Outstanding Lawyers of Our Time: The People100 List
Countdown to the official announcement is on!

Nominations are open!
The final list of the Top 100 will be revealed soon.

PeopleTop100 is an international online platform dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the world’s most outstanding living lawyers and human rights advocates. Every two years, the project selects one hundred legal professionals from different countries whose work, integrity, and leadership have made a significant impact on justice, the protection of human rights, and the legal profession globally.

The mission of PeopleTop100 is to highlight and honor those lawyers whose advocacy, dedication, and achievements set new standards for legal service and inspire the global legal community. By sharing verified biographies and stories of active legal professionals, the website serves as a reference for researchers, journalists, and organizations seeking reliable information about leading figures in contemporary law and human rights protection.

Unlike “Lawyer of the Year” rankings, PeopleTop100 focuses on a broader perspective—celebrating a diverse group of remarkable lawyers of our era, regardless of jurisdiction, field of practice, or nationality. The project aims to foster public recognition of legal excellence and encourage future generations to uphold the highest principles of justice and professional ethics.

The PeopleTop100 list is updated biennially. 

Top 100 Legal Heroes 

 Winners of 2022-2023

1. Amal Clooney
Country: UK / Lebanon
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Human rights, international law, freedom of the press

2. Parosha Chandran
Country: United Kingdom
Profession: Barrister, Professor
Key Contribution: Anti-slavery, trafficking, refugee rights

3. Monica Feria Tinta
Country: UK / Peru
Profession: International Lawyer
Key Contribution: Environmental justice, humanitarian law

4. Payam Akhavan
Country: Canada / Iran
Profession: Professor, International Lawyer
Key Contribution: Transitional justice, genocide prevention

5. Leila Nadya Sadat
Country: USA
Profession: Professor, Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: International criminal justice, crimes against humanity

6. Sara Hossain
Country: Bangladesh
Profession: Advocate, Supreme Court
Key Contribution: Women’s rights, constitutional law

7. Irene Khan
Country: UK / Bangladesh
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, UN Official
Key Contribution: Freedom of expression, global human rights

8. Ivan Tsepilov
Country: USA / Russia
Profession: Attorney, Human Rights Advocate
Key Contribution:  Defense of lawyers & journalists, refugee support

9. Oleksandra Matviichuk
Country: Ukraine
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Civil liberties, democratic reform

10. Diala Shamas
Country: USA / Palestine
Profession: Civil Rights Attorney
Key Contribution: Humanitarian law, civilian protection

11. Philippe Sands
Country: UK / France
Profession: Professor, Barrister
Key Contribution: International criminal & environmental law

12. Jennifer Robinson
Country: Australia
Profession: Barrister
Key Contribution: Media freedom, whistleblower defense

13. Félix Agbor Nkongho
Country: Cameroon
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Democracy, human rights education

14. Arely Westley
Country: Guatemala
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Indigenous rights, legal empowerment

15. Maximilienne Ngo Mbe
Country: Cameroon
Profession: Human Rights Defender
Key Contribution: Civil society leadership, anti-violence

16. Guerline Jozef
Country: Haiti / USA
Profession: Attorney, Advocate
Key Contribution: Migrant rights, humanitarian relief

17. Alessandra Korap Munduruku
Country: Brazil
Profession: Indigenous Rights Activist, Legal Scholar
Key Contribution: Indigenous land rights, environmental defense

18. Elizabeth Oyer
Country: USA
Profession: Public Defender
Key Contribution: Death penalty reform, criminal justice advocacy

19. Jeanette Vizguerra
Country: USA / Mexico
Profession: Immigrant Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Immigrant rights, community organizing

20. Julian Falconer
Country: Canada
Profession: Lawyer, Human Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Police accountability, public law

21. Bryan Stevenson
Country: USA
Profession: Attorney, Professor
Key Contribution: Racial justice, wrongful convictions

22. Funke Adeoye
Country: Nigeria
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Prison reform, access to justice

23. Almudena Bernabeu
Country: Spain / USA
Profession: International Lawyer
Key Contribution: Transitional justice, war crimes accountability

24. Britta Böhler
Country: Netherlands
Profession: Lawyer, Former Senator
Key Contribution: Civil rights, legal ethics

25. Edward Brown
Country: United Kingdom
Profession: Barrister
Key Contribution: International law, defense of free speech

26. Ena Chadha
Country: Canada
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Commissioner
Key Contribution: Disability rights, equality law

27. Kimberley Motley
Country: USA / Afghanistan
Profession: International Litigator
Key Contribution: Rule of law, criminal defense

