Ralph Sam Haeems (9 November 1940 – 31 March 2005) was a leading

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criminal defence solicitor. He is credited with innovative defences in criminal cases, which, in some cases, created new legal precedents in UK appeals courts.Obituary in ''The Guardian''
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Early years

Haeems was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a

Bene Israel The Bene Israel (), also referred to as the "Teli, Shanivar Teli" () or "History of the Jews in India, Native Jew" caste, are a community of Jews in India. It has been suggested that they are the descendants of one of the Ten Lost Tribes via t ...

Jewish family. His parents were teachers. He attended

Bombay University University of Mumbai is a public state university in Mumbai. It is one of the largest university systems in the world with over 549,000 students on its campuses and affiliated colleges. , the university had 711 affiliated colleges. It was est ...

, earning his B.Sc degree in engineering. He came to England in 1962 to study for a master's degree in chemistry.

London

He found a position as an office clerk in the East End, placing bets for his employers and collecting the winnings. He was promoted to supervising the defense of a murder suspect, whom he helped to acquit. Haeems then found employment with an offer of an articled clerkship. In 1972 he qualified as a solicitor and five years later set up his own practice.

Notable cases

Haeems participated in the trials of George Ince,

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and several defendants in the Brink's-Mat robbery.

Death

Haeems suffered a heart attack in January 2005 and underwent triple bypass surgery two months later. He died, aged 64, from complications which set in during the following weeks.

Family

He was survived by his wife Angela, whom he married in 1967, a son (a barrister) and two daughters (both solicitors).

References

External links

Obituary in ''The Times (Online)''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haeems, Ralph Sam 1940 births 2005 deaths British Jews British solicitors Bene Israel Scholars from Mumbai Indian emigrants to England British people of Indian-Jewish descent 20th-century English lawyers University of Mumbai alumni 21st-century English lawyers