Introducing Our New Trustees - Jude

We’re honoured to introduce Jude Lanchin, a fearless advocate for human rights and social justice, and one of the newest members of Abianda’s Board of Trustees. Jude brings three decades of legal expertise and a lifelong commitment to defending the rights of those most marginalised - ensuring that young women’s voices are heard, respected, and acted upon in the systems that shape their lives.

A Senior Associate at leading human rights law firm Bindmans LLP, Jude is an assertive and dedicated community and activist lawyer whose work has spanned some of the UK’s most complex and high-profile cases. Her career began on Broadwater Farm after the 1985 riots, where she helped support the community and later established a project in Islington for people leaving prison. Since then, Jude has remained deeply embedded in the Tottenham community, particularly before and after the 2011 riots, working closely with organisations focused on race, justice, and policing.

“It has always been clear to me how much girls and young women are side-lined within the criminal justice system and ‘gang narrative’ and are so often invisible when it comes to discussion, policy, services and more. I believe it is essential therefore that there is an organisation dedicated to these excluded ones, which has a clear focus on their needs, challenges stereotypical assumptions and structural bias, hears their voices and builds for their empowerment.”

Over her 30-year career, Jude has worked in youth justice, serious crime, and mental health, while also representing individuals at the forefront of protest, activism, and state accountability - from the killing of Mark Duggan and the 2011 riots, to student protests, Black Lives Matter, and Palestine solidarity movements. Her expertise and tenacity make her a powerful addition to Abianda’s Board, where she strengthens our ability to uphold rights-based approaches and scrutinise the systems that continue to fail girls and young women.

As a trustee, Jude plays a key role in ensuring that Abianda’s safeguarding, service delivery, and advocacy work stay grounded in legal integrity, fairness, and equity. Her insight helps us maintain accountability and drive forward our strategic objective of amplifying young women’s voices in the policies and decisions that affect them.

“It was energising and inspiring to learn of Abianda's new strategic objectives, and it is obvious how much thought, dedication and hard work has gone into the visions for the future. I am very hopeful Abianda will continue to have a powerful impact in its work.”

Jude’s fearless advocacy and deep understanding of community justice are invaluable assets as Abianda continues to influence systems, amplify the voices of young women, and embed our participatory approach across all areas of practice.

We’re proud to have Jude’s courage, conviction, and legal expertise on our board as we move boldly into our next chapter.