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.

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;

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.
• 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.
• 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.

• 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;

• 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)