At its inception, the Hauser Global Scholarship focused entirely on LLM candidates. In recent years, the program had been broadened and shifted conceptually to further focus on its academic dimensions by selecting, in addition to the LLM candidates, one or two Hauser Research Scholars who were young academics in the first stages of their academic careers. The program provided funding and support to such academics in order that they could dedicate themselves in an academic environment towards completing a significant scholarly project and further integrated their scholarly projects with the work of colloquia, foras and seminars comprising the rich intellectual community at NYU School of Law. In its current form, the Hauser Global Scholarship has reverted to the core of its mission by refocusing entirely on Hauser Global Scholar LLM candidates, who remain the heart of the program.
Please select from the years below to view our past scholars' bios:
2023-2024 Academic Year
2022-2023 Academic Year
2021-2022 Academic Year
Spring 2021-Fall 2021
Spring 2021-Summer 2021
2019-2020 Academic Year
2018-2019 Academic Year
2017-2018 Academic Year
2016-2017 Academic Year
2015-2016 Academic Year
2014-2015 Academic Year
2013-2014 Academic Year
2012-2013 Academic Year
2011-2012 Academic Year
2010-2011 Academic Year
2009-2010 Academic Year
2008-2009 Academic Year
2007-2008 Academic Year
2006-2007 Academic Year
2005-2006 Academic Year
2004-2005 Academic Year
2003-2004 Academic Year
2023-2024 Hauser Global Scholars
Marco Mateo Guevara Ruales
Ecuador
Mateo earned his law degree with magna cum laude honors from Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Quito, Ecuador, in 2019, where he distinguished himself as one of the top students in his graduating class. Following his graduation, Mateo served as adjunct professor of taxation law at USFQ.
Mateo began working as a private law practitioner at Pérez, Bustamante & Ponce, Ecuador's preeminent legal firm, where he rendered guidance to diverse clientele encompassing companies, family groups, and individuals, crafting tax planning strategies to optimize their tax burdens. Mateo's expertise extends to navigating the complexities of international taxation, encompassing the application of agreements to mitigate instances of double taxation. Additionally, he offered strategic counsel concerning assessment and sanctioning procedures, both within the administrative and judicial realms.
Mateo had the honor of clerking under Ecuador's Constitutional Court Chief Justice, where he was entrusted with high-complexity cases that significantly contributed to the development of Ecuador's legal landscape.
He later pursued a master's in taxation law, with a minor in Tax Planning and International Taxation, at Universidad Andina Simón Bolivar, where he excelled among his peers and graduated among the top students in his class.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Mateo will pursue an LLM in International Taxation.
Boru Gollo Jattani
Kenya
Boru Gollo Jattani was awarded the prestigious Katiba Scholarship, a full merit-based scholarship to study law at Riara University, Law School. In 2018, he graduated from Riara University, Law School earning a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) with Second-Class Honours, Upper Division. While at Riara University, he participated in a number of moot court competitions including the African Human Right Moot Court Competition on Human Rights Law that was held at University of Pretoria, South Africa and the ELSA Law Moot Court Competition on WTO Law that was held in South Africa at Rhodes University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Additionally, Boru also holds a Diploma Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility in Legal, Economic and Moral Contex from the Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest, Hungary.
Following his graduation, Boru furthered his legal education at the Kenya School of Law, where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Law and was subsequently admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya in 2020. He began his professional career at TripleOKLaw Advocates, LLP, a prominent top-tier law firm in Kenya.
Currently, Boru's research interest centers around Artificial Intelligence governance. At NYU, Boru will pursue LLM in Competition Innovation and Information Law.
Raissa Jonah
Indonesia
Raissa Richka Jonah graduated top of her class in 2020 from the Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia, majoring in Private Law. She was named The Most Outstanding Student of the class.
During her years at Universitas Indonesia, she dedicated herself to social communities. She participated in various social activities, including in AIESEC of Universitas Indonesia and Universitas Indonesia Legal Clinic. She also collaborated with University of Malaya as a part of the Street Law program, where she reached out to communities with diverse background in various cities in Indonesia and Malaysia. Further, she has authored several articles on law and business which have been translated into multiple languages and published by international journals.
Raissa has joined Walalangi & Partners (in association with Nishimura & Asahi), a leading corporate law firm since 2020. She has been involved in various multi jurisdiction Corporate/M&A and foreign direct investment transactions, representing notable clients from, among others, the United States, Europe, Japan, and Singapore. She has been a part of the team that provides strategic advice and legal solutions tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by businesses operating in diverse sectors such as technology, media, and telecommunication, financial technology, food manufacturing and distribution, and beyond. In her role, she has been a counsel to Japanese leading company on the inauguration of the PoC of Indonesia’s first autonomous electric vehicle, a counsel to the most rapid growing technology and game companies based in the US on various legal matters in relation to its business operation, and a counsel to numerous investment funds on their aggressive business expansion in Asia.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Raissa pursues LLM in Corporation Law, and participates in the International Transaction Clinic to provide legal services to clients that are conducting cross-border transactions in emerging markets.
Neil Kranzhoefer
Germany
Neil studied law at Heidelberg University (Germany) and the University of Geneva (Switzerland). After graduating from Heidelberg University with the First State Exam in 2017, he went on to work as a research and teaching assistant to Professor Christoph A. Kern at the Chair of German Law of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) where he also conducted doctoral research on cross-border bankruptcy law.
After returning to Germany for his judicial clerkship at the Regional Court of Freiburg im Breisgau, Neil passed the Second State Exam, ranking first in the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. In 2022, he started working as an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in Frankfurt (Germany) where his practice focused on M&A transactions and corporate finance. Neil holds a PhD from Heidelberg University (summa cum laude).
At NYU, Neil will pursue a traditional Master of Laws with a particular focus on civil procedure.
Kornath Sai Roshan Menon
India
Roshan is an India-qualified lawyer and policy researcher. He obtained his BA LLB (Hons) degree from the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab, graduating as a double gold-medalist. During his studies, Roshan worked with the Office of a Member of Parliament, and as a Research Assistant to Dr. Stellina Jolly, a member of the IUCN World Commission of Environmental Law. He represented his university at multiple moot courts, winning individual and team-level accolades. Notably, his team won the World Rounds of the Leiden University-Sarin Foundation International Air Law Moot Court Competition.
After graduating, Roshan joined the Policy Research Group at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., an IFLR 1000: Top Tier firm, as the group’s youngest member. As Research Fellow, Roshan undertook extensive legal research and advisory work at the firm. He specialized in law and technology, advising on themes such as privacy, online gaming, the regulation of digital markets, and artificial intelligence. Roshan’s advisory commitments include repeated engagements with the Government of India; he has also been involved in inter-ministerial consultations on issues of digital asset regulation. He was also responsible for developing learning modules for the firm’s nearly 800 member-strong lawyer network, teaching data protection, crypto-asset regulation, and non-personal data governance.
