Justice Minister first to sign Rule of Law Pledge

On Monday 25th March 2024, the Minister of Justice, Naomi Long MLA, became the first elected representative to commit to The Pledge to Uphold the Rule of Law, a new initiative brought forward by the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

The Pledge has been developed by the Law Society in response to increasing attacks on lawyers in the media and from politicians associating lawyers with the actions or causes of their clients.

Emphasising the importance of upholding the Rule of Law, Society President, Darren Toombs, said:

“We see the Pledge as an important first step in rebuilding respect for the Rule of Law and drawing a line under dangerous public comments which have seen lawyers come under attack simply for fulfilling their professional obligations. I welcome the leadership shown by the Justice Minister in becoming the first signatory to the Pledge. The Law Society will now be engaging with other MLAs and political parties to seek their support for this important initiative”.

Minister Long said: “I am committed to working in partnership to create a fair, just and safe community where we respect the law and each other.”

Signatories to the Pledge “recognise the Rule of Law as the foundation of a just and democratic society, commit to supporting and upholding the independence of the legal profession and the judiciary which underpin the Rule of Law.”

Signatories further commit to upholding six key principles: Independence, Responsibility, Fairness, Balance and Impartiality, Transparency and Accuracy.

Please click on https://www.lawsoc-ni.org/justice-minister-first-to-sign-rule-of-law-pledge to download the Pledge.

In April 2024, Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) signed The Pledge to Uphold the Rule of Law.

Minister of Justice, Naomi Long MLA pictured with Darren Toombs, President and Colin Mitchell, Vice-President of the Law Society of Northern Ireland signing the Pledge to Uphold the Rule of Law.