A member of Congress has called on the Biden administration to impose travel bans on senior British lawyers who have acted in favor of wealthy Russian clients against investigative journalists.
Steve Cohen, a representative of the Tennessee Democrats, wrote to Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, urging him to sanction lawyers for “satisfying the malicious activities of Russian oligarchs.”
His letter comes as the Biden administration seeks to increase its support for Ukraine in its war against Russia and to tighten sanctions against those who support the Russian regime.
Cohen writes: “Oligarchs who hire lawyers to take part in cases of abuse of journalists to silence them cannot have a sinister effect on our system. . . The United States must establish deterrence mechanisms for foreign helpers serving undermining democracy.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Cohen named several lawyers who he said should be subject to visa bans for travel to the United States: Nigel Tate of Carter-Rook; John Kelly of Harbottle & Lewis; attorney Hugh Tomlinson; Geraldine Proudler of CMS; Keith Schilling of Schillings; and Schlomo Rechtshafen of SR law.
Each of the lawyers is well known in London legal circles, and companies such as Carter-Ruck and Schillings have built a strong reputation in defamation law and reputation management.
Tate, Kelly, Tomlinson and Proudler have worked on recent cases against former Financial Times journalist Catherine Belton or her publisher HarperCollins, or both.
Belton and Harper Collins were sued last year by several Russian oligarchs, including Roman Abramovich, for her book, Putin’s People, which describes the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The cases were later settled or withdrawn.
Cohen cites Schillings’ work for Malaysian businessman and fugitive Joe Lowe.
British ministers have expressed concern about the way in which UK courts are being used by wealthy foreigners to start defamation lawsuits. Last month, Dominic Raab, the justice minister, put forward proposals to limit all so-called strategic cases against public participation.
Also in March, White Island MP Bob Seeley used parliamentary privilege to claim that City’s “immoral” lawyers were teaming up with “Putin supporters” to offer “legalized intimidation.”
A spokesman for Tomlinson said: “The regulatory rules for lawyers are very strict and work to ensure equal rights for an independent legal council. Mr Tomlinson has acted correctly and in accordance with these rules at all times and has never acted as Mr Cohen suggests.
Tait Carter-Ruck said: “The lawsuits against Carter-Ruck have been misunderstood and rejected in their entirety. In addition to other issues, we do not work for Russian individuals, companies or legal entities that seek to challenge, repeal, thwart or minimize sanctions.
It added: “We do not and will not act for any individual, company or entity associated with the Putin regime in any matter or context, whether sanctions or otherwise, and will continue to do so. all “know that customer inspections in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, as we have always done.”
Cohen quotes Rechtshafen as his representation of Israeli-British businessman Walter Soriano, whom he claims is an “activator” of certain oligarchs, including Abramovich. Rechtshafen said: “Walter Soriano does not help any oligarch. . . The English courts have stated that the lawsuit against Mr. Stedman is not an abuse.
Harbottle & Lewis said that the company “has acted in accordance with its professional and legal obligations at all times and takes these issues very seriously”.
Schillings said the company had not acted for any sanctioned entities and could not comment on customer questions. He added that Cohen’s allegations were “completely inappropriate” and “misinformed”. It says the firm has maintained “the highest traditions of the legal profession.”
Proudler’s CMS said it rejected Cohen’s allegations, adding that Proudler and the company had “complied with all professional regulations”.
“As we said after the invasion of Ukraine, CMS no longer accepts new instructions from Russian-based legal entities or those associated with the Russian government.
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