Leonardo Raznovich

Leonardo is a distinguished human rights lawyer and practising barrister whose work focuses on constitutional law, international human rights, and public interest litigation. With extensive experience in high-profile cases, Leo has been instrumental in advancing LGBTQI+ rights across the British Overseas Territories and the Caribbean. His groundbreaking litigation includes formulating legal strategies in cases such as Day v Governor of the Cayman Islands ([2022] UKPC 6), which established the right of same-sex couples to a legal framework functionally equivalent to marriage, and AG v Roderick Ferguson ([2022] UKPC 5). He also submitted written evidence to the British Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee, whose recommendations on same-sex marriage were adopted in its 2019 report. Leonardo has successfully influenced legislative reform, including consulting on the drafting of the Cayman Islands’ Civil Partnership Act 2020 to ensure functional equivalence to marriage. His advocacy extends to lobbying for the protection of minority rights, such as persuading the UK’s FCDO to drop a constitutional amendment that would have weakened protections for LGBTQI+ people.

He holds a DPhil in Law from the University of Oxford, an LLM from Harvard Law School, and an LLB from the University of Buenos Aires. In addition to his legal practice, he has a robust academic career, having served as Director of International Law and Dispute Resolution at Canterbury Christ Church University in the UK. His published academic work, widely cited in courts such as the Caribbean Court of Justice and referenced by the UN Expert on SOGI in a UN report, reflects his deep expertise and commitment to advancing human rights. Leo’s leadership extends beyond academia and litigation; he co-chaired the first LGBTQ+ data-driven roundtables in the Caribbean and coordinated a historic private audience with Vatican authorities to address violence and discrimination against LGBTQI+ people. Currently, he serves also as a legal consultant for Colours Caribbean, a visiting research fellow at the University of Vienna, and co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council of the International Bar Association for 2024–2025.