Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has tapped fellow lawyer Mr Ryder to tackle issues of social integration and diversity as one of London’s top political figures. Mr Ryder is a Cambridge-educated human rights and criminal law barrister of Jamaican and English descent, and is currently a member of the Matrix Chambers set.

As the lawyer tasked with representing the families of murder victim Stephen Lawrence and slain newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson in 2009, Mr Ryder has a longstanding professional interest in the effects of institutionalised racism in law enforcement and justice. Like Mr Khan, he is also a self-identified feminist, and plans to include improving opportunities and integration for women, LGBT+ individuals and the elderly into his vision for London.

Living side by side

Mr Ryder has conceded that the details of the newly-created position are still ‘a bit fuzzy’, but says that the overarching goal of his work will be to create links between London’s diverse populations and build an integrated community within the city. ‘We’re really keen to make sure everyone is actively working and living side-by-side, leading interconnected lives, rather than diverse communities in little silos,’ he said. 

Sources: Legal Cheek; Evening Standard