Lawyers in the NY honours list

Mark Austin, London corporate partner at Latham & Watkins, is made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the economy. Austin is involved with a slew of regulatory and advisory bodies. is a member and former chair of the Listing Authority Advisory Panel, which advises the UK Financial Conduct Authority on policy and regulation issues, a member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce, which is reforming the UK’s capital markets, and is the independent chair of the UK Secondary Capital Raising Review, which proposed reforms to the capital raising process for listed companies.

Austin’s colleague Stephen Kensell, London office managing partner, said: ‘His exceptional achievements, tireless commitment, and formidable leadership in the area of UK policy and regulatory law matters have truly set him apart.’

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs) go to former DLA Piper senior partner and global co-chair, Janet Legrand KC (hon) for her work at the Children’s Society, and Dr Sandra Okoro, group general counsel at Standard Chartered and former vice president and general counsel at the World Bank, for services to diversity in international finance.

Dr Tunde Okewale, a barrister at Doughty Street, receives an OBE for services to criminal justice and social mobility. Okewale, who received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2016 for his services to youth and underprivileged communities, said: ‘Receiving the OBE is not just a personal honour but a testament to the collective effort of those who believe in the power of law as a tool for social change.’

OBEs for services to the administration of justice also go to former district judge, Tim Jenkins, who sat at the West London Family Court and the county court in Brentford, and to barrister Louise Van Der Straeten, senior lawyer, Serious Fraud Office.

Public Defender Service head of office, James St John Fenny receives a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to criminal justice and organ donor awareness.

Wayne Griffiths, senior partner at Devonalds Solicitors in south Wales until 2022, receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work fundraising for cancer care and cancer research.