Roshan’s academic writing has been published by, among others, Cambridge Core, Wiley-Blackwell and CyberBRICS. His work has been cited in India and overseas, including by the Indian government’s pre-eminent bureaucrat training institute. He contributes regularly to Indian pink papers; his pieces discuss technology, sustainability, and regulation.
At NYU, Roshan shall pursue a traditional Master of Laws, with a focus on law and technology.
Mauricio Mourglia Paysal
Uruguay
Mauricio studied law at the University of Montevideo in Uruguay, where he received a scholarship for academic excellence and graduated among the top two in his class in 2018. During his studies, he represented the University of Montevideo at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court in Vienna for the 2015/16 and 2017/18 editions. He also participated in the 2015 Latin American International Commercial Arbitration Competition held in Santiago, Chile, where his team received the award for Best Memorandum for Respondent. In 2016, he studied Conflict of Laws and International Financial Law as an exchange student at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.
Starting in August 2016, Mauricio joined the dispute resolution practice of FERRERE, Uruguay’s largest and top-tier law firm. He began as a legal intern from 2016 to 2018 and progressed to become a junior associate from 2018 to 2021, and then a senior associate from 2021 to 2023. At FERRERE, he gained experience handling some of Uruguay’s and Latin America’s most complex international arbitrations, including commercial arbitration cases in the construction, oil & gas, and logistics sectors, as well as investment treaty arbitrations in the mining and aviation industries. He participated in proceedings conducted in both English and Spanish, under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the Conciliation and Arbitration Center of the Uruguay Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he has been involved in environmental litigation, high-stakes antitrust investigations, and large bankruptcy proceedings in the agribusiness and maritime transportation fields.
Since 2019, Mauricio has also served as an adjunct professor of Conflict of Laws at the University of Montevideo. In this role, he frequently provides advice on matters concerning applicable law and jurisdiction, particularly in relation to drafting choice of law, forum selection and arbitration clauses in international contracts, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and awards before Uruguay’s Supreme Court of Justice.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Mauricio will pursue a traditional LLM with a particular focus on international investment law and international arbitration. Additionally, he aims to further explore his interest in international human rights, energy law, and corporate law.
Mohammad-Reza Narimani
Iran
Mohammad-Reza is a legal counsel and researcher, focusing mostly on financial and corporate law, capital market, securities and foreign investment and arbitration. He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 2017 from Shahid Beheshti University (SBU) in Tehran, Iran. He graduated from Master of Laws Program in Private Law in the same university, and defended his dissertation with distinction (Honors) in 2020. He was awarded nationally recognized merit scholarships to enroll in both programs and graduated among top 5% of class. Mohammad-Reza is also a gold medalist in Iran’s National Olympiad of Literature, ranking 1st among more than 40,000 students in 2012.
During his LLB studies, Mohammad-Reza joined University of Tehran Institute for Public of Law Studies as a Research and Executive Assistant in 2015. He proceeded to join Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization as a Legal Intern in 2016 to work with an expert group to update Iran’s Memorandum of Foreign Trade Regime as part of Iran’s accession to the WTO. He was then recruited by Dentons Europe LLP in 2016 where he provided legal advice to international clients working in various market sectors, including automotive, infrastructure, telecommunication, pharmaceutical and retail industries. In 2019, a leading Iranian law firm, Elite Pars, hired him to conduct corporate acquisition processes and advise on business contracts and IP-related matters. He simultaneously worked with Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce as a Legal Advisor and Director of Legal Commission. Mohammad-Reza subsequently joined Kian Financial Group in 2020 as a Legal Manager to further focus on financial, capital market, securities and corporate law matters. Leading a team of in-house lawyers and consultants responsible for contractual, corporate, claims and regulatory matters, he particularly advised on M&A, private equity, fund structuring and venture capital deals.
Mohammad-Reza was an LLM program teaching Assistant for EU Law and International Commercial Arbitration at University of Science and Culture (Tehran) in 2019. He has published several academic works, including translation of two books from English to Farsi, and an article in Journal of International Arbitration (Kluwer) on arbitrability of Iran BIT disputes. Mohammad-Reza has represented SBU School of Law Teams in several moot court competitions. He was the Lead Oralist of the SBU Team for the 2018 edition of the Willem C. Vis Moot as well as one for Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition held by ICRC in 2015. Mohammad-Reza also couched the SBU Team for Tehran Regional Arbitration Center Moot Court Competitions.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Mohammad-Reza will pursue a Traditional LLM at NYU.
Dipti Sapkota
Nepal
Dipti successfully completed her academic pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law (BA LLB) degree at Nepal Law Campus, Tribhuwan University. She graduated at the top of her class with a distinction division in 2019, earning her the gold medal. Throughout her tenure at Nepal Law Campus, she actively participated in several regional and international moot court competitions, being recognized and awarded for her accomplishments in a few of them. Dipti gained admission to the esteemed Nepal Bar Council in 2021.
In 2019, Dipti joined Pioneer Law Associates, a prominent commercial law firm in Nepal, as a trainee. Following her admission to the Nepal Bar Council, she advanced to the position of associate within the firm. Her responsibilities encompassed providing comprehensive counsel and representation to clients on various matters, including the structuring of financial transactions, foreign investments, business registration, liquidation procedures, and dispute settlement. Dipti led a team of attorneys in producing due diligence reports and facilitating cross-border merger and acquisition transactions. Furthermore, she actively contributed to several policy reformation initiatives led by the World Bank, focusing specifically on areas such as securities law and cybersecurity law. She also played an integral role in conducting training sessions related to corporate law, covering topics such as employment law, corporate governance, start-ups, and the conversion of private companies to public entities. Collaborating with her colleagues, she co-authored and published a comprehensive handbook on Foreign Direct Investment in Nepal in 2021. Additionally, in 2022, Dipti undertook a similar endeavor, co-authoring a handbook specifically focused on Non-Residential Nepalese (NRN) individuals. These publications aimed to provide valuable insights and guidance to interested parties navigating the legal landscape of Nepal.
Expanding her professional repertoire, Dipti assumed a part-time teaching role in 2022 as a lecturer for the Corporate and Business Law course within the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants program.
As a distinguished Hauser Global Scholar, Dipti will pursue LLM in Corporation Law at NYU.
