A KC who was among a group of high-profile Jewish lawyers who called for Israel to be guided by the law in its response to the Hamas attack has been appointed attorney general in Britain’s new Labour government.

The Law Society Gazette of England and Wales says that Richard Hermer KC, a barrister at Matrix Chambers and deputy High Court judge, has been given a peerage to take up the role as chief legal adviser to the British government.

Hermer, who was born and raised in Wales, studied politics and modern history at the University of Manchester before being called to the Bar in 1993.

After pupillage in Wales, he moved to London, where his practice focused mainly on human rights and international law. He has been involved in claims emanating from the Iraq conflict and Guantanamo Bay.

‘Exceptionally valuable’ experience

The Gazette says that Hermer was one of a group of leading Jewish lawyers who wrote an open letter in the Financial Times last October calling for Israel to be guided by the law in its response to the Hamas attack.

The President of the Law Society of England and Wales Nick Emmerson said: “The new attorney general has extensive international and domestic legal experience and has been involved in the legal task force addressing international crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.”

He described this experience as “exceptionally valuable” for the role of attorney general.