Mark Guthrie Email & Phone Number

Brings international legal and governance expertise in the Commonwealth jurisdictions of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific with significant connectivity across senior judiciary, governments, NGOs, and inter-governmental organisations. With an in-depth understanding of the judicial and political systems across the Commonwealth well versed in advising on risk mitigation for commercial entities.An experienced lawyer with strong negotiating skills, extensive management experience including policy development, setting, managing and reporting on budgets so ensuring successful results based management; project design and management, dealing with human resource issues; and team management

London

To provide overall strategic advice on rule of law, lead on specific project related matters, legal guidance and high-level HR policy issues.• Led the development of policy relating to judicial independence throughout the Commonwealth which was accepted by the relevant judiciaries;• Led on work to promote the separation of powers between the three branches of government across Commonwealth including judicial independence;• Provided the technical leadership and quality control for the drafting of a legislative drafting manual for the Commonwealth, delivered on time and in budget;• Provided specialist support through local connectivity for Commonwealth Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Zambia, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, to facilitate a national political dialogue process;• Delivered the organisational support for Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Meeting in Nassau, The Bahamas, resulting in an agreed direction of legal work across the Commonwealth;• Used legal expertise to provide legal advice on drafting and complex legal issues in the absence of an in-house Legal Counsel;• Undertook an inquiry into alleged breach of staff discipline leading to a review as to whether proceedings were justified resulting in the need to updating relevant processes.

London

Responsible for delivering targeted projects and establishing the necessary connectivity to initiate and deliver thought leadership on rule of law issues.• Conceived, drafted and delivered the programme entitled “Promoting judicial independence in the Commonwealth” resulting in a series of judicial education course and a model law on Judicial Service Commissions, delivered on time and in budget;• Conducted scoping missions to identify current legal and political issues in order to make recommendations for reform and intervention;• Led the policy development and management of drafting of model laws on integrity in public life and including organising regional consultative conferences in Africa, Asia, Caribbean and Pacific upholding the Secretariat’s reputation for promoting good governance and establishing standard on integrity in public life;• Served in Commonwealth Observer Groups in Kenyan, Lesotho and Zambian elections/referenda;• Established excellent working relationships with Chief Justices, Ministers of Justice, Attorneys General, senior diplomats, senior judges, senior government officials, politicians and civil society representatives delivering an enhanced reputation for the Secretariat;• Provided advice to senior management on rule of law issues, especially those relating to judicial independence and those arising in a political context so managing reputational risk.

• Drafted briefing documents for Armenian journalists on jurisprudence of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), on freedom of expression;• Led team producing proposals for EU twinning project for Armenian ombudsman’s office;• Evaluated Council of Europe three-year human rights education project in Serbia;• Delivered training for Moldavian lawyers on bringing a case before ECtHR;• Delivered human rights training to staff of OSCE Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina;• Panellist on war crimes prosecutions at round table discussion, Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina;• Co-authored chapter on rule of law in “Public Oversight of the Security Sector: A Handbook for Civil Society Organisations” (UNDP, 2009).

Responsible for upholding OSCE/ODIHR’s reputation in oversight of Human Rights violations and team leadership.• Established OSCE/ODIHR Focal Point for Human Rights Defenders monitoring and highlighting human violations;• Supervised trial monitoring projects in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and edited the trial monitoring reports which were uncontested;• Organised training for ombudsmen’s offices in Armenia and Azerbaijan;• Substantially contributed to the organisation of the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (2006 and 2007) and two Supplementary Human Dimension Meetings (March and July 2007);• Managed diverse teams.

• Managed diverse team;• Provided expert analysis of criminal justice issues including those arising in war crimes trials;• Supervised the repossession of real property abandoned in the course of war time.

• Provided expert analysis of criminal justice issues;• Provided technical advice on criminal procedure and criminal evidence;• Drafted war crimes trials monitoring reports.

• Supervised the repossession of real property abandoned in the course of war.

• Leading junior barrister representing clients charged with serious criminal offices in the higher courts;• Provided advice and representation to claimants suing the police for assault, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

Bar Vocational Diploma, Law

Llb. (Hons)