Mark Stephens: Today Wanstead, tomorrow the world

Mark Stephens, probably Wanstead’s most famous lawyer (and the man who took pre-arrest Julian Assange to breakfast at the Bungalow Cafe), has been made chairman of the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association at their conference in Cape Town.

Mark, who was appointed CBE in 2011, and makes frequent appearances on TV and radio as an expert in media law, said: “I am honoured to be inaugurated as the Chairman for the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association.  It is a fantastic body with whom I have enjoyed working with for over thirty years.  In my new role I will begin by predominantly focussing on the decriminalisation of homosexuality across the Commonwealth; the abolition of the death penalty and the independence of lawyers; the independence of the Judiciary; and corporate Governance and transparency through the Commonwealth.  I am an advocate for Human Rights and look forward to beginning my new role as Chairman of the CLA and making a difference.”

Mark can be followed on Twitter at @markslarks, where he tweets about press freedom, developments in the law, and the state of Wanstead’s roads.

On which point it should be noted that Redbridge Council last week agreed to spend an extra £650,000 on fixing potholes in the borough.