Maria Angelica Suarez
Colombia
Maria Angelica graduated from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota) in 2017, receiving the Order of Academic Merit (Summa Cum Laude) due to exceptional academic achievement in Law School. During her time at Javeriana University, Maria Angelica was recognized as one of the top five students out of nearly a thousand in the Law program, and she received an award from the Colombian Ministry of Education for achieving one of the highest national scores on the standardized State examination for Law graduates. Her academic excellence granted her exemption from the Law faculty exams required for graduation.
Maria Angelica's professional journey began as a research assistant for Colombia's leading international trade lawyer while she was still a student. This led her, after graduation, to work at Ibarra Rimôn, a top-tier boutique firm, advising clients in trade remedies investigations. She later joined Brigard Urrutia, Colombia's largest Law firm, where she actively contributed to six out of nine ongoing antidumping investigations in the country, playing a vital role in legal and economic analyses. Currently, as a Senior Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC Colombia), Maria Angelica assists multinational clients aiming to enter or succeed in the Colombian market, by optimizing their international trade operations and providing guidance on foreign exchange matters. Further, she has also served as author in several editions of the journal published by the Colombian Institute of Tax/Customs Law.
Maria Angelica pursued two specializations, one in Customs Law and International Trade at Universidad Externado de Colombia and another in International Business Law at Universidad de los Andes, where she ranked first and second, respectively, among all graduates of these programs.
Now, as a Hauser Global Scholar, Maria Angelica will further expand her knowledge and expertise by pursuing an LLM in International Legal Studies, where she will combine her interests in International Law, trade, and foreign investment.
Lena Werderitsch
Austria
Lena obtained her law degree from University of Vienna Law School, ranking among the top graduates in her class. She received multiple merit-based scholarships in recognition of her academic performance. In 2022, Lena completed her doctoral degree in law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, graduating with the highest distinction. Her doctoral thesis focused on interim measures as a procedural instrument in corporate law cases and was published as a book by one of Austria's most renowned publishers. For her thesis, she received numerous prestigious academic awards.
Throughout her studies, Lena gained professional experience through internships at renowned law firms in Vienna and the Austrian Trade Commission in New York. While working on her doctoral thesis, she served as a Research and Teaching Associate at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and held a position as a Research Assistant at the Austrian Supreme Court. Following the completion of her doctoral degree, Lena was awarded a post-doctoral Teaching and Research position at the Institute for Civil Law and Civil Procedure at the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
Currently, Lena is working on her “habilitation” thesis, which serves as the formal qualification to apply for a full professorship in both Austria and Germany. Her research encompasses various aspects of private law, with a particular focus on civil procedure, insolvency law, corporate law, and contract law. She has authored numerous articles in law journals, covering topics such as cross-border law enforcement, the admissibility of illegally obtained evidence, and data protection. Additionally, Lena has contributed to legal commentaries and textbooks within her field of expertise.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Lena will pursue the traditional LL.M.
2022-2023 Hauser Global Scholars
Moureen Akatunihiza
Uganda
Moureen pursued a Bachelor of laws Degree (LLB) at Makerere University School of Law and graduated in January of 2020 with a second Class Upper Honors degree top of her class. While at Makerere School of Law, she served as the President of Makerere Environmental Law Society where she advocated for a right to a clean and healthy environment and organized several public lectures on environmental related topics like Paris Agreement on climate change in Africa. she also worked as a Legal Research Assistant to the Judge of the High Court of Uganda (Land Division) where she advised on many cases like temporary injunctions, land rights and taxing bill of costs.
In 2019, Moureen joined Law Development Centre (LDC) to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She graduated in 2021 with a second Class Upper Honors Diploma and is set to enroll as an advocate of the High Court of Uganda.
In 2020, she joined Kampala Associated Advocates, one of the leading top law firm in Uganda specializing in tax legal services. While at the firm, she conducted internal and external tax due diligence on clients, drafted tax pleadings and was involved in negotiations with Uganda Revenue Authority on behalf of the clients.
In 2022, she joined Ernst and Young (Uganda) where she has been practicing as a Tax Legal Associate, advising on Transfer Pricing and Double Taxation Agreements, conducting tax litigation, and claiming tax refunds for clients.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Moureen will pursue an LLM in International Taxation.
Eve Bain
New Zealand
Eve graduated from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Arts (French and International Relations). Eve was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the New Zealand High Court in 2018. During her studies Eve tutored public law and was also a research assistant and assistant editor for the European Journal of International Law. She also worked for a Member of Parliament and later as a law clerk at the New Zealand Law Commission.
Eve was heavily involved in the charity United Nations Youth New Zealand and led the organisation of the national conference as well as international delegations. Eve has also represented New Zealand at the Red Cross Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Law Moot and the Brown Mosten International Client Consultation Competition, in which New Zealand placed first. She spent her final year studying at Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Colombia as an inaugural recipient of the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Latin America.
After graduating, Eve worked in the public law team of leading national firm Bell Gully. During that time she coached the Victoria University of Wellington team for the Vis Moot 2020. Eve later moved to Stout Street Chambers where she worked as a junior barrister, appearing on a range of significant public law and general civil litigation matters. In 2021 the New Zealand Law Foundation awarded Eve the annual Cleary Memorial Prize for outstanding future promise to the legal profession.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Eve will pursue an LLM in International Legal Studies with a particular focus on transitional justice and international organisations. Eve is taking part in the UN Diplomacy Clinic in Fall 2022 and is also a Transitional Justice Scholar.
Sarah Bandini
Italy
Sarah received her law degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Bologna in 2014. She was among the top graduating students in her class and was awarded several merit-based scholarships during her studies. She has built her career on the belief that integrating the theoretical study of the law with hands-on experience is crucial to understanding today’s social and juridical issues. Upon graduation, she began working in private practice as a lawyer and in academia as a scholar at the same time.
She collaborated with one of the most renowned Italian boutique law firms, specializing in the criminal defense of banks and joint-stock companies that took part in some of the most important corporate crime cases connected to the largest financial scandals that occurred in Italy in the last two decades (e.g., Parmalat, Cirio, and Carim Bank). As an associate attorney at the firm, she further developed her expertise in business crime, tax evasion, and corporate compliance and handled several cases involving international transactions and criminal liability.
She has also served as a member of the Compliance Board for BPER Factor, a company specializing in factoring and financial transactions, part of the BPER Group (the third-largest banking group in Italy).
From November 2017 to March 2021, she pursued a Ph.D. Program in Legal Studies at the University of Bologna. In May 2021, she graduated with a Final Dissertation on Corporate Control and Criminal Liability, deemed «Excellent» by the Examination Board.
