Borland: Intimidation and attacks on solicitors increasing
The Law Society of Northern Ireland has called for prison sentences to be given to anyone found guilty of assaulting a solicitor at work.
It warned that attacks on solicitors in Northern Ireland – ranging from online harassment to physical attacks – are part of a “growing trend”.
A recent survey revealed that two-thirds of solicitors had suffered some form of threat, abuse or attack when carrying out their professional duties.
Almost half believed that their personal safety, or their family’s safety, was at risk.
Nearly 20% said they had considered leaving their practice area or the legal profession altogether.
There are around 3,000 practising solicitors in Northern Ireland. The vast majority are based in Belfast.
Mark Borland, president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, said: “Intimidation directed at solicitors and their staff is on the increase and the impact of this on their health and wellbeing is concerning.”
In February, 480 solicitors took part in the safety survey. More than half (56%) revealed they had suffered physical threats or attacks and 71% had been subjected to verbal abuse in the last year.
Most incidents took place at the solicitor’s office (60%) with 40% taking place at court. The majority of solicitors said they received abusive emails and calls.
More than a third of the offenders were existing clients. Nearly 10% were relatives of clients and 18% were former clients.
Two solicitors confirmed they had moved home, while others considered the option, and more than 80 said they had considered leaving their practice area or the legal profession altogether.
Speaking anonymously, many partners and solicitors painted a frightening picture of the risks they faced.
“My colleague and I were contacted at home by police who delivered a death threat from a third party,” said one.
Another said: “The client started shouting at me and then lifted a chair which he started swinging in the air in front of my face.”
A third solicitor said they left private practice as a criminal solicitor “owing to threats made from male clients including statements about how they would come to my house”.
In response, the Law Society of Northern Ireland said a “stronger and more consistent response” was urgently needed to protect solicitors from the on-going rise in assaults.
It gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Assembly’s justice committee earlier this month, which met to hear evidence on a new sentencing bill, which makes “assaulting a person delivering a public service” a criminal offence.
The society called for it to be strengthened so that “penalties are sufficiently robust to reflect the seriousness of such offending and to provide an effective deterrent against future attacks.”
The justice committee was urged to bring in “a statutory presumption” that anyone found guilty of assaulting a solicitor or an officer of the court – judges, clerks, magistrates or circuit registrars – would receive a custodial sentence, unless there were exceptional circumstances.
The society highlighted too how the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland lacked a joined-up response to incidents involving solicitors.
It said the bill created the opportunity for the police, the Public Prosecution Service and the courts to work together more consistently to deliver stronger penalties.
As well as helping to protect people, the society said tougher sentences, including the prospect of a prison sentence, would protect justice across Northern Ireland.
“Attacks on solicitors not only harm individual practitioners, but also risk undermining access to justice, the rule of law and public confidence in the justice system,” it said.
The Law Society of Northern Ireland has launched a solicitor safety toolkit for its members, to help law firms and individual solicitors recognise, assess and report the risks they face. The toolkit includes advice on panic buttons in offices and lone walker policies.
Mr Borland told Legal Futures: “Solicitors play a vital role in communities across Northern Ireland, upholding the rule of law, protecting rights and ensuring access to justice. No solicitor should face threats, harassment or intimidation for carrying out their professional role.”
Research last year [1] by the Law Society of England and Wales found that the level of threats, intimidation and even physical violence faced by solicitors has “significantly increased”.
We reported last week on a woman handed a suspended prison sentence after threatening to kill [2] her former solicitor five years after she acted for her in Family Court proceedings.