A human rights solicitor who won a prestigious award for his work with the families of Iraqis allegedly killed by UK troops has accused the Legal Services Commission (LSC) of bullying and trying to force him out of business for political reasons.

The bitter row involves accusations that Birmingham-based Public Interest Solicitors received instructions from clients in Iraq through cold calling authorised by sole principal Phil Shiner, who clinched the human rights lawyer of the year award last week (see page 4).


Mr Shiner denies the allegations and has instructed Stephen Grosz, partner at London firm Bindman & Partners. Earlier this week Mr Shiner won a High Court challenge against the government's refusal to order an inquiry into the death of Baha Mousa, who died in British custody in Iraq. It means that European human rights laws extend to UK-run prisons in non-European countries. The LSC welcomed the ruling as an example of how legal aid could be put to good use.


But Mr Shiner accused the LSC of conducting a vendetta against him, with the ultimate aim of shutting his firm down. 'There is currently [an LSC investigation] into my firm that is totally unjustified,' he told delegates at the awards ceremony. 'It is a vindictive and politically motivated investigation by the LSC.'


Mr Grosz said there was no evidence that Mr Shiner had acted improperly.


The LSC confirmed it was investigating a possible breach of contract and strongly refuted any suggestion that it was politically motivated.