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David Isaac, CBE is a British solicitor and Provost of Worcester College, Oxford, where he took office in July 2021.[1] He was previously a partner at law firm Pinsent Masons. He was appointed as the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2016,[2] serving in that capacity until August 2020. He is also chair of the Court of Governors at University of the Arts London (2018–present).[3] He was previously chair of Stonewall from 2003 to 2012.[4] He was a director of the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund (2005–2014), the Big Lottery Fund (2014–2018),[5] Black Mountains College (2019–20) and a trustee of 14-18 NOW (2016–2019).[6]
Isaac was appointed a CBE in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to equality and diversity[7] and was ranked 36th in the OUTstanding top 100 LGBT executives in October 2018.[8]
Isaac was born in Wales and attended King Henry VIII Grammar School in Abergavenny. He went on to study law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge and socio-legal studies at Wolfson College, Oxford. He attended the College of Law in Guildford to pass the Solicitors Final Examination (1979–80).
Isaac was a partner at Pinsent Masons law firm from 2000 to 2021. He was Head of the firm's advanced manufacturing and technology sector from 2014 – 2019 and Chair of the Pinsent Masons' Diversity and Inclusion group.
Isaac was appointed as Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2016.[9] He said that the Commission would use its legal powers more,[10] do more for disability rights[11] and make sure that human rights were protected during Brexit.[12]
His tenure came to an end in August 2020, and his initial replacement was interim chair Caroline Waters (previously deputy chair).[13][14][15]
In 2021 Isaac claimed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission was "being undermined by political pressure" by the Second Johnson ministry.[16]
During his time as chair of Stonewall, the charity lobbied to secure legislative change, such as the abolition of Section 28 and the introduction of Civil Partnerships.[17]
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