Development and Alumni

Alumni Network Case Studies

Successful Graduates from the School of Law & Social Sciences

Mark Stephens
1978, Law LLB; Honorary Doctor of Laws
Current Occupation: Partner at law firm Finer Stephens Innocent; Chair of Governors at UEL

Mark Stephens is a distinguished media lawyer and partner at London-based law firm Finers Stephens Innocent. Specialising primarily in intellectual property, media and human rights law, he has practiced before every level of Court in England and Wales, as well as before the European Court of Human Rights and European Court of Justice. Additionally, Mark has been called as an expert witness in court cases around the world.

Following his graduation from UEL in 1978, Mark continued his legal studies in Brussels. He was admitted to the roll of solicitors in England and Wales in July 1982, and served as Senior Partner at the law firm Stephens Innocent between 1984 and 1999, at which time the firm merged with another to create Finers Stephen Innocent.

Mark writes, talks and lectures on media, arts and human rights law, and appears regularly on television and radio to discuss topical issues in these fields. He has held, and continues to hold, a wide variety of appointments, including: member of the Foreign Office’s Free Expression Advisory Board; Champion of the Community Legal Service; Vice-Chairman of the International Bar Association Media Law Committee; former president of the North East London Law Society; and founder of the Joint Ethics Committee for the Visual Arts.

Having been actively involved with the University for many years, Mark became UEL’s Chair of Governors on 1 August 2009.  Mark said of his appointment, “I have lived in East London for thirty-four years and it is an honour to have been elected to serve my local university - a university of which I am proud to be a graduate".

Rajen Akalu
1997 LLB Hons Law
Current Occupation: Lawyer and Researcher, University of Toronto

Rajen Akalu graduated from UEL in 1997 with LLB (Hons), and went on to complete his LLM at the London School of Economics.  He then moved to New York to practice law. He now manages the Bell University Laboratories Centre for Innovation Law and Policy based at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in Canada. Rajen supervises and administrates all of the law lab’s activities including knowledge transfer activities, and his research interests include informational privacy, wireless communication, copyright and digital rights management. He is a member of the New York Commercial and Federal Litigation Section and the Internet and Litigation Committee.  He is currently studying for his PhD. Tajen says: “UEL was a wonderful learning experience.  It was the time I developed my core legal skills.”

After completing his LLM, Rajen moved to Canada and was hired as an administrative assistant at a property management firm.  He then left to study for the New York State Bar exam.  Unfortunately, Rajen didn’t pass the exam, then after the death of a family member he spent some time travelling.  In Guyana he was hired by the Ministry of Trade and Tourism as a legal advisor and became the Ministry’s legal advisor.

After then returning to Toronto Rajen took a series of menial jobs before retaking the New York Bar.  This time he passed.  He was still in Canada during this time and got a temp job as a research assistant at the law firm Baker and McKenzie. 

“I met as many lawyers as I could during this time.  I took the time to find out what they do and whether it was for me.  I develop a number of wonderful relationships this way and learned a lot too.”  He then worked in a commercial and federal litigation practice section in Manhattan. 

Currently Rajen works at the Centre for Innovation Law and Policy at the University of Toronto.  He manages the Bell University Lab in Law and his research is funded by Bell Canada.  It involves technology law, broadly defined and involves writing papers, presenting at conferences and working with both academics and industry professionals.

Paul Hynes, QC
1985 BA (Law), Honorary Doctor of Laws.
Barrister practising at 25 Bedford Row. Called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn 1987, QC 2010.

Paul Hynes is a leading criminal defense barrister who has been involved at first instance and on appeal in a number of high profile and reported cases. His practice reflects a particular interest in terrorism and financial crime, but covers a wide spectrum of alleged criminality; from the Leeds United football trial to Abu Hamza and Babar Ahmad via the Goldman Sachs PA charged with stealing millions from her employers. Identified as a leading practitioner in crime and variously described as “fluent and articulate”, “bright and tenacious” and “very hot on black letter law but also has a great jury manner” in Chambers & Partners Guide to the UK Legal Profession, Paul is also a regular lecturer, writer and broadcaster on criminal law issues, and has contributed to “Abuse of Process: A Practical Approach”, as well as being a co-author of “International Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing: A UK Perspective”.
Following his graduation from UEL in 1985, Paul qualified as a barrister and went into private practice, where he initially followed a traditional common law career path, undertaking a wide variety of work before specialising in crime, civil actions against the police and extradition; taking silk in 2010 having been instructed in some of the most serious and notorious criminal and extradition cases of the past decade. Still living in East London, Paul describes his time at what was then NELP as providing “a first degree in law and a legal education which I have never found wanting or had cause to consider inferior to that available anywhere else”. He believes that no one should be daunted by the law as: “Ultimately, it’s mostly about people”.

