In this Thursday, Nov 24, 2011 file photo, lawyer Amal Alamuddin, left, is seen walking alongside WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as they leave Belmarsh Magistrates Court in south east London after his extradition hearing to Sweden to be prosecuted over claims of sexual assault. (Reuters)
Amal Alamuddin may forever be known as the woman who altered bachelor George Clooney’s views on marriage, but before her name was making headlines alongside Clooney’s, the lawyer was linked to another very prominent man: Julian Assange.
In 2011, she represented the WikiLeaks founder during his fight against extradition to Sweden.
Assange was ultimately granted political asylum by Ecuador.
“Amal is a friend and a lawyer with a global perspective who is not afraid to deal with corruption of power or to tackle politicized cases,” Assange told the London Evening Standard.
Mark Stephens, one of her colleagues, told the Standard that her high-profile cases have often put her in the spotlight.
“She’s used to being in the limelight and doing difficult and complex — and politically tricky — cases,” he said. “She is a fabulously bright woman, she’s independent, and has a Rolls-Royce mind.”
The Beirut-born, Oxford University-educated attorney has advised former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Syria and helped ex-Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko challenge her imprisonment.
Alamuddin was first photographed with Clooney late last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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