Purpose
Lawyers Are Responsible aims to align the UK legal system with planetary conditions that are liveable for current and future generations by:
(i) delegitimising (whether through cultural, legal or regulatory means) legal and judicial support for acts which, according to the best available science, jeopardise the conditions which make the planet liveable; and
(ii) legitimising the acts of those who peacefully resist such conduct.
Principles and Values
We have a shared vision of change, in order to create a world which is liveable for generations to come.
Our vision is grounded in principles of decolonisation, which aim to dismantle systems of domination and oppression at all levels. We do not support any conception that one person or sub-group holds a monopoly of wisdom, and support people in speaking truthfully in their own voice.
We have a vision of authentic democracy, in which we respect and uphold processes designed to ensure that all voices are heard and influence collective courses of action.
We recognise the need for a regenerative culture, as part of which we take care of each other, in particular during and after high intensity actions.
Our vision is grounded in a holistic analysis of problems and their solutions, recognising the complexity and interconnectedness of the natural world, to which we belong.
We will act with honesty and integrity at all times and in all our dealings. We will act respectfully towards others and conform to non-violent principles.
We will seek to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the climate and ecological crises, recalling that the climate crisis is the single biggest threat to human health in history, which is already impacting on millions of people around the world and especially within the Global South; that ecosystems and forms of life are disappearing faster than ever in human history; and the urgency of the need for transformation across all sectors of society, while recognising that we do not hold a monopoly on that truth.
We will pursue actions in accordance with our purpose, using our professional standing and expertise, to enable discussion and debate that lead to changes in policy and law.
We are open to challenging ourselves, and are committed to leaving our comfort zones to consider and take effective action that has the best practicable prospects of achieving our purpose.
We value continuous reflection and learning, following a cycle of action, reflection, learning, and formulating and planning more action. We will learn from other movements and contexts as well as from our own experiences.
Staines-Upon-Thames
Surrey
UK
February 2014
(c) Gideon Mendel
https://gideonmendel.com/submerged-portraits/
About Gideon Mendel
We are grateful to have permission to use the work of Gideon Mendel, an award-winning photographer. Since 2007, Mendel has been working on a project called Drowning World – the aim of which is to portray the human condition within the context of overwhelming climate events. Mendel says of his Submerged Portraits series: “my subjects pause and engage the camera looking out from their inundated homes and devastated environments. The pose may seem conventional, yet the context is catastrophe, and their gazes are unsettling. They are not disempowered victims: they show agency amidst the calamity that has befallen them.“