Imran Khan
1987 LLB (Hons) Law, UEL Honorary Doctorate
Current Occupation: Lead solicitor in landmark cases including the Stephen Lawrence murder

Imran Khan was born in Karachi, Pakistan and moved to the UK with his family in 1968. He studied for a law degree at North East London Polytechnic (now UEL). Throughout his career he has focused on Human Rights, and anti-racism in particular.

Imran represented the family of Stephen Lawrence following Stephen’s murder in 1993, and his tireless campaign for justice has led to a fundamental review of policing policies and practices. Imran has been active in numerous anti-racist groups and campaigns over the last fifteen years, and is a leading light in the National Civil Rights Movement set up in the aftermath of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.

In 1999 he received the Legal Personality of the Year award from The Lawyer newspaper and also the Ethnic Minority Multi-cultural Personality of the Year award.

Imran is a close friend and supporter of UEL and its School of Law. In 2008 he was named as one of the UK’s top 100 most powerful lawyers by The Times.

“I never set out to take on high-profile cases, but I have been lucky to have been involved in cases such as Stephen Lawrence and more recently Zahid Mubarak, that have resulted in significant legal reforms and changed society for the better. Lawyers have never had a great press, but there are some really good lawyers who do make a difference.”

Elpha LeCointe
1988 LLB (Hons) Law
Current Occupation: Barrister, Coram Chambers

Elpha LeCointe is a barrister at Coram Chambers, who specialises in family law. She frequently represents vulnerable and disadvantaged clients and also sits as a Deputy District Judge at the Principal Registry of the Family Division.

Elpha LeCointe said: “I studied law not because of the money, or to change the world, but just because I was fascinated by the subject. It was only when I started practicing, representing women who were the victims of domestic violence, that I realised how much needed to change. Until recently it was very hard to prosecute the perpetrators, and the police weren’t interested. Bow County Court on a Friday was full of battered women applying for injunctions against abusive partners.

“Now, most of my work is with Child Protection, which can be very personal and emotional, especially when the social work system fails. I represent some of the most vulnerable people in society, and even though the cases are heard in private, what we do certainly makes a huge difference to the lives of these children and their families.

Elpha LeCointe practices in all areas of the law relating to children and has extensive experience in care proceedings, adoption and private law disputes within families. She acts for parents, guardians and local authorities. She specialises in childcare law and has a particular interest in cases involving non-accidental injury, neglect and emotional, physical or sexual abuse of children. She frequently represents vulnerable and disadvantaged clients.

Elpha sits as a Deputy District Judge at the Principal Registry of the Family Division.

Bola Olabisi
1991, LLB (Hons) Law; Honorary Doctor of Business Administration
Current Occupation: CEO of Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network

Bola Olabisi is the founder and CEO of the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GWINN), which is the organisation behind the British Female Inventor & Innovator of the Year Award. She has extensive experience in community development, regeneration and the law, and she has gained national and international recognition for her work. Bola also works as a motivational speaker and writer.

GWIIN was founded in 1998 and works on a local, regional, national and international basis. The British Female Inventor of the Year Award has grown to be a leading accolade for bringing inventive and innovative women into the spotlight. Bola has led GWIIN’s expansion into many countries around the world, including: Canada; the United States; South Africa; Spain; Hong Kong; Estonia; Finland; Sweden; India; Iceland; France; Nigeria; Morocco; and Singapore.