Sarah’s research focuses on Corporate Governance and Corporate Compliance. In particular, she is developing a study on Global Compliance to implement programs and risk-assessment schemes that multinational corporations can adopt to prevent wrongdoing in cross-border investments. She carried out part of this project as a Visiting Scholar at Duke University School of Law and at the University of London’s Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
She is an academic member of the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) and a fellow of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies at the University of London.
At NYU, Sarah will pursue an LL.M. in Corporation Law, with a focus on cross-border transactions and corporate compliance.
William Bruffey
Australia
William holds a BA (Distinction) and LLB (First Class Honours) from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, where he was President of the Student Representative Council.
William worked as a paralegal in the litigation team for law firm Gilbert + Tobin, and then as the Tipstaff to a Supreme Court justice in Sydney. He was a criminal defence lawyer for the Aboriginal Legal Service and Legal Aid in disadvantaged communities in rural Australia, before working as a prosecutor for the Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW), responsible for prosecuting historical crimes against children.
As a Hauser Global Scholar and Fulbright Scholar, William will build on his diverse prosecution and defence experience to undertake a traditional Master of Laws, with a particular focus on criminal justice, evidence, and constitutional law.
Maria Florencia Garcia
Argentina
Florencia graduated from University of Buenos Aires in 2018. She was ranked in the top 1% of a class over 2300 students and received academic excellence awards for her performance at moot court competitions. During her law studies, she represented the University of Buenos Aires at the 2016 edition of the Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot, where the team reached the Round of 16th and Florencia was ranked among top advocates. One year later, she represented the University of Buenos Aires at the 2017/2018 edition of the Willem C. Vis Moot, where the team received an honorable mention at the Werner Melis Award for Best Memorandum for Respondent. She was admitted to the program NYU Law Abroad: Buenos Aires, where she took a course on dispute resolution in Latin America and a course on constitutionalism and democracy.
After graduation, Florencia was promoted to associate at Mitrani, Caballero & Ruiz Moreno Law Firm (Buenos Aires office), where she has been practicing corporate law, focusing on cross-border M&A transactions, antitrust and securities filings, domestic and international contracts, and compliance with economic sanctions, export control regulations, and AML/CFT regulations. Florencia is an active member of the firm’s corporate social responsibility committee, where she has promoted several activities, including a campaign to collect school supplies.
She has contributed to the pilot clinic organized by TradeLab and the University of Buenos Aires, where Florencia and her classmates advised the South Centre. The focus of the clinic was to advance research on the misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. More recently, Florencia has co-authored a book review that was published at the American Review of International Arbitration. Further, she has contributed to several editions of the newsletter published by the International Arbitration Observatory of the University of Buenos Aires. Florencia is a founding member of the Equidad Consultora project, an initiative that focuses on raising gender awareness in corporate environments by carrying out workshops.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Florencia will pursue the LL.M. program in International Legal Studies, where she will combine her interests in corporate law, gender matters, and international law.
Kateryna Kolesnik
Ukraine
Kateryna Kolesnik graduated from Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Ukraine, in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Jurisprudence (with Honours) and in 2014 with a Master’s degree in Jurisprudence (with Honours). During her studies Kateryna successfully completed the 2011-2012 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program, attending Chadron State College, USA, for one academic year (majoring in Criminal Justice). She also was a student advisor at the University’s Legal Aid Clinic, where she consulted with clients from vulnerable groups.
After graduating, Kateryna worked as a prosecutor in Ukraine for almost 4 years, supervising investigating authorities, prosecuting criminal cases, and representing interests of vulnerable people and the state before the courts of civil, administrative, and commercial jurisdictions. Since 2018 Kateryna has been working as an assistant lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. In this role, she was mainly engaged in dealing with applications against Ukraine, conducting legal research on pressing human rights issues and drafting decisions, judgments, and other legal documents. Kateryna was also involved in providing trainings to newly-arrived lawyers and developing different mechanisms and tools to optimize case processing.
As a Hauser Scholar, Kateryna is pursuing the LL.M. in International Legal Studies, with a particular focus on international criminal law and transitional justice.
Zongyao Li
China
Zongyao received his LL.B. degree from Xiamen University in 2013 and LL.M. degree from Xiamen University in 2016, where he graduated at the top of his class and was awarded scholarships and honors for academic excellence. He was the leader of the moot team that won the champion of the Chinese national round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2014, the first time in the history of Xiamen University. He was also awarded the prize for Best Oralist.
Since 2017, Zongyao has been an associate in the international arbitration practice of Shearman & Sterling LLP. Zongyao has extensive experience advising and representing companies, State-owned entities and governments in commercial and investment treaty disputes. His practice includes disputes related to energy, infrastructure, joint ventures, M&A, construction, technology and real estate. Zongyao has acted on arbitrations conducted under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC), Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), as well as ad hoc proceedings under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) arbitration rules and emergency arbitrator proceedings. Zongyao has published several articles on international arbitration and investment. He has also been invited to give speeches on matters involving international arbitration.
At NYU, Zongyao will be pursuing an LL.M. in in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration with a particular focus on international commercial and investment arbitration.
Precious Okedele
Nigeria
Precious obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree with First Class Honours from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, in 2018. She was a recipient of the University’s award for first class graduates.
She proceeded to obtain a B.L from the Nigerian Law School in 2019, graduating Summa Cum Laude in the class of over 5,000 students. After her admission to the Nigerian bar in 2019, Precious joined a leading full-service law firm in Lagos, Nigeria as an Associate where she advised on several corporate and commercial transactions ranging from project finance to corporate investments, debt restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance and tax. She represented both individual and corporate clients in complex commercial transactions before superior courts of record in Nigeria. Precious was seconded to Resort Savings and Loans Plc, Lagos as an in-house legal counsel where she provided legal support to the public quoted company on its debt restructuring and investment deals across Africa.
She thereafter joined KingMakers, a multinational gaming company with its Central office in London, UK, as its in-house Legal and Compliance Officer, where she handled the vast compliance obligations of the company. She was responsible for the AML/CFT, data protection compliance, and provision of internal legal advisory to the organization.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Precious will be pursuing the LLM Program in Corporation Law at New York University.
Stefan Schäferling
Germany
Stefan studied law at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany) and at the University of Edinburgh. He was a member of the team that represented LMU Munich at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court in Vienna and Hongkong in 2011/12. Stefan received various recognitions for his scholarship, including by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes), both for his first law degree and later for his doctoral studies. He graduated in 2016 among the top 2% in the State of Bavaria and went on to pursue his practical legal training, working – among other positions – in the arbitration department of an international law firm and as a Junior Legal Advisor at the German Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.
He passed the Second State Exam in 2018 in the top 3% in the State of Bavaria, after which he returned to LMU Munich to work as a research and teaching assistant to Professor Dr. Christian Walter at the Institute for International Law and to pursue a doctoral degree. His dissertation examines the human rights challenges of governmental automated decision-making.
