Legal groups file complaint against UK Lawyers for Israel director over alleged ethics breaches
Legal groups file complaint against UK Lawyers for Israel director over alleged ethics breaches
Two legal advocacy organisations have filed a formal complaint with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) against the director of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).
Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) and the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) accused Caroline Turner, a solicitor and UKLFI's director, in a 114-page report of breaching professional standards and engaging in unregulated legal work to suppress solidarity with Palestine.
The complaint, which was filed on 5 August and made public on 13 August, alleges Turner has violated the SRA's Principles and Code of Conduct, including through the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), which are legal threats designed to deter free expression on matters of public interest.
PILC and ELSC want the SRA to investigate whether UKLFI, which is not regulated under any UK legal regulatory body, is in effect operating as a law firm, and to bring it under formal regulatory oversight.
According to the groups, between January 2022 and May 2025, UKLFI sent at least eight threatening letters to individuals and organisations engaged in Palestine solidarity work.
The letters, shared with the complainants by the recipients, allegedly show a pattern of "vexatious and legally baseless" correspondence aimed at silencing campaigners, academics and civil society groups.
"UKLFI is actively suppressing solidarity with Palestine," a representative for the ELSC told Middle East Eye.
"Our research documents how their threatening letters have triggered concrete reprisals - workers disciplined or fired, reputations smeared, and events cancelled under pressure.
"This is a systematic strategy to criminalise solidarity with Palestine and shield genocide complicity," they said.
"This complaint is a demand for accountability," they added
PILC solicitor Paul Heron said: "No solicitor is above the SRA's regulatory framework. We are calling for a full investigation into their conduct and into UKLFI as an organisation that effectively acts as a law firm.
"The SRA has a duty to uphold professional standards and protect civil society from intimidation dressed up as law."
A history of legal threats
Founded in 2011, UKLFI describes its mission as "countering the delegitimisation of Israel" and opposing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
It is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and operates alongside a registered charitable arm, UKLFI Charitable Trust.
Neither entity is regulated by the SRA, meaning their activities are not subject to the same oversight as a law firm.
UKLFI's work frequently involves sending legal complaints or warning letters to institutions and individuals involved in pro-Palestine activity.
Since October 2023, the group has led campaigns against expressions of support for Palestine: filing legal letters to Tower Hamlets council over Palestine flags on lampposts, pressuring music festivals to ban Irish rap group Kneecap, threatening ICC prosecutor Karim Khan KC for pursuing legal action against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and even threatening a judicial review against the UK government for suspending some arms licences to Israel.
The last threat prompted the resignation of UKLFI patron Lord Carlile.
Critics say UKLFI's tactics amount to "lawfare" - the use of legal mechanisms to achieve political objectives by silencing or intimidating opponents.
In May 2025, human rights group Cage International accused UKLFI of contributing to a "wave of repression" against Palestine advocates by targeting academics, charities and campaign groups.
In June, campaigners Led By Donkeys released a short film alleging UKLFI was systematically pressuring venues, employers and regulators to act against those supporting Palestinian rights.
The scrutiny has intensified. In July, MEE revealed that the UK Charity Commission had opened an investigation into UKLFI’s charitable wing after receiving complaints from Cage and Led By Donkeys.
The SLAPPs debate
SLAPPs have become a growing concern in the UK, with press freedom organisations warning they are used to deter journalists, campaigners and NGOs from speaking on matters of public interest.
In 2024, the government introduced anti-SLAPP provisions in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, but campaigners argue the protections remain weak and do not adequately cover cases outside financial crime.
The ELSC and PILC claim that UKLFI's correspondence fits the SLAPP pattern, using the prospect of costly legal battles to chill debate and discourage public participation.
UKLFI's letters often cite its "patrons and members", describing them as "some of the most distinguished members of the UK legal profession" and naming regulated solicitors and barristers.
The complainants argue that this creates a misleading impression of official regulatory oversight, potentially breaching SRA Principle 2 (upholding public trust) and Code of Conduct 8.8 (accuracy in publicity).
"The SRA must step in," Heron said. "Without regulatory intervention, groups like UKLFI will continue to use these tactics to suppress conversation about war crimes and crimes against humanity and to silence those who speak out against Israel."
The SRA has not yet commented on the complaint, but a spokesperson told MEE they would investigate any complaint made.
MEE reached out to UKLFI for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication.
UKLFI has previously rejected claims that it seeks to stifle legitimate debate, insisting that its work is focused on countering antisemitism and the misrepresentation of Israel.
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