28. Adam Wagner
Country: United Kingdom
Profession: Barrister
Key Contribution: COVID-19 rights, public law

29. Hilary Stauffer
Country: USA / UK
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Lecturer
Key Contribution: International health law, refugee rights

30. Cherie Blair
Country: United Kingdom
Profession: Barrister, QC
Key Contribution: Gender equality, commercial law

31. Beatrice Mtetwa
Country: Zimbabwe
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Political prisoners, freedom of expression

32. Olga Sadovskaya
Country: Russia
Profession: Lawyer, Anti-Torture Expert
Key Contribution: Anti-torture litigation, European Court advocacy

33. Ivan Pavlov
Country: Russia
Profession: Lawyer, Legal Transparency Advocate
Key Contribution: Legal transparency, defense in state security cases

34. Alain Werner
Country: Switzerland
Profession: International Lawyer
Key Contribution: War crimes accountability

35. Nasrin Sotoudeh
Country: Iran
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Women’s rights, political defense

36. Vincent Warren
Country: USA
Profession: Civil Rights Attorney
Key Contribution: Systemic racism, civil rights

37. Mandira Sharma
Country: Nepal
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Conflict justice, transitional law

38. Sani Kaita
Country: Nigeria
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Legal empowerment for rural youth

39. Paul Reichler
Country: USA / Latin America
Profession: International Lawyer
Key Contribution: Environmental/human rights arbitration

40. Rosa Celorio
Country: Panama / USA
Profession: Law Professor, Human Rights Expert
Key Contribution: Women’s rights, OAS legal reform

41. Sabrina Mahtani
Country: Sierra Leone / UK
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Gender justice, penal reform

42. Michael Sfard
Country: Israel
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Land rights, human rights in conflict

43. Dmitry Talantov
Country: Russia
Profession: Attorney, Human Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Defense of lawyers, protection of freedom of speech, legal defense in politically motivated cases

44. Nani Jansen Reventlow
Country: Netherlands / UK
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Digital Rights
Key Contribution: Digital rights, free speech litigation

45. Clive Baldwin
Country: UK
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Legal Director
Key Contribution: International litigation, Human Rights Watch

46. Carolina Contreras
Country: Chile
Profession: Lawyer, Social Justice Advocate
Key Contribution: Indigenous rights, social justice

47. Elina Steinerte
Country: Latvia
Profession: Lawyer, UN Expert
Key Contribution: UN torture prevention, legal advocacy

48. Fatou Bensouda
Country: Gambia
Profession: International Lawyer, Former ICC Chief
Key Contribution: ICC justice, crimes against humanity

49. Abdi Jama
Country: Somalia / UK
Profession: Solicitor, Migration Lawyer
Key Contribution: Migration law, refugee support

50. Paola Del Carmen
Country: Argentina
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Economic justice, indigenous rights

51. Salma Waheedi
Country: Bahrain / USA
Profession: Law Professor, Gender Justice Advocate
Key Contribution: Legal reform, gender justice

52. Daniel Machover
Country: UK
Profession: Lawyer, International Litigator
Key Contribution: Universal jurisdiction, international criminal law

53. Catalina Botero Marino
Country: Colombia
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Law Professor
Key Contribution: Freedom of expression, democracy

54. Shaheen Sardar Ali
Country: Pakistan
Profession: Law Professor, Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Women’s and children’s rights

55. Marwan Tashani
Country: Libya / Italy
Profession: Legal Educator, Lawyer
Key Contribution: Legal education, reform

56. Maya Foa
Country: UK
Profession: Director, Human Rights NGO
Key Contribution: Anti-death penalty activism

57. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri
Country: Nigeria
Profession: Lawyer, Civil Society Leader
Key Contribution: Urban rights, civil society leadership

58. Agnès Callamard
Country: France
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, NGO Director
Key Contribution: Freedom of expression, Amnesty International

59. Steven Watt
Country: USA
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, ACLU
Key Contribution: Anti-torture litigation, ACLU

60. Andrea James
Country: USA
Profession: Attorney, Prison Reform Advocate
Key Contribution: Prison reform, reentry programs

61. Siti Kasim
Country: Malaysia
Profession: Lawyer, Indigenous Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Indigenous and land rights

62. Daniel Cullen
Country: Australia
Profession: Barrister, Aboriginal Rights Expert
Key Contribution: Aboriginal rights, land law

63. Mercy Mwangangi
Country: Kenya
Profession: Lawyer, Public Health Expert
Key Contribution: Health law, COVID-19 policy

64. Basak Cali
Country: Turkey / UK
Profession: Law Professor, Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Digital rights, European human rights

65. Tara Houska
Country: USA / Ojibwe
Profession: Attorney, Land Rights Activist
Key Contribution: Native American land rights, environmental activism

