Wolfson elects Martin Paisner, CBE, as an Honorary Fellow

Wolfson is pleased to announce the election of Martin Paisner, CBE, to an Honorary Fellowship.  Mr Paisner is a well-known and respected solicitor, specialising in the private client and charity sector, both of a domestic and overseas nature.

He qualified as a solicitor with Paisner & Co, a firm founded by his late father, in 1970 where he was a partner, remaining with that firm (subsequently Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP) until May 2020 when he joined Payne Hicks Beach LLP as a partner.

Mr Paisner has been a long-time advisor to many grant-making trusts including (inter alia) the Dorset Foundation, an overseas charitable body founded by his late client, Harry M Weinrebe of Hong Kong.  Since 2011, the Foundation has been the principal benefactor of the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing.  Its generosity has funded scholarships in life-writing, OCLW’s Weinrebe Directorship, and the Centre’s unique programme of public lectures, writing groups, academic seminars, and outreach activities.

Mr Paisner was appointed CBE in June 2004 in recognition of his charitable services.  He is an Honorary Fellow of Queen Mary, University of London, Worcester College, Oxford (his alma mater), King’s College London, and the Reichman University, Herzliyah, Israel.  He also holds Honorary Doctorates of the University of Glasgow, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel and the Open University, Israel.

“Martin Paisner has been a wise adviser to Wolfson, and a steady supporter of the work we do in advancing intellectual studies. He has brought long legal experience, especially in the charity sector, to our work, and the success and emergence of the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing owes a great deal to him. We are delighted that he has accepted his Honorary Fellowship, and look forward to many more years of working together.” – Wolfson College President, Sir Tim Hitchens

Speaking about his election, Martin Paisner said:

“My election as an Honorary Fellow of Wolfson College has not only been a privilege and delight, but has also been especially meaningful for me, associated as I have been with the Wolfson family, the Wolfson Foundation and indeed your first President, Sir Isaiah Berlin, since the very early days of my professional career.  The name and reputation of the College have been “writ large” in my consciousness, and I was very happy indeed when Dame Hermione Lee gave me and the Dorset Foundation the opportunity to support her initiative in the establishment of OCLW.  I was an open door for the promotion of anything to do with biographical studies and history to both of which I am devoted. 

Thank you so much for electing me.”