As a research assistant, Stefan taught courses in public international law and European Union law, contributed to various publications in the fields of German constitutional law and international law, worked on advising the German Government in international legal matters, and acted as junior counsel drafting submissions in proceedings before the Federal Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights. He has published articles in German and international journals in the fields of constitutional law and public international law with a focus on human rights law.
As a Hauser Global Scholar at NYU, Stefan will pursue an LL.M. in International Legal Studies.
2021-2022 Academic Year
Uria Beeri LLM ’22
Israel
Uria holds an LL.B., magna cum laude, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is also a graduate of the Amirim Interdisciplinary Honors Program in the Humanities at the Hebrew University. During his studies, Uria received several awards for academic excellence, and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Hebrew University Law Review ('Mishpatim'), after a year as a member of its editorial board. He also worked as a teaching and research assistant, especially in the areas of Intellectual Property Law and Constitutional Law.
Upon graduation, Uria clerked for the Honorable Deputy Chief Justice Hanan Melcer of the Supreme Court of Israel. After being admitted to the Israeli Bar, he returned to work at the Israeli Supreme Court as a Senior Law Clerk for the Honorable Justice Alex Stein.
Uria is married to Avigail and is a proud father of the adorable Achinoam (8 months old).
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Uria will pursue an LLM in Legal Theory.
Genesis Davila Vazquez LLM ’22
Venezuela
Genesis Davila received her law degree, summa cum laude, from Universidad de Los Andes, in Venezuela, in 2014.
In 2015, she worked as an intern at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, reviewing cases of violations filed against Latin American countries. In 2017, she participated in the Global Competitiveness Leadership Program at Georgetown University, where she developed Defiende Venezuela, a pro-bono NGO she founded that same year, dedicated to representing victims of human rights internationally. This idea won her the Georgetown University Global Impact Award.
Since then, through Defiende Venezuela, Genesis has represented more than 200 victims before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, and United Nations mechanisms. She has also trained more than 500 human rights defenders in documentation, activism, and international strategic litigation.
Since 2019, Genesis has been participating in the Natalia Project, a special program for human rights defenders at risk of the Swedish organization Civil Rights Defenders and is a former guest of Shelter City in the Netherlands, a relocation program for human rights defenders at risk.
In addition, Genesis has raised awareness about the critical human rights situation in Venezuela as a guest speaker at prestigious universities such as Harvard University, Leiden University, and Georgetown University.
At NYU, Genesis is a Fulbright and Hauser scholar, pursuing an LL.M. in International Legal Studies with a particular focus on human rights.
Federico Jorge Gaxiola Lappe LLM ’22
Mexico
Jorge received his LL.B. degree from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in 2019, graduating with honorable mention and first in his class.
During his undergraduate studies, Jorge was research assistant to Dr. Alberto Puppo and Dr. Rodolfo Vázquez. He assisted the first in research projects regarding the applicability of the concept of rule of law to international law, and the second in drafting his book Contemporary Theories of Justice: Introduction and critical notes. He also assisted Dr. Juan F. González in the selection and translation to Spanish of papers by Dr. Jeremy Waldron that were included in the book Advantages and disadvantages in making decisions by majority voting in Congress and the courts. Furthermore, as a teaching assistant to Dr. Germán Sucar, he taught supplementary lessons in the course Jurisprudence I.
During and after his undergraduate studies, Jorge worked for 4 years at the National Supreme Court of Mexico. He was a judicial assistant to Justice Cossío Díaz and Justice Medina Mora I. Later, he became an auxiliary law clerk to Justice González Alcántara Carrancá. He had the opportunity to assist in the drafting of ruling projects and opinions regarding cases analyzed in the First Chamber (civil and criminal law), Second Chamber (administrative, labor, and tax law) and the Plenary Court of the National Supreme Court of Mexico.
At NYU, Jorge will pursue an LL.M. in Legal Theory.
Ayşegül Kula LLM ’22
Turkey
Leaving her small hometown Edirne at the age of 13, Ayşegül studied at The Koc School, Istanbul, one of the most prestigious high schools in Turkey, with a full scholarship. Later, she studied law at Koc University, Istanbul, with a full scholarship. She graduated from Koc University with magna cum laude as a salutatorian in the Law Faculty in 2015. Ayşegül also obtained a minor degree in International Relations. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as an academic tutor and freshman mentor, and participated in various club activities and student symposiums. She also represented her university in the 55th Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. In 2019, she completed her first LL.M. at Istanbul University, Istanbul, with her dissertation “The Administrative Police Power of the Turkish Competition Authority over Mergers and Acquisitions.” She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public law at Koc University.
After graduation from university, Ayşegül started working at the Istanbul Office of White & Case, LLP. While working as a lawyer in the Mergers and Acquisitions department, she obtained White & Case Pro-Bono Awards. Since May 2017, she has been working at Koc University as a research and teaching assistant on administrative law. As a research and teaching assistant, Ayşegül published several articles in law journals and participated in various projects, including Enhancing Women's Leadership Trajectories Through Female Role Models Project organized by Koc University in collaboration with the Netherlands Embassy. She also performs certain administrative duties such as advising Koc University Law Club and carrying out disciplinary investigations.
At NYU, Ayşegül will be pursuing the Traditional LLM with a focus on administrative, energy and environmental law.
Joyce Muthoni Maina LLM ’22
Kenya
Joyce pursued a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) at Kenyatta University School of Law (KUSOL) and graduated in 2016 with First Class Honors. While at KUSOL, she helped coordinate the All-Kenyan Moot Court Competition, an annual Competition that brings together students pursuing law degrees in different universities in Kenya to moot on current legal issues. She also volunteered at the Kenyatta University Legal Aid Clinic where she undertook legal research. Further, as part of her Public Interest Class, she helped coordinate a Legal Aid Clinic at her rural home, a Clinic that saw members of the public receive free legal advice and helped resolve a dispute between members of a self-help group.
In 2017, Joyce joined the Kenya School of Law to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma in Law. She graduated in 2018 and was awarded for being the Best Student in Probate and Administration.
In 2018, she joined Kiptinness and Odhiambo Associates LLP, a leading African Law Firm providing highly specialized legal services. At the Firm, she worked in the Corporate and Finance Department and was a resource for national and international clients on matters and projects touching on inter alia, commercial law, data protection, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, venture capital, legal and regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
At NYU, Joyce will pursue an LLM in Corporation Law.
