header-logo header-logo

The Attorney General: under attack?

28 February 2025 / John Gould
Issue: 8106 / Categories: Opinion , Rule of law , Profession , Legal services
printer mail-detail
209438
Condemning an Attorney General based on their past client list shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the rule of law, writes John Gould

An exchange between Sir Ashley Fox and the Attorney General (AG), Lord Hermer, at the Commons Justice Select Committee in January seems to have been the start of a period of remorseless newspaper speculation as to how Lord Hermer might be misconducting himself by having unsound beliefs or perhaps by ignoring ‘conflicts of interest’. Sir Ashley had spotted that the AG had previously represented former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in defending a claim for damages by provisional IRA bomb victims. This, and other cases, might be presented to the uninformed as something which made a lawyer unfit to hold the office of AG. In fact, the opposite is true.

A link was suggested to the government’s recent confirmation that it would be changing the law in a way which might benefit a class of people which possibly included Mr Adams. The decision followed a specific finding

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Charles Russell Speechlys—Matthew Griffin

Charles Russell Speechlys—Matthew Griffin

Firm strengthens international funds capability with senior hire

Gilson Gray—Jeremy Davy

Gilson Gray—Jeremy Davy

Partner appointed as head of residential conveyancing for England

DR Solicitors—Paul Edels

DR Solicitors—Paul Edels

Specialist firm enhances corporate healthcare practice with partner appointment

NEWS
Personal injury lawyers have urged parliamentarians to reject plans to enact an extra defence in civil cases where child sexual abuse is alleged
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has launched a post-Mazur regulatory review into litigation rights, and is fast-tracking an application from CILEX
The Court of Appeal has upheld the principle of core immunity for advocates, in an important judgment
The Bars, Faculty of Advocates and law societies of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have come together to accuse politicians of putting lawyers at risk through their use of ‘irresponsible and dangerous’ language
The beleaguered TA6 property form has been re-released after almost a year of tests with a working group of residential conveyancers
back-to-top-scroll