My brother, Ivan Geffen, who has died aged 93, devoted his life and his sharp legal mind to supporting people and causes that others were reluctant to touch. His passion was social justice and he was an inspiration to a host of young lawyers trained in his office and now scattered across the UK.
Born in London, he was an exhibitioner at Westminster school and graduated from University College London with a law degree. His call-up in 1941 was deferred to allow him to qualify as a solicitor. He then served in the Royal Artillery until 1946. In June 1944 he was sent to France, remaining there and in Belgium until demobilisation.
He then became solicitor to the Durham area branch of the National Union of Mineworkers, improving awards of compensation. His strong political views soon brought him to the attention of the Labour party, and with Joan Maynard and others he enjoyed fighting the unwinnable rural parliamentary seat of Thirsk and Malton. He had a richly productive time in the north-east as parliamentary candidate, art critic, Workers' Educational Association lecturer, Spennymoor Settlement stalwart and theatrical producer.
He could not adapt to conventional legal practice and set up his own largely legal-aid firm in Walsall through which he fought for the rights of the underprivileged and for those who might otherwise have been given short shrift. He was one of the earliest to become aware of the flimsiness of the police evidence against the Birmingham Six, two of whom he represented.
Ivan served on the executive of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group; supported a school for Travellers' children for many years; and in the 1970s and 80s, in particular, was very effective in the National Council for Civil Liberties (now Liberty), both locally and nationally.
Always a lover of the arts, Ivan began to collect paintings by little-known artists when he was a student. His taste often turned out to be very perceptive – he collected works by the group of miners and artists in the north-east known as the Pitmen Painters. Brought up in a home where records, mainly operatic, were frequently played, he developed a broad knowledge of classical and folk music and a love of opera. Late in life, he founded a successful local opera society. A great lover of good food and wine, he was an enthusiastic and challenging conversationalist. Ivan was a reader, a gifted public speaker and a committed socialist and pacifist.
He is survived by Mary, his wife, collaborator and organiser for more than 45 years; by a daughter, two sons and two stepdaughters; and by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.