Gerald Shamash is a leading practitioner and a solicitor to The Labour Party. Born and raised in Manchester, he worked as a repairman at the Automobile Association before deciding to train as a solicitor, qualifying in 1976. In 1981, he founded Steel & Shamash Solicitors. Shamash has been a longstanding supporter of the Labour Party, having previously stood for election to parliament and serving as a councillor. He advises the party’s National Executive Committee and the National Constitutional Committee and acts in disciplinary matters. He also has particular expertise in dealing with electoral law and the obligations set out in the Political Parties and Referendums Act 2000.

Notable electoral law cases in which he has been involved include R v Fiona Jones, Ahmed v Kennedy and Knight v Nicholls. He advised Labour through the ‘cash for honours’ and expenses scandals and represented MPs John Healey, Sarah Champion and Sir Kevin Barron in a successful defamation case brought against UKIP MEP Jane Collins. One of Shamash’s recent actions for the party, was preparing its defence against a petition by the Brexit Party which challenged the result of the 2019 Peterborough by-election, citing allegations of corruption involving postal votes. Aside from Labour, Shamash has also represented Alan Yentob and Paul Gascoigne in their phone-hacking claims against the Mirror Group. He is the vice chair of the Society of Labour Lawyers and a trustee of the Hansard Society. In June 2019, he merged Steel & Shamash with Edwards Duthie to form Edwards Duthie Shamash.