In 2001 Bola was awarded the International Federation of Inventors Association Award for her dedicated work and support for inventive women, and she has been honored as a Pioneer to the Life of the Nation by HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Upon receiving her honorary doctorate in 2003 Bola said: “What I do is all about inspiring women to achieve and gain recognition for their achievements. I found my own experience at UEL to be very inspiring.”

Alfred Palo Conteh
2006 LLM Human Rights
Current Occupation: Minister of Defence and National Security, Sierra Leone

Alfred Palo Conteh is a retired Major in the Sierra Leone army. He first worked as an army officer cadet in 1976 through to December 1992 when the National Provisional Ruling Council retired him from the army. Major(Rtd) Conteh’s professional career began following his recruitment into the Sierra Leone army in 1976, he proceeded to the Egyptian War Academy where he pursued a two-year officer cadet training. On successful completion of that programme, Officer Conteh was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1978 and posted as Platoon Commander in charge of training recruits at Benjuema Training Centre.

In 1981, officer Conteh was transferred to the Military Police Unit as Commanding Officer and with this position, he became the first Military Police Officer. He earned himself the reputation of a firm and fair disciplinarian. He earned his promotion to the rank of Captain in 1983. In 1986, he proceeded to the United Kingdom to study law and graduated with a University of London LLB (law) Honours degree in 1990.

After a year’s practice at the English Bar, Major(Rtd) Conteh sought a different spice in his career ascendancy. West London private law college, Holborn School of Law, offered the Retired Major the position of course coordinator. He tutored law students at this prestigious institution from 1993 to 1996.

As one who always yearns for challenges and higher heights because (as he put it) “these prepare me well for future leadership responsibility in Sierra Leone”, Palo Conteh accepted a job offer in Her Majesty’s Department for Work and Pensions as a team leader in the fraud prosecutions unit at the Benefits Agency Section. Between 1996 and 2007, Conteh conducted his prosecutorial duties with distinguished record and commitment. Within his busy schedule, he was able to successfully complete the LLM in Human Rights at UEL.

Major(Rtd) Conteh is a proud APC party member. He chaired the APC-UK Branch from 1993 to 2001. Thereafter and until his nomination as minister, the Retired Major was APC-UK Branch party coordinator. Major(Rtd) Conteh was born at Wilberforce in Freetown. He is a keep fit fanatic who played handball and volleyball for the Sierra Leone army. During his career in the army, Major(Rtd) Conteh was 400m army national record holder and this record is believed to have remained unbroken for over 20 years. Conteh happens to believe that north London Tottenham Hotspurs is the best football club in the English premiership and as such he holds a club membership card and religiously attends all its home matches.

The retired army officer says, in politics and issues of national reconciliation, his role model is Nelson Mandela; and in the field of law, he gets inspiration from Michael Mansfield, QC.

Daren Timson-Hunt
2000, LLB (Hons) Law
Current Occupation: Cabinet Office Legal Adviser

Daren Timson-Hunt is Cabinet Office Legal Adviser (COLA) responsible for advising the Prime Minister and Cabinet Office on European Union law.  Having held the post for nearly three years, he has dealt with many significant changes both in Europe, with the Lisbon Treaty, and at home, with the change of government.

Daren graduated in 2000 and, after pupilage in the Chambers of William Clegg QC, he joined the then HM Customs and Excise. During his time with HMC&E he held a number of posts, including Head of Law Enforcement Legal Services and Senior Lawyer on European and International Law, before moving to the Cabinet Office.

“I thoroughly enjoy my work and the pressure of having to advise on high profile issues, often at relatively short notice, with the knowledge that the advice could well have a significant impact on government policy.

“I really cherished my time at UEL. I did my law degree part-time whilst also juggling a career which involved a lot of international travel. The LLB was a wonderful course – it was totally engaging. The School of Law was extremely supportive and I owe a great deal to the late Susanna Owen, who I was lucky enough to have as a lecturer and who was an inspiration to all her students.

UEL played an important part in my decision to follow a career in the law and it is a period I will always look back on as life changing.”

As well as advising the Cabinet Office, Daren also manages to find time to write. Amongst his works he is co-author of Sweet & Maxwell’s Schmitthoff’s Export Trade, which is the leading legal textbook on international trade law and practice.

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