Bar Chair Barbara Mills KC has joined a long line of Bar chairs in defending professional ethics and the rule of law.
Barbara Mills KC said: "It is wrong to associate lawyers with their clients. The UN's Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers makes this clear.
"The cab rank rule means barristers do not and cannot choose their clients – our independence is one of our core duties. We should never be associated with our clients’ opinions or behaviour simply because we represent them.
“Not only is the cab rank rule the profession’s cornerstone, it also underpins access to justice. Everyone has a right to legal representation. It is for judges and juries to pass judgement, not advocates – our duty is to advise and represent."