Calls for travel ban on several UK lawyers as US congressman accuses them of being ‘enablers’ of Russian oligarchs

• A US congressman slammed British lawyers accused of ‘enabling’ Putin cronies
• Six individuals named in letter to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken
• Leading London firms have been tied to Russians with alleged links to Kremlin
• Last month, Tory MP Bob Seely used Commons privilege to slam ‘amoral’ firms

A US congressman yesterday called for travel bans against six British lawyers, claiming they were ‘foreign enablers of Russian oligarchs’.

Steve Cohen alleged that Russian billionaires had abused the British legal system to ‘harass and intimidate’ their critics.

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he wrote that the six lawyers had remained untouched by sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Six British lawyers who have ‘enabled’ oligarchs remain untouched by sanctions (file image)

They include partners at some of London’s leading firms, as well as Hugh Tomlinson QC, who is representing Rebekah Vardy in her ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel fight with Coleen Rooney. 

The others are Nigel Tait, a partner at Carter-Ruck, John Kelly, a partner at Harbottle & Lewis, Geraldine Proudler, a partner at CMS, Keith Schilling, chairman of Schillings, and solicitor Shlomo Rechtschaffen, director at SR Law.

Mr Cohen said Mr Tomlinson, Mr Tait, Mr Kelly and Mrs Proudler had worked for oligarchs in cases against journalists, writers and publishers that he labelled ‘abusive’.

Mr Tomlinson represented Roman Abramovich in a libel action against journalist Catherine Belton over her book Putin’s People. 

Mr Tait, Mr Kelly and Mrs Proudler were also involved in the case against Miss Belton and publisher HarperCollins, when Mr Kelly worked for the Chelsea owner.

Mr Tait acted for Russian oil giant Rosneft and Mrs Proudler represented Russian tycoons Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven.

Mr Cohen said Mr Schilling was ‘well known for bringing suits against journalists’ and claimed he had represented a fugitive Malaysian businessman accused of money laundering. 

He did not allege that Mr Schilling was involved in working for oligarchs.

Mr Rechtschaffen was named for his work for Walter Soriano, whom Mr Cohen alleged was ‘an enabler’ for Oleg Deripaska and Mr Abramovich. 

Mr Cohen said Britain had become ‘an ideal place for oligarchs to abuse the law to harass and intimidate’. 

Last month, Tory MP Bob Seely used parliamentary privilege to accuse ‘amoral’ British law firms of working for allies of Vladimir Putin.

Carter-Ruck, CMS, Harbottle & Lewis and Schillings denied any impropriety or involvement in ‘abusive lawsuits’, and said they operated under strict regulatory and ethical rules, including rigorous checks on potential clients. 

Carter-Ruck said it had never worked for any Russian individuals or companies seeking to challenge sanctions.

Mr Tomlinson’s chambers at Matrix declined to comment. Schillings said it was not acting for any sanctioned entities.

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