A Tribute to Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC

By Legal Action Worldwide Founder and Executive Director, Antonia Mulvey

Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC 

This week, leading human rights lawyer, Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC, sadly passed away at the age of 92.

Geoffrey was a luminary in the human rights field and his role in advancing and safeguarding the rights many of us take for granted cannot be understated. His career is a constellation of trailblazing legal interventions, vital defences, and unambiguous commitment to liberty, fairness and the rule of law. And on top of that – he was the kind of person that you just wanted to be around.  Spending time with Geoffrey was a reminder of what one person can do if you decide to make a difference, not only in the UK but globally.

Geoffrey was an indomitable champion of progressive organisations; in addition to founding leading human rights law firm, Bindmans LLP, he was a longstanding legal advisor and representative of Amnesty International, a patron of Humanists UK, and a board member for Redress, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights and Legal Action Worldwide (LAW).

When I was establishing LAW, including Geoffrey was a natural choice. Not only did his extensive experience in strategic litigation make him a key advisor for all of LAW’s work, but his support, patience and understanding of the challenges faced by fledgling human rights initiatives meant that he was a perfect choice for our UK Board. While some may advise timidity in navigating these challenges, with a sparkle in his eye, Geoffrey would always advocate for the bold approach, rooted in principle.

He was deeply curious in and supportive of LAW’s work – which I appreciated. Knowing he would ask the tricky legal questions and home in on any flaws in legal argumentation or strategy meant that LAW’s team, myself included, had to prepare extensively for these discussions. In doing so, each LAW initiative was fundamentally strengthened – there was deep contentment in knowing our cases had his approval!

Geoffrey was the vanguard for equality in the 60s, 70s and 80s, and played a vital role in advancing international law in the UK. He was the legal advisor to the Race Relations Board, brought critical anti-discrimination cases and pushed for the end of Apartheid in South Africa. Intervening for Amnesty International, he was a central figure in the litigation that reached the House of Lords around the arrest and proposed extradition to Spain, of Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet. The case was built upon the principle of Universal Jurisdiction – the idea that some crimes (like those perpetrated under the Pinochet regime) are so heinous to the international order that they can be prosecuted anywhere. Challenging the impunity of the powerful was a core tenet throughout Geoffrey’s career; in one of his regular articles in the New Law Journal, Geoffrey lamented the UK’s failure to use Universal Jurisdiction to effectively address impunity for international crimes: “This record is pitifully sparse. There is an understandable presumption in favour of ‘territoriality’… But that is too easy an excuse for abdicating responsibility.” His words remain true today – Geoffrey was never shy in calling out the shortcomings and inadequacies of the UK’s justice system.

Whenever I visited London, I would try to ensure I found the time to visit Geoffrey. Even in recent years, his spark remained – conversations over tea with him and his wife (who sadly passed earlier this year) at their home in Highgate were a treasure. His wit, optimism, clarity of thought, and profound interest in progressive causes were, and continue to provide, inspiration and drive to continue fighting for human rights – in the UK and around the world.

Geoffrey wielded the law as a sword and shield, fighting for those who needed it most – incisively prosecuting the case for strengthened human rights wherever possible, and defending the rights of those most at risk. The mantle now passes to us all to continue Geoffrey’s legacy.

The global outlook may feel bleak at the moment, but Geoffrey’s tenacity, tirelessness and brilliance demonstrates the irrefutable impact one lawyer can have for thousands around the world.