In this powerful piece, CLA President Steven Thiru warns of the growing threats to the independence of the legal profession globally. He underscores that an independent Bar is essential to upholding justice and the rule of law, serving as a safeguard against executive overreach and ensuring access to justice for all—particularly in contentious or politically sensitive matters.
Thiru highlights a disturbing global trend where lawyers face harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and politically motivated prosecutions, particularly when defending human rights, minorities, or engaging in anti-corruption work. Citing recent reports by UN Special Rapporteurs, he notes the rising risks in both developing and developed democracies, including alarming executive actions in the United States under President Trump, which targeted prominent law firms and diversity initiatives.
The article outlines international norms and instruments protecting the legal profession, such as the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers and the newly adopted 2025 Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. The CLA also reaffirms its mandate to defend legal independence, highlighting recent interventions in Mozambique, Eswatini, Guyana, China, Zambia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Looking forward, Thiru stresses the importance of a unified legal community and robust international safeguards to confront these challenges. He calls on legal leaders to engage at the 24th Commonwealth Law Conference in Malta to build consensus and establish frameworks to preserve legal independence across jurisdictions. His message is clear: defending the legal profession’s autonomy is a collective duty—integral to justice, human rights, and democracy.