Chinelo Ojike LLM ’22
Nigeria
Chinelo obtained her LL.B degree with First Class Honours from the University of Nigeria. During her undergraduate studies, she was a Judge of the Law Students Association and served as the Secretary of the Judicial Council. Thereafter, she proceeded to the Nigerian Law School where she obtained her qualifying degree of legal practice in Nigeria (B.L).
After her admission to the Nigerian Bar, she joined Olaniwun Ajayi LP (OALP), Nigeria's leading law firm, where she was part of the Power and Infrastructure and Dispute Resolution Teams. Chinelo gained vast experience in the development and financing of infrastructure projects, company secretarial services, regulatory compliance and litigation. She also routinely advised government agencies. Notably, she was part of the Team that advised the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation on the bridge-bank resolution option for the defunct Skye Bank Plc. Due to her exceptional performance at OALP, she was posted on secondment to the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Nigeria's premier Sovereign Wealth Fund Manager, where she spent two years working under the guidance of the General Counsel. She advised the Infrastructure Team on various infrastructure development projects across different sectors ranging from power, healthcare, motorway, and agriculture. Chinelo is also an avid reader and has been published in different domestic and international journals.
At NYU, Chinelo will be pursuing the Traditional LLM with a focus on infrastructure development and financing.
Hideyuki Otsuki LLM ’22
Japan
Hideyuki Otsuki is a lawyer admitted in Japan. He is an attorney in the IP practice group and Corporate/M&A group of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, one of the largest full-service law firms in Tokyo, Japan. He has diverse experience in domestic and international dispute resolution and business transactions especially in the entertainment, IP, and IT fields. After joining Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu in 2014, he has handled various high-profile legal matters including Japanese IP infringement litigations in the entertainment industry, U.S. patent infringement litigations, domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the entertainment industry, venture capital investments in IT corporations, and cross-border IP related transactions such as IP licensing.
Before joining Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Hideyuki obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Keio University, Faculty of Law (2011) and his Juris Doctor from the University of Tokyo, School of Law (2013). He graduated from both Keio University and the University of Tokyo first in his classes. Having passed the Japanese national bar examination in the top 0.4% out of 7,563 examinees in 2013, he served as a legal apprentice in the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan for one year. During his legal apprentice training, he participated in a training program held at the IP Division of the Tokyo District Court.
At NYU, Hideyuki will pursue an LLM in Competition, Innovation and Information Law with focus on IP law and entertainment law.
Lauren Pavli LLM ’22
Australia
Lauren completed a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Melbourne in 2017, graduating with First Class Honours and first place awards for Property Law and Administrative Law. Lauren also received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature with First Class Honours from the University of Melbourne in 2013. At law school, Lauren was a member of the Melbourne University Law Review, worked as a research assistant to faculty members, and undertook internships through the Aurora Native Title internship program and in Victoria Legal Aid's criminal law and legal education teams. After graduating, Lauren worked as a lawyer in the Competition and Regulation team at Australian corporate law firm Gilbert+Tobin. In 2020-21, Lauren was an associate to the Honourable Justice Jayne Jagot, a judge of the Federal Court of Australia.
Lauren has an academic interest in issues relating to the rights and resistance of First Nations under settler legal systems. She is particularly focused on how these issues arise in her home jurisdiction, Australia. More broadly, Lauren is interested in constitutional law and legal theory. As a Hauser Global Scholar, Lauren will focus on these interests in the Legal Theory LLM.
Marcos Sauquet Trías LLM ’22
Spain
Marcos holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business Administration from ESADE Business & Law School (Barcelona, Spain). He graduated in the top 2% of his class, obtaining highest honors in 22 different courses ranging from all disciplines of law and business. He was awarded a number of merit-based scholarships in recognition of his outstanding academic performance. Marcos was part of the team representing ESADE Business & Law School in the 2014-15 Moot Madrid, an international arbitration and commercial law moot court team competition. In 2017 he was selected among numerous candidates to study at Columbia Law School for a semester, where he focused on corporate law. Marcos wrote his thesis on a comparative analysis of takeover defense mechanisms between the USA and Spain from a corporate governance perspective.
After graduation, Marcos joined Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira, one of the leading law firms in the Iberian peninsula, where he was selected to become part of the Pro International Advocacy Program (PPAI), an elite program for promising young lawyers who wish to develop an international multidisciplinary career. Around four people are selected each year out of hundreds of applicants. Within this program Marcos has worked at the London, Mexico, Madrid and Barcelona offices of Cuatrecasas, mainly focusing on capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and international arbitration.
While working full-time at Cuatrecasas, Marcos has been an adjunct faculty member of ESADE Business & Law School, teaching corporate and commercial law to undergraduate students. He was also a memorial judge at the 2019 Spanish national rounds of the Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition.
As a Hauer Global Scholar, Marcos will pursue an LL.M. in Corporation Law with a focus on securities law and mergers and acquisitions.
Onise Tsulaia LLM ’22
Georgia
Onise obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree with Honors from Tbilisi State University, ranked in the best 0,86% among 581 graduates of 2018. He was awarded Gold Medal from the Ministry of Education of Georgia and acquired full funding for his LL.B.
Specializing in private law, Onise completed numerous research papers in obligation, contract and company laws, continuously winning scholarship of President of Georgia each semester for further research. As an ERASMUS+ student, he deep dived into commercial and company law at the University of Limerick and boosted his knowledge in common law system. Due to his outstanding research paper on the Doctrine of Stare Decisis, the University of Limerick exclusively offered him full scholarship for another semester. Onise developed his research paper on contractual freedom and standardized contracts, studying legal environment of business in the U.S. while being a Global UGRAD exchange student at Nazareth College, New York.
As a senior lawyer at Georgian-American leading law firm, he has been involved in both transactional work and litigation. Onise’s professional experience encompasses commercial bank reorganization, restructuring internationally acknowledged Isotope Factory, drafting and supervising international loan/pledge agreements and transactions, consulting the United Nation projects etc. As a litigator, he represented companies before all instances of courts, winning complex cases on banking guarantee, confidential procurements, and corporate disputes.
As Hauser Global Scholar, Onise will pursue a Corporation Law LLM at New York University.
Spring 2021 - Fall 2021
Marco Accorroni LLM ’22
Italy
Marco received his law degree summa cum laude from the University of Pisa in 2015. He also holds a Grand Ecole diploma in juridical science from Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa.
Furthermore, he studied and conducted research in other European academic institutions such as the London School of Economics, École Normale Supérieure de Paris and Southampton Solent University, focusing on criminal justice and human rights law.
In 2016, Marco was intern at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva. In particular, he worked at the Committee Against Torture (CAT) and at the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT), where he was responsible for drafting the project of “Working Methods and Rules of Procedure” of the SPT.
