A statement issued by the Society last year called for an end to “attacks on lawyers” after Ian Paisley Jr, the DUP MP for North Antrim, made remarks about Belfast solicitor Gavin Booth.

Mr Paisley described the lawyer as a “shameful snake-oil salesman” and questioned his legal qualifications, despite him being a qualified solicitor and a partner in Phoenix Law.

Because the remarks were made in Westminster, parliamentary privilege applies and Mr Paisley can not be sued for defamation. Mr Booth challenged the MP at the time to repeat the comments in public.

The Law Society of Northern Ireland subsequently said in a statement: “The Law Society reiterates its call for attacks on lawyers made in relation to this bill to cease immediately.

“Solicitors provide vital support to victims and survivors of the Troubles to access truth and justice and should not come under attack for doing their jobs.”

That intervention has now been recognised by the jury of the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize 2024.

Each year, the jury gives a “special mention” to a bar which distinguishes itself for its commitment to the independence of lawyers, its exemplary fight for the rule of law and for the suffering endured in the service of human rights.

The jury said it had chosen the Law Society of Northern Ireland for responding to Mr Paisley’s comments by “calling publicly in a statement to cease attacks on lawyers using British parliamentary privilege”.

The Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize 2024 itself went to Myanmar lawyer Ywet Nu Aung.