawyers are particularly responsible for their choices to represent ecocidal fossil fuel companies, and I am happy to sign this Declaration in accordance with my conscience.”
Becoming declaration signatories puts the barristers involved in breach of the Bar Standards Board code of conduct for England and Wales.
Section C28 states: “You must not withhold your services or permit your services to be withheld:
.1 on the ground that the nature of the case is objectionable to you or to any section of the public;
.2 on the ground that the conduct, opinions or beliefs of the prospective client are unacceptable to you or to any section of the public;
.3 on any ground relating to the source of any financial support which may properly be given to the prospective client for the proceedings…”
It’s understood long-time chair of the British Institute of Human Rights, KC Sir Geoffrey Lionel Bindman, is among those who’ve signed the pledge.
While a number of the barristers involved plan to report themselves to the BSB as a result.
You can see the declaration here.
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