Since 2017 he has been working as a trainee lawyer at the Rome office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where he practiced criminal and civil litigation as well as internal investigations. He was admitted to the Italian Bar in November 2020. Prior to joining NYU, he also spent five months working at a boutique criminal law firm in Rome.
At NYU, Marco will pursue the traditional LLM with a particular focus on criminal justice, corporate criminal liability and corporate enforcement.
Sotonye Belonwu LLM ’22
Nigeria
Sotonye obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B) with First Class Honours from the University of Nigeria in 2017 where she was a recipient of the Federal Government of Nigeria Merit Award and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Merit Award. Graduating as the proxime accessit out of 200 students, she received the awards for the second best student in the Departments of Private & Public Law, Property Law, Jurisprudence and Company Law. She obtained a B.L. with First Class Honours from the Nigerian Law School in 2018, graduating as the best student in criminal litigation and bagging four other awards at the Nigerian Law School. Sotonye worked as a Research Assistant to Prof. George Nnonna, an Alumnus of the Harvard Law School and the then Head of Corporate Law at the University.
After her admission to the Nigerian Bar in 2018, Sotonye joined Kenna Partners, a leading corporate commercial law firm in Lagos, Nigeria as an associate where she advised on several corporate and commercial transactions, regulatory compliances and risk management. She has represented top clients in complex commercial trade disputes, employment disputes and oil litigation suits before superior courts of record in Nigeria. She has written several articles bordering on corporate governance and employment relations.
At NYU, Sotonye will complete a Traditional LLM as a Hauser Scholar focused on employment rights and the corporate sector.
Senait Desyebelew LLM ’22
Ethiopia
Senait received her Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honors from Bahir Dar University School of Law in June 2017. During her undergraduate studies, she was a member of the free legal aid center of the school, providing legal services to low-income communities. She served as a member of the school’s student union and charity association, and the university’s blood bank. She also represented the school in the 14th All African International Human Rights Moot Court Competition in held in Arusha, Tanzania, in November 2014.
After graduation, Senait joined the University of Gondar Law School in Gondar, Ethiopia, as an assistant lecturer. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she served as an assistant researcher to professors in the school and engaged in legal aid services in the school’s legal clinic. Her interest in international relations guided her career to foreign service as she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia as an international legal affairs attaché. As part of her preparation for the position, she took an extensive training on diplomacy and international relations that earned her a postgraduate diploma. While at the ministry, Senait served as vice-chairwoman of the Forum of Women Workers of the ministry.
At NYU, Senait will be pursuing the LLM Program in International Legal Studies.
Deekshitha Ganesan LLM ’22
India
Deekshitha graduated from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore in 2016. She received various awards at University, including the N.R. Rayalu Medal for III Rank. She was part of the teams that were declared runners-up in the Willem C. Vis International Arbitration Moot Court Competition, Vienna in 2014 and adjudged winners of the Oxford Intellectual Property Moot in 2015. She also attended an exchange programme at the University of Groningen, Netherlands on an Erasmus Mundus scholarship in her final year of law school where she took courses on international criminal law and global criminal law.
After completing her studies, Deekshitha briefly worked with Khaitan & Co, a leading commercial law firm in India, with the litigation and dispute resolution team. Subsequently, she transitioned to a human rights practice and worked at the Centre for Law and Policy Research, focusing on bail reform and issues of equality and non-discrimination, particularly transgender rights and the rights of persons with disabilities. Her work primarily took the form of legal and policy research and litigation. Notably, she assisted with drafting the Equality Bill, 2020, a comprehensive anti-discrimination law for India, and with initiating public interest litigation seeking quotas for transgender persons in public employment in Tamil Nadu.
Deekshitha is also an editor and member of the core team of the Detention Solidarity Network, an online platform that seeks to critically engage with the carceral state in India and build public awareness on issues of detention, custodial violence, and prison reform.
At NYU, Deekshitha will pursue a Traditional LLM focusing on international human rights, criminal procedure, and criminal justice.
Saideh Ghasemi Moghadam LLM ’22
Iran
As an Elite Student, Saideh had the opportunity to study two undergraduate degrees simultaneously in Law and English Translation-Literature. She has continued her higher education in law and graduated as the first rank student from Allemeh Tabatabae’i University and Tehran University. As one of the designated theses, her thesis was published as a book by Tehran University Publication in 2019 under the title of “The Legal and Contractual Aspects of Local Content Policy.” She also was a lecturer at Azad Universit, Damavand Branch, teaching commercial law to LLB students.
While she was an LLM student, in 2012, she was admitted to the Iranian Central Bar Association as the top 1% of candidates in both the entrance and the final bar exam. She was honored to work as a trainee for the Head of the Iranian Central Bar Association for two years. Due to her interest in International Trade Law, in 2014, she joined Hatami and Associates, one of the leading and top-tier Law Firms in International Commercial Law in Iran, which represented numerous eminent foreign companies who are active in Iran’s market. During her practice, she focused on contract drafting and negotiation as well as dispute resolution, including arbitration. She was the lead assistant in a recent ICC arbitration case in which Hatami and Associates represented the respondent. She was one of the participating arbitrators in the Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot 26 and 27. Amongst her practical experiences, she has also worked as counsel at Naseri Law Office advising clients on intellectual property rights, civil and criminal litigations since 2014.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Saideh is pursuing the traditional LLM with a focus on contracts and commercial law.
Xiaoxu Liu LLM ’22
China
Xiaoxu Liu is a lawyer admitted in China. Prior to joining NYU, he worked as a sixth-year associate in Haiwen & Partners, a premier Chinese law firm recognized as the market leader in the commercial field. His practice focused on China-related corporate transactions, particularly venture capital investments, private equity investments and mergers and acquisitions. Xiaoxu served domestic and international clients and has led a variety of high-profile deals covering both the traditional fields (manufacturing, real estate and cosmetic) and the emerging industries (cloud computing, fin-tech, software, e-commerce, on-line education and entertainment agency).
Xiaoxu obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree (2013) and Master of Laws degree specialized in Environmental Law (2015) from Renmin University of China. He ranked top 2% during the undergraduate study and ranked the first in his graduate program. For his distinguished academic performance, Xiaoxu was awarded a number of scholarships including, among others, the First-Class Scholarship by Renmin University of China (2012) and the Scholarship for Excellent Environmental Law Dissertation by Delta Environmental & Educational Foundation (2015). Alongside his studies, Xiaoxu won the runner-up prize as a team member representing Renmin Law School in LEE and LI Law Moot Court Competition (2011).
At NYU, Xiaoxu will pursue a traditional Master of Laws degree with an emphasis on Corporation Law, after which he will return to China to further advance his career as a corporate lawyer.
