Mark Williams

Mark is a solicitor in private practice who claims to have known everyone in Melbourne’s intrepid and courageous theatre community before they were famous.  He first appeared at LaMama in 1983 and is delighted to be back within this particular theatrical crucible.  He has advised just about every professional theatre company and many venues in Victoria over nearly thirty years of legal practice including over twenty years as solicitor for Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Mark earned half a living as an actor in his twenties and early thirties on the fringe, comedy and corporate circuits, two of his earliest professional appearances being at LaMama in 1983.  He has served on the boards of many arts organisations, including Chandrabhanu’s Bharatam Dance Company Inc, Arts Access Inc., Currency House Inc, Viscopy Limited and, currently, Polyglot Theatre.  He is also on the Committee of the Victorian Actors’ Benevolent Trust. 

In addition to specific qualifications in intellectual property law, he holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University on the dramaturgy of Thomas Middleton.  He is an Industry Fellow and for ten years before that Adjunct Professor in the School of Art at RMIT where he taught the Law & Arts Management course.  He is a Life Member of the Green Room Awards Association and was President for six years 2005-10.