Muhammad Shoaib, 71, suffered a stab wound to his chest and a wound to his right hand during the violent incident in Glasgow and feared he was about to die.
But Esayas Neguse’s attempt to kill the elderly lawyer was thwarted after he was bravely tackled by two of Mr Shoaib’s colleagues before passing police officers spotted the struggle on September 21, 2022.
Neguse, 37, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow after initially denying a charge of attempted murder as well as a number of other charges, including two of assault to injury.
But he changed his plea to guilty after Mr Shoaib relived his life-threatening ordeal in testimony to jurors.
He was also served with an indefinite non-harassment order.
Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “This was a shocking attack on a lawyer who was going about his everyday business working for the benefit of his clients.
“Had it not been for the brave intervention of his colleagues, this attack could have had tragic repercussions. And it is only right that we acknowledge their heroic actions.
“Esayas Neguse has been convicted and sentenced for a terrible crime and will now spend a lengthy time in prison as a result of his criminal behaviour.”
The court heard that Neguse, of Glasgow, arrived without an appointment to see Mr Shoaib at his legal practice in Glasgow’s Victoria Road, but he nevertheless agreed to see him.
The accused “appeared unhappy and agitated and kept his hand in the right pocket of his jacket”.
Within seconds of being ushered into Mr Shoaib’s office, the accused produced a kitchen knife from his jacket and proceeded to attack the lawyer.
Two of his colleagues then heard their colleague’s shouts for help and ran in to confront the accused.
Together, they attempted to disarm Neguse while wrestling him out of the office and into the reception area as Mr Shoaib called 999.
The struggle was seen by police officers in a passing van. They apprehended the accused and found Mr Shoaib bleeding from his wounds and noted there was also considerable blood on his office floor.
Mr Shoaib’s wounds were treated at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where he was kept in overnight.
Neguse, from Eritrea, also pleaded guilty to five other charges, including assaulting Mr Shoaib’s colleagues, having a knife in a public place, behaving in a threatening manner, and spitting on a police officer.