66. Phyllis Omido
Country: Kenya
Profession: Environmental Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Environmental rights, pollution law

67. Monica Roa
Country: Colombia
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, NGO Leader
Key Contribution: Reproductive rights, gender equality

68. Vincent Cruz
Country: Philippines
Profession: Lawyer, Indigenous Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Land and indigenous rights

69. Olga Torres
Country: Mexico / USA
Profession: Immigration Attorney
Key Contribution: Immigration law, border rights

70. Ivan Simonovic
Country: Croatia
Profession: Law Professor, UN Expert
Key Contribution: Transitional justice, UN rights policy

71. Ana Lucia Herrera
Country: Ecuador
Profession: Environmental Lawyer
Key Contribution: Environmental litigation

72. Rajat Khosla
Country: India
Profession: Health Law Expert, Advocate
Key Contribution: Health and human rights

73. Menaka Guruswamy
Country: India
Profession: Senior Advocate, Supreme Court
Key Contribution: LGBTQ+ rights, constitutional law

74. Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
Country: Malaysia
Profession: Lawyer, Politician
Key Contribution: Indigenous/land rights

75. Tlaleng Mofokeng
Country: South Africa
Profession: Medical Doctor, UN Special Rapporteur
Key Contribution: Health and human rights, UN rapporteur

76. Karla Quintana Osuna
Country: Mexico
Profession: Lawyer, Commissioner
Key Contribution: Missing persons law, forensic advocacy

77. Veronica Hinestroza
Country: Colombia
Profession: Lawyer, Land Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Land and human rights, legal empowerment

78. Renata Avila
Country: Guatemala
Profession: Digital Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Digital rights, democracy advocacy

79. Fiona McLeod
Country: Australia
Profession: Barrister, Integrity Advocate
Key Contribution: Legal integrity, access to justice

80. Zahra Kazemi
Country: Iran / Canada
Profession: Journalist, Human Rights Activist
Key Contribution: Press freedom, human rights defense

81. Charles Mok
Country: Hong Kong
Profession: IT Consultant, Digital Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Digital freedom, legal rights advocacy

82. Anna Wójcik
Country: Poland
Profession: Legal Scholar, Civic Activist
Key Contribution: Freedom of information, civic activism

83. Katsiaryna Barysevich
Country: Belarus
Profession: Lawyer, Human Rights Defender
Key Contribution: Freedom of expression, legal defense

84. Chidi Odinkalu
Country: Nigeria
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Professor
Key Contribution: Rule of law, human rights litigation

85. Laura Codruța Kövesi
Country: Romania
Profession: Prosecutor, EU Legal Official
Key Contribution: Anti-corruption, EU legal reform

86. Sanjay Hegde
Country: India
Profession: Senior Advocate, Supreme Court
Key Contribution: Constitutional law, civil liberties

87. Shadi Sadr
Country: Iran
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Activist
Key Contribution: Women’s rights, anti-death penalty, legal advocacy

88. Yasmine Chouikh
Country: Algeria
Profession: Legal Advocate
Key Contribution: Family law reform, women’s rights

89. Nighat Dad
Country: Pakistan
Profession: Digital Rights Advocate, Lawyer
Key Contribution: Cyber law, women’s online protection

90. Pablo Abrao
Country: Brazil
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Former IACHR Exec. Secretary
Key Contribution: Transitional justice, institutional reform

91. Lamya Haji Bashar
Country: Iraq / Germany
Profession: Human Rights Advocate
Key Contribution: Rights of Yazidis, anti-trafficking

92. Biram Dah Abeid
Country: Mauritania
Profession: Lawyer, Abolitionist
Key Contribution: Anti-slavery, civil rights

93. Ressa Galang
Country: Philippines
Profession: Environmental Lawyer
Key Contribution: Indigenous land and environmental rights

94. Mustapha Miftah
Country: Morocco
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Anti-torture, fair trial rights

95. Melene Rossouw
Country: South Africa
Profession: Lawyer, Gender Equality Advocate
Key Contribution: Gender rights, women’s empowerment

96. Guillermo Torremare
Country: Argentina
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Transitional justice, freedom of expression

97. Delphine Djiraibe
Country: Chad
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Civil society, legal aid for vulnerable groups

98. Jose Miguel Vivanco
Country: Chile / USA
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer, Former HRW Director
Key Contribution: Advocacy for democracy, human rights in the Americas

99. Vani Sathisan
Country: Singapore / Myanmar
Profession: Human Rights Lawyer
Key Contribution: Rule of law, legal aid in Southeast Asia

100. Olena Sotnyk
Country: Ukraine
Profession: Attorney, Legal Reformer
Key Contribution: Rule of law, European integration, anti-corruption