Christian lawyers in London

Lawyers and legal students from different Christian churches meet to encourage each other to live out the Gospel in their professional life.

“The gospel has profound implications for the legal world. The Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship exists to bring the whole Good News of Jesus Christ within the legal world” (LCF website). Founded in 1852, the LCF unites Christian lawyers from all around Britain, as well as forging international links among legal professionals. It promotes three main areas of action: to live according to the “law of the Gospel” in one’s daily life; to form young legal professionals; to be active on an international level.

As part of this third aspect, the LCF held a conference in November entitled: “A lawyer after God’s own heart: Lessons from Psalm 119”, inviting representatives of the “Communion and Law” international network of legal professionals and students animated by the Focolare spirituality. Elisabetta Scomazzon and Pasquale De Rosa, consultants in the field of canon law, attended for “Communion and Law”.

What was the main focus of this meeting of lawyers from different Christian Churches?

Elisabetta Scomazzon – Faith was at the centre: the bond which links us together most strongly, even more than the legal profession itself. Meetings like this are particularly significant because starting from being united on a personal level, we move on to find ways ahead in the legal field, for example through a clear uncompromising commitment to defend the weakest in our societies. Through choices like this, those of us active in the legal system can contribute towards building relationships that are more constructive and “fraternal”.

During the conference, what points in common and what areas for future development in the legal field did you cover?

Pasquale De Rosa –We have in common, above all, the shared commitment to witness to our Christian life in our profession. For example in the lawyer-client relationship and in the various environments a Christian lawyer works: to be authentic witnesses to the “good news” which every Christian carries within.
Our work proceeds alongside that of our own Churches. What we have to do, is to collaborate together, starting from what Chiara Lubich called the “dialogue of life”, putting in common our experiences as legal professionals. For example, a pressing concern is that of human rights and how they are under threat in the current world situation.

How can Christian lawyers and legal professionals contribute to peace and harmony within their own societies, in today’s climate characterized by divisive ideas and praxis?

Elisabetta Scomazzon – Every nation and people has its own order and rules. The Law can actually be an instrument of communion which helps to find solutions to the urgent demands of our planet and to the cry of humanity subjected to injustice, exploitation and war.
Christians of different churches finding solutions in the legal field does not need to be an utopian idea, but could be a great opportunity to give hope that unity is possible.

Edited by the editorial team