Duncan McNair - Legal Hero of the Year 2024

Duncan McNair

Leading Catholic lawyer and animal welfare campaigner Duncan McNair, was awarded the prestigious 'Legal Hero of the Year 2024' by the Law Society of England and Wales last Thursday in a special ceremony in London.

There were 19 shortlisted nominees drawn from 500 plus entries out of 220,000 solicitors, and five eventual winners.

In a statement the Law Society said: "Duncan is celebrated for his exceptional contributions in and beyond the courtroom. With over 30 years' experience as a partner at Spencer West specialising in complex litigation, Duncan's professional achievements are well-respected.

However, his most notable work lies in his dedication to animal welfare. Duncan founded Save the Asian Elephants (STAE), a non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting the endangered species.

His tireless efforts in media, political lobbying and leveraging his legal expertise have led to significant progress, including the landmark Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act. It represents a pivotal step in animal protection legislation and reflects Duncan's commitment to ethical practices in animal tourism."

Besides being CEO of the STAE, Duncan McNair is co-ordinator of the Low-Welfare Act Coalition of 200 animal protection charities globally.

Last year's Law Society President said after the ceremony that the panel of 12 judges had placed Duncan McNair's nomination on a "different level" from the other 18. But Duncan told ICN: "its all about the beleaguered animals we love and are so concerned for... I hope this will help raise awareness to encourage the implementation of the new Act and its adoption across the world."

LINKS

Save the Asian Elephants (STAE): www.stae.org

Read about the new animal protection law: https://stae.org/landmark-new-animal-protection-law-explained/

Petition to End the Cruel Treatment of Elephants in India: www.change.org/p/help-us-save-the-asian-elephants-by-liking-and-sharing-this-post-savetheasianelephants?