Legal groups file complaint against barristers over role in UK Lawyers for Israel

“Legal groups file complaint against barristers over role in UK Lawyers for Israel Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Thu, 05/21/2026 - 12:41 The European Legal Support Centre and Public Interest Law Centre accuse patrons of UKLFI of abusing their senior positions as barristers to intimidate pro-Palestine activists Pro-Palestine activists standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice in Central London to oppose Britain's designation of Palestine Action as a terror group (AFP) Off Three of Britain's most prominent barristers have been reported to a legal regulator after two legal advocacy groups accused them of abusing their seniority to intimidate Palestine activists. The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) and the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) on Thursday confirmed that it had submitted a formal complaint to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) concerning three kings counsels, Lord David Pannick, Lord Anthony Grabiner, and Stephen Hockman in their capacity as patrons of UK Lawyers for Israel . The complaint centres on whether repeated references to the senior barristers’ legal standing in correspondence issued by UKLFI amplified the perceived legal threat faced by individuals and organisations involved in lawful advocacy related to Palestine. ELSC and PILC argue that the use of the barristers’ titles and reputations may have increased pressure on recipients, many of whom lacked access to legal representation or the resources to respond to complex legal claims. The organisations have asked the BSB, which regulates barristers in England and Wales, to investigate whether the conduct engages provisions within the Bar Standards Board Code of Conduct, including duties relating to integrity, independence and maintaining public trust in the profession. Founded in 2011, UKLFI describes its mission as "countering the delegitimisation of Israel" and opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. It is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and operates alongside a registered charitable arm, UKLFI Charitable Trust. Neither entity is regulated by the Solicitors' Regulation Authority (SRA), meaning their activities are not subject to the same oversight as a law firm. UKLFI's work frequently involves sending legal complaints or warning letters to institutions and individuals involved in pro-Palestine activity. The group has previously described its patrons as “some of the most distinguished members of the legal profession in the United Kingdom”. According to the complaint, submitted by the ELSC and PILC, the repeated foregrounding of senior legal figures in UKLFI correspondence may have elevated the perceived authority and seriousness of legal threats directed at campaigners, teachers, healthcare workers, students and cultural practitioners expressing support for Palestinian rights. Open University reverses UKLFI-influenced 'ancient Palestine' ban Read More » The names of patrons typically feature at the bottom of a legal threat sent out by UKLFI to organisations it suspects of breaching equality and terror legislation. The complaint was filed on behalf of a coalition of organisations and individuals spanning education, healthcare, migrant advocacy, trade unions and the arts, many of whom submitted impact statements describing the effect of legal correspondence on their work. ELSC said UKLFI appeared 128 times in its Britain Index of Repression database, which documents what it describes as the systematic repression of Palestine solidarity activism across Britain. The groups argue that the cumulative effect has been the creation of a “chilling environment” in which individuals and organisations withdraw or modify lawful Palestine-related activity due to fears of legal escalation. Among the measures sought by ELSC and PILC are an investigation into the involvement of the named barristers in relevant correspondence, an assessment of compliance with the Bar Standards Code of Conduct, and new guidance on the use of professional legal titles in communications with non-lawyers and civil society organisations. An ELSC spokesperson said the complaint highlighted “a pattern of legal intimidation through the use of senior legal status in correspondence targeting individuals and organisations engaged in Palestine advocacy”. “The effect is a chilling environment that deters lawful public support for Palestine, particularly amid a mass global movement in response to the situation in Gaza,” the spokesperson said. “As our report On All Fronts sets out, these mechanisms are deliberate attempts to erase Palestine from public consciousness. This narrows democratic space, threatens freedom of expression, and must be examined by the regulator to protect public confidence in the legal profession.” A PILC spokesperson said the authority associated with senior barristers “should never be used, or appear to be used, to intimidate people or organisations engaged in lawful campaigning and public debate”. “For small charities and grassroots campaign groups showing solidarity with Palestine, receiving legal correspondence that appears to carry the backing of some of the most senior figures at the Bar can be deeply intimidating,” the spokesperson said. 'The effect is a chilling environment that deters lawful public support for Palestine, particularly amid a mass global movement in response to the situation in Gaza' - ELSC spokesperson “At the heart of this complaint is the public interest - protecting democratic participation, safeguarding freedom of expression, and ensuring that people are not discouraged from speaking out or organising lawfully because of the fear of legal intimidation.” Neither the Bar Standards Board nor UKLFI had publicly responded to the complaint at the time of publication. MEE approached both organisations for comment but has not yet received a response. Last year, ELSC and PILC submitted a separate complaint to the SRA against Caroline Turner, a director for UKLFI. The complaint alleged Turner had violated the SRA's Principles and Code of Conduct, including through the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (Slapps), which are legal threats designed to deter free expression on matters of public interest. According to the groups, between January 2022 and May 2025, UKLFI sent at least eight threatening letters to individuals and organisations engaged in Palestine solidarity work. The letters, shared with the complainants by the recipients, allegedly show a pattern of "vexatious and legally baseless" correspondence aimed at silencing campaigners, academics and civil society groups. A spokesperson for UKLFI Ltd at the time denied claims made against them and said it "seeks to promote respect for the law in matters relating to Israel and the Jewish people by drawing attention to conduct which is or may be illegal and explaining the relevant facts and law. "This sometimes upsets people who are not complying with the law and their supporters. They may seek to disrupt our work by making misinformed complaints to various bodies," a spokesperson for UKLFI told MEE. "UKLFI Ltd is not itself a law firm, it is a non profit, membership organisation. It does not conduct 'reserved activities', and does not have to be authorised or registered under UK law. "Nevertheless, its work is carried out to the highest professional standards. Many of its members and supporters are practising lawyers who are regulated by the applicable professional regulators. UKLFI has not conducted any activity that can be described as a SLAPP." Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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