'In late-nineteenth century France 'writing a letter to the Jews' was a common euphemism for going to the toilet'

[Anthony Julius, T.S.Eliot and Anti Semitism] In March 20 ! Anthony Julius was criticise" #y an employment tri#unal for wasting its time an" for his "ecision to pursue certain points, with complaints $ariously "ismisse" as %palpa#ly groun"less&, %o#$iously hopeless& an" %"e$oi" of any merit&'[2]

Tribunal slams academic for bringing antiSemitism case

A Jewish aca"emic who claime" the (ni$ersity an" )ollege (nion*s policy on +alestine constitute" harassment has #een re#u,e" #y an employment tri#unal for misusing the legal process' -onnie Fraser, a further e"ucation lecturer an" foun"ing "irector of Aca"emic Frien"s of Israel, argue" that the ()( was institutionally anti-.emitic owing to motions passe" in fa$our of a #oycott of Israel' /espite enlisting the ser$ices of Anthony Julius, #est ,nown as /iana, +rincess of 0ales* "i$orce lawyer an" a partner at Mishcon "e -eya, all of his 0 claims of harassment ha$e #een %"ismisse" in their totality&' /uring the 20-"ay hearing in /ecem#er, Mr Fraser calle" se$eral witnesses to gi$e e$i"ence, inclu"ing 1owar" Jaco#son, the 2oo,er +ri3e winning no$elist, John Mann M+, the former M+ /enis Mac.hane an" numerous lea"ing Jewish aca"emics' 1owe$er, in its 4u"gment, which was pu#lishe" on 25 March, Mr Fraser*s claim is strongly criticise" #y the tri#unal mem#ers' 6he action is #ran"e" #y tri#unal panel mem#ers as %an impermissi#le attempt to achie$e a political en" #y litigious means& an" a case which showe" a %worrying "isregar" for pluralism, tolerance an" free"om of e7pression&' Mr Fraser, the chil" of refugees who fle" 8a3i 9ermany, is $iewe" as a %sincere witness&, #ut the tri#unal notes his %political e7perience& an" are not impresse" #y his claim that the tone of se$eral "e#ates at the ()(*s annual congress %$iolate" his "ignity&, there#y constituting harassment' %8o "ou#t some of the things sai" in the course of "e#ates were upsetting, #ut to say they $iolate" his "ignity:is to o$erstate his case hugely,& the 4u"gment says' %6he claimant [Mr Fraser] is a campaigner,& it a""s' %1e chooses to engage in the politics of the union in support of Israel an" in opposition to acti$ists to the +alestinian cause'

%0hen a rug#y player ta,es the fiel" he must accept his fair share of minor in4uries' .imilarly, a political acti$ist accepts the ris, of #eing offen"e" or hurt on occasions #y things sai" or "one #y his opponents ;who themsel$es ta,e on a correspon"ing ris,<'& .corn is also in$o,e" for Mr Julius*s "ecision to pursue certain points, with complaints $ariously "ismisse" as %palpa#ly groun"less&, %o#$iously hopeless& an" %"e$oi" of any merit&' 6he %sorry saga& ha" also ac=uire" a %gargantuan scale& that re=uire" a 20-"ay hearing an" a 2! $olumes of e$i"ence which was %manifestly e7cessi$e an" "isproportionate&, the tri#unal a""s' %>ur analysis to "ate has "espatche" almost the entire case as manifestly unmeritorious,& it conclu"es' .e$eral complaints were also ma"e with reference to the wrong act of +arliament, while some were also %out of time& as the inci"ent has occurre" too long ago to #ring to the tri#unal' 6he 4u"gment also says pu#lic resources ha" #een %s=uan"ere"& con"ucting such a long case, while %nor shoul" the [()(] ha$e #een put to the trou#le an" e7pense of "efen"ing procee"ings of this or"er&' .ally 1unt, ()( general secretary, sai"? %6his has #een an e7tremely "ifficult perio" for the ()( staff an" mem#ers in$ol$e" in "efen"ing the union*s position an" I am especially please" therefore that the tri#unal foun" our witnesses to #e careful an" accurate' %6he claimant, while unsuccessful, of course ha" the right to challenge the union in the courts an" will #e treate" with respect within the union as will his $iews on this =uestion' %8ow that a "ecision has #een ma"e I hope in turn that he, an" others who share his $iews, will play an acti$e part in the union an" its "e#ates rather than see, recourse to the law'&

6he most nota#le client is 1ea" >f .tate 1a4i A#"ul 6ai# #in Mahmu", )hief Minister of .arawa,? @Mishcon "e -eya*s relationship with the 6ai# family goes #ac, to 20 when the law firm threatene" a num#er of 2ritish 4ournalists with legal action o$er critical reports on the 6ai# family an" its ties to multi-million "ollar property #usinesses in $arious countries' In April 20 , 2ritish 4ournalist )lare -ewcastle 2rown recei$e" a Astrictly pri$ate B confi"ential% letter from Mishcon "e -eya entitle" A8otification of Inten"e" +rocee"ings%' Mishcon was #orn in 2ri7ton, south Con"on, the son of Arnol" Mishcon, a ra##i who emigrate" from +olan"' 1e ser$e" as Dice-+resi"ent of the 2oar" of /eputies of 2ritish Jews EFG-G! an" Dice-)hair of the )ouncil of )hristians an" Jews EGF-GG' 1e was chairman of the Institute of Jewish .tu"ies, (ni$ersity )ollege, Con"on, an" the honorary presi"ent of the 2ritish 6echnion

.ociety' 1e was a go$ernor of 6echnion, Israel, presi"ent of the Association of Jewish Houth an" of the 2ritish )ouncil an" the .haare Ie"e, 1ospital, Jerusalem' Dictor Mishcon was one of 5 men an" women who sat on the E5J- E5G 2ritish 9o$ernment appointe" 0olfen"en )ommittee which consi"ere" the law an" practice of homose7ual offences an" treatment of persons con$icte" of such offences in 2ritish courts, an" to re$iew prostitution offences' In 200K, Mishcon "e -eya launche" the specialist L+in, Caw* Cegal A"$ice )entre in con4unction with Mueen Mary, (ni$ersity of Con"on an" two other city law firms' 6he pro4ect offers free an" impartial legal a"$ice on issues affecting the Ces#ian, 9ay, 2ise7ual an" 6ransgen"er ;C926< community, such as employment "iscrimination, ci$il partnerships an" coha#itation'