The "giant of the bar" Henri Leclerc died at the age of 90
The French legal world mourns the loss of Henri Leclerc, a prominent lawyer and tireless defender of human rights, who died at the age of 90 this Saturday, August 31, at the Paul-Brousse hospital in Villejuif, following a stroke. A true pillar of the bar, Leclerc left an indelible mark on legal history, pleading with passion and humanity for more than six decades.
Born in 1934 into a family of contrasting beliefs—an agnostic father, a veteran of the First World War, and a deeply religious mother—Henri Leclerc grew up in the Parisian suburb of Sceaux. As a teenager, he developed a deep aversion to injustice, the death penalty, and the oppressive state, beliefs that would inform his entire career.
A history buff and admirer of figures such as Victor Hugo, Leclerc began his career by tackling major criminal cases, defending prominent figures in the social and political milieu of the time. In particular, he defended FLN activists during the Algerian War, student leaders of May 68, and emblematic figures such as Daniel Cohn-Bendit. His firm commitment to the left never left him, leading him to defend social causes and marginalized people, with a humanism recognized by his peers.
As president of the Human Rights League from 1995 to 2000, then honorary president, Henri Leclerc continued to campaign for public freedoms and against injustice, haunted by the specter of miscarriages of justice. This constant concern for justice and fairness was evident in each of his interventions, whether for notorious criminals, political activists, or public figures such as Dominique de Villepin and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
Henri Leclerc was known for his sensitive and convincing pleading. Despite his successes, he remained humble, preferring sincere and discreet eloquence to any form of artifice. His departure marks the end of an era for the French bar, leaving a huge void in the judicial world. Several personalities, including former Minister of Justice Éric Dupond-Moretti, have paid tribute to his memory, calling him a "tireless defender of freedoms."
Until his final plea in December 2020, Leclerc remained true to his principles, defending the idea that the truth must be established with rigor and conscience. For many, he will remain a reference, a model of ethics and dedication. Henri Leclerc, the man who believed in justice and humanity, leaves behind an exceptional legacy, forever engraved in the history of the French bar.
