USA: UN Expert Warns Of Interference In Legal And Judicial System

GENEVA (4 June 2025) – A UN expert today expressed alarm at the targeting of judges, lawyers and law firms in an apparent organised effort to interfere in the independence of the U.S. legal and judicial system.

“Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in the United States and could jeopardise the right to a fair trial,” said Margaret Satterthwaite, the Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers.

Executive officials have made public statements that characterise legal professionals as adversaries and threats, and the President has issued executive orders purporting to ban certain law firms from entering government buildings and obtaining government contracts. Lawyers from these firms have been stripped of their security clearances and barred from being hired by government entities.

“The measures taken directly interfere with the independence of the legal profession, undermining the ability of lawyers to represent their clients and eroding public trust in the judicial system,” Satterthwaite said. “They appear designed to exact retribution against firms with links to lawyers and prosecutors whose actions the President does not like.”

She stressed that the free exercise of the legal profession contributes to ensuring access to justice, oversight of state power, protection of due process and the right to a fair trial.

“While I welcome recent judicial decisions striking down these orders, the efforts by the Executive to intimidate and discredit lawyers remain deeply concerning,” Satterthwaite said.

The Special Rapporteur expressed grave concern that the Executive and its allies have engaged in labelling, denigration and calls for impeachment of judges who have ruled against the Executive in cases before the federal courts.

“International standards provide that justice personnel should be able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; and should not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics,” the expert warned.

“I call on the U.S. to adhere to these standards and stop all efforts to interfere in the work of lawyers, law firms and judges.”

The expert has been in touch with the United States of America about her concerns.

Note:

*The expert: Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

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