Aamer Anwar
MA(Hons), LLB, DipRCR, Dip LP, NP
For over three decades Aamer has been a tireless advocate of civil liberties, building a fearsome reputation in criminal law and cutting-edge civil liberties law, The best description of Aamer Anwar given by an ex-Guantánamo prisoner:-
“In times of fear, hatred and violence it is often very difficult to find people with the courage and the fortitude to fight for the rights of the demonised, downtrodden and marginalised but Aamer Anwar, is one of those people, an avid defender of other’s rights.”
Instructed in some of Scotland’s highest profile cases, Aamer has built a reputation for securing results against the odds. He acted in the trial and successful appeal of Scotland’s first Islamist terrorism case HMA- v Siddique and the Ice Cream Wars appeal Campbell & Steel-v-HMA. His international work has meant instruction by the relatives of the deceased Al-Megrahi in the ‘Lockerbie bombing’ appeal, as well as successfully leading his legal team to defend Catalan Minister, Professor Clara Ponsati MEP from extradition to Spain.
Aamer leads the legal campaign for the family of Sheku Bayoh who died in police custody, The Public Inquiry is now taking place where our firm acts for the family, but also in the civil action against the Chief Constable. Aamer has led a relentless campaign to improve accountability in light of many deaths in prison custody, which has led to several inquiries, reviews and civil actions.
Aamer is the lead solicitor acting on behalf of the Scottish ‘Covid-19 Bereaved families at both the UK Public Inquiry as well as the Scottish one.
Aamer has won Lawyer of the year at Legal Awards Scotland as well as Solicitor of the year in the Herald’s Law Awards of Scotland. He has received the Lloyds TSB Jewel award for Professional Excellence as a ‘recognition of his outstanding achievements and a huge impact his work has had UK wide.’
Aamer is a regular media commentator, as well as writing on the wide range of issues such as crime, civil liberties and terrorism. He is also a member of the campaigning advocacy body INQUEST which deals with deaths in state custody, and a member of the International Bar Association. Aamer is a Notary Public registered at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and can speak three different languages, being fluent in English, Urdu and Punjabi.
