An all-party group at Stormont hosted a discussion this week on safeguards for solicitors, barristers and justice workers facing threats and attacks. The session addressed opportunities within the upcoming Sentencing Bill.

The Law Society of Northern Ireland's recent survey found 66 percent of respondents experienced threats or abuse at work, from online harassment to physical assaults. Participants included MLAs, practitioners and stakeholders who heard accounts from front-line justice system workers.

The Sentencing Bill, due for introduction in the Assembly, creates a new offence with increased penalties for assaults on public service providers or public duty performers. Legal groups advocate for explicit inclusion of practitioners in these measures.

Contributors included David A. Lavery, chief executive of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, who stressed the impact on the rule of law. Denise Kiley, vice-chair of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland, highlighted the need for safe working conditions to uphold justice. Emma Lyons, from the society's solicitor safety group, joined the panel.

Stewart Dickson, MLA and chair of the all-party group on access to justice, noted the value of direct input from practitioners.