About the international team
Our work includes:
- supporting liberalisation of the global legal profession
- lobbying foreign governments on behalf of our members to increase access or protect their rights
- working with our counterparts globally, including other law societies and bar associations
- practical support, training, events, information and advice for member firms and individuals exploring international opportunities
- promoting England and Wales as the global jurisdiction of choice – promoting English legal services and the rule of law
- defending human rights, especially protecting lawyers and their right to practise law
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Meet the team
Find out more about our team and contact us.
Before becoming head of our international department, Mickaël led the Law Societies' Brussels Office since April 2012.
He spent nine years as our international policy manager in London, where he worked on international trade issues and the EU internal market in legal services.
Bunty joined the international team in September 2024, supporting our lawyers at risk and peer engagement programmes as part of the rule of law and human rights team.Before joining the Law Society as a governance officer in January 2024, Bunty worked in the charity sector while also contributing to research projects in aid of individuals facing the death penalty and detained in Guantanamo Bay.
Bunty holds a BA in Law (Jurisprudence) from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Human Rights from the London School of Economics.
Debra is responsible for the rule of law and human rights team. This work supports lawyers and human rights defenders at risk around the world.
It also conducts capacity building and training for lawyers, civil society organisations and human rights defenders to enhance their human rights and rule of law work.
Debra is a UK-qualified solicitor specialised in international human rights and holds a PhD in human rights law from the University of Bristol, UK.
Email: debra.long@lawsociety.org.uk
Donna leads a team of five regional policy advisers and three policy assistants. They’re responsible for monitoring and engaging in international regulatory developments that affect the legal profession.
With over 10 years’ experience working in the international legal sector, Donna is an expert on international trade policy, market access and trade promotion.
Donna is a fluent Mandarin speaker, having studied modern Chinese studies at Leeds University.
Tríona Lenihan joined the international team in January 2024, supporting our lawyers at risk and capacity building programmes.
With over 10 years' experience in international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Tríona has worked across policy, advocacy, research and communications, engaging with UN and regional mechanisms, governments and civil society to influence law and policy reform.
Jemma supports committees by scheduling, organising and minuting meetings, approving expense claims, and liaising with members and stakeholders.
She helps to manage the diary for the head of international and general administration for the international team.
Before joining the Law Society, Jemma worked in operations in a London law firm and holds an LLM in international trade and commercial law.
Will joined the international team in January 2023.
Before joining the Law Society, he worked in Beijing for five years on trade policy and market access, first as a policy analyst at the British Chamber of Commerce in China and then in the research team at Deloitte China.
Will holds a master’s degree in public policy and administration from LSE and speaks Mandarin Chinese.
Marco leads a team of three regional policy advisers and one policy assistant focusing on international trade policy, market access and trade promotion in Europe and the Americas, as well as relations with the EU.
Marco speaks four languages, holds a degree in philosophy and worked in Italy and Germany before moving to the UK.
Michael joined the Law Society as international policy adviser for Europe in April 2020.
Michael worked for the government of Alberta for 16 years in areas including trade policy, US and Americas relations, advocacy, international policy and investment attraction.
Michael holds MBA degrees from the University of Alberta in Canada and the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico.
With over 12 years’ experience working in diplomatic missions, international organisations and the private sector, Preeti is an expert on development of market opportunities, international trade policy and market access.
She was previously a trade commissioner with the High Commission of Canada in India, responsible for its international business development programme, with particular responsibility for covering trade policy, market access and government-to-government bilateral instruments.
Oliver is responsible for building and managing relationships with bar associations, law societies, firms, businesses and governments across Europe and Central Asia, as well as supporting members accessing European and Central Asian markets.
Before joining the Law Society, Oliver spent four years working as a lawyer in international organisations and human rights NGOs.
He holds an LLB in Scots and English Law and an LLM in public international Law. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish and has worked in France, Switzerland, Belgium and the UK.
Arthur works closely with the policy advisers responsible for monitoring and responding to important regulatory developments affecting our members across Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Americas.
Before joining the Law Society, Arthur worked as a researcher at the Legal 500, a global rankings firm based in London.
He holds a master's degree in multimedia journalism from the University of Kent.
Jenny works closely with the policy advisers responsible for monitoring and responding to important regulatory developments affecting our members across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Before joining the Law Society, she worked for a social housing provider.
Jenny holds an LLB and LLM in international law from the University of Reading.