Lord Mansfield (William Murray)
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales (1756–1788). His 1772 judgment in Somerset v Stewart — ruling that English common law did not support slavery — was the most consequential judicial act in the history of British abolitionism. Also modernised English commercial law, making London the preferred venue for international commercial disputes.
- Lived: 1705 CE – 1793 CE
- Nationality: Scottish
- Roles: jurist, judge
