A recent disagreement among the legal community in the U.K. has seen lawyers go head-to-head over the issue of the country’s arms sales to Israel. So far, more than 2,000 lawyers have engaged in this debate, signing letters that either defend or question the legality of the U.K. government’s approach to these sales.
Among the opposing voices, over 600 lawyers, esteemed academics, and distinguished retired judges have signed an open letter addressed to U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The letter addresses concerns that the U.K. government is violating international law by continuing to supply arms to Israel.
However, the discourse took another turn when a different faction of the legal community responded. This group, led by U.K. Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), composed their own letter to Sunak, expressing their disquiet about the inaccuracy of facts and law they perceived in the initial letter. Their missive, questioning and criticising the claims of their colleagues, has garnered signatures from top figures in the industry such as Deborah Finkler from Slaughter and May, Ed Barnett from Latham, and former managing partner of Fieldfisher, Michael Chissick.
For an in-depth look at this story, and to learn more about the exact nature of these disagreements, read the full coverage here.