Rachael O'Byrne LLM ’22
Ireland
Rachael received her LL.B. degree from Trinity College Dublin, graduating with First Class Honours. During her studies, she was awarded the Entrance Exhibition Prize and was elected as a Foundation Scholar of the university. On the basis of this scholarship, she subsequently obtained an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from Trinity College, with a particular focus on refugee and immigration law.
Alongside her studies, Rachael volunteered as a caseworker for the Irish Innocence Project and represented her university in numerous debating and mooting competitions. She also led an outreach programme which provided debating training in schools in under-resourced communities.
Upon graduating, Rachael worked as a clerk on the Supreme Court of Ireland for two years, for The Hon. Ms. Justice Finlay Geoghegan, and subsequently for The Hon. Mr. Justice Frank Clarke, Chief Justice of Ireland. Following this, she served as the Executive Legal Officer to the Chief Justice, acting as a liaison for the Irish Supreme Court with several international bodies such as the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and ACA-Europe, the Association of Councils of State and Supreme Administrative Courts of the European Union.
As a Hauser Scholar, Rachael is pursuing the LL.M. in International Legal Studies, with a particular focus on asylum law and human rights. She intends to train for the Bar of Ireland in 2022.
Silvia Retamales LLM ’22
Chile
Silvia Retamales holds an LL.B. (summa cum laude) from Universidad de Chile, where she graduated second in her class (2014). She was awarded with several merit scholarships due to her academic distinction during her undergrad studies as well as an award for being the best student in commercial law. She also completed a Diploma in “Law and Competition Policy” at Universidad de Chile Law School (2015).
As an undergraduate student, Silvia worked as a research paralegal in two law firms, focusing on issues related to commercial, procedural, and civil law. Moreover, she was a teaching assistant for professors in civil law and legal clinics. After her graduation, she joined a boutique law firm specialized in complex dispute resolutions and there, for almost three years, Silvia had been working as an associate in trials involving antitrust and civil law, markets regulations, and commercial matters. Prior to enrolling in NYU Law School, she has been a Court Clerk in the Competition Tribunal of Chile for four years. In that position, she was responsible for assisting the judges (lawyers and economists) in resolving antitrust trials and developed research about competition policy, and market and economic regulations.
Silvia is also an Instructor at the Department of Law & Economics in Universidad de Chile Law School. She has published various academic articles on civil and antitrust law, and competition policy. Finally, her genuine interest in the interaction between law and society motivated her to engage in pro bono work in an NGO that supports immigrants in Chile.
At NYU, Silvia will pursue the LLM in Competition, Innovation, and Information Law.
Ben Ye LLM ’22
Australia
Ben graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics and a Juris Doctor. He was a National University Scholar and, having achieved the highest result in his cohort, was awarded a University Medal.
Ben has a strong academic interest in public and constitutional law. He has worked as a research assistant at the ANU’s Centre for Public and International Law and an editor for Federal Law Review, and has published peer-reviewed articles and commentaries on contemporary constitutional issues.
After law school, Ben worked as a Judge’s Clerk for Chief Justice Helen Murrell of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, a volunteer at the Legal Aid Commission, and a tutor in Australian Public Law at the ANU College of Law. Ben currently works as a solicitor at Ashurst Australia. In this role, Ben has worked on a diverse range of public law litigations before various State and Territory Supreme Courts, the Federal Court, and the High Court of Australia.
As a Hauser Global Scholar and a Fulbright Scholar, Ben will pursue the traditional LLM with a focus on constitutional law, human rights law and international law. Following his time at NYU, Ben will commence a judicial clerkship with Chief Justice Susan Kiefel of the High Court of Australia.
Spring 2021-Summer 2021
Martín Ruiz García LLM ’21
Colombia
Martín is a lawyer with minors in Economics and Portuguese Language and Culture from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. Martín graduated summa cum laude, recognition awarded to students whose cumulative GPA falls in the top 1% of the Law School's alumni in the last five years, and who portray Universidad de los Andes' philosophy and values. During Law School, Martín actively participated in moot court competitions. He was part of the team that represented Universidad de los Andes in the 2016 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, receiving the award of Best Exhibition Team in the International Rounds. Martín also participated in the International Investment Arbitration Moot Court organized by American University and Universidad Externado de Colombia, competition where he was recognized as the best speaker. Martín's undergraduate thesis on the impact of international investment arbitration on policy-making in developing countries was recognized by Los Andes' Law School for its academic merit.
After graduation, Martín joined Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría's Litigation and Arbitration Practice, where he regularly partakes in domestic and international arbitrations, as well as in proceedings before Colombian Courts. While working full-time, Martín pursued a graduate degree in Civil Liability in Universidad Externado de Colombia, graduating first in his class. Since 2019, Martín coordinated his Firm's Pro Bono Practice. That year he was selected by Fundación ProBono Colombia as pro bono coordinator of the year, among more than 50 coordinators of the pro bono practices of law firms and in-house legal teams. Martín is particularly interested in promoting pro bono arbitration as a means of facilitating access to justice for low-income Colombians.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Martín will pursue an LL.M. in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration with a focus on international arbitration.
2019-2020 Academic Year
Victoria Adelmant
United Kingdom
Victoria graduated with the highest result in the year from an LLM in public international law at the London School of Economics, where she also received the Blackstone International Law Prize. Prior to this, she received First Class Honors and the Harris Scholarship for best academic performance from Keble College, University of Oxford, in Law with German Law. Victoria spent one year at the University of Bonn and the UN University where she studied constitutional and international law in German.
Her research focuses on the relation between the international human rights machinery and struggles for justice at the local level. She has worked with asylum-seekers and destitute families in the British Midlands as well as with Minority Rights Group International, the United Nations and the European Commission. Prior to joining NYU, Victoria was a Fellow at the Oak Foundation, a major funder of human rights organizations, where she explored the interplay between philanthropy, grassroots activism and international NGOs.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Victoria is pursuing the LLM in International Legal Studies.
Geoffrey Adonu
Nigeria
Geoffrey obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree with First Class Honours from Babcock University, Nigeria in 2015 and a B.L with First Class Honours from the Nigerian Law School, where he graduated as the proxime accessit out of 5,517 students in the 2016 Nigerian Bar Examinations. He is a recipient of several academic and leadership awards/prizes including the Honourable Justice Mohammed Bello (former Chief Justice of Nigeria) prize for the Overall Best Graduating Student at the Nigerian Law School (2nd Position), the Nigerian Bar Association prize for the Overall Best Male Student at the Nigerian Law School and the Babcock University Merit Award. At Babcock University, Geoffrey served as the Class Representative for the LL.B Class of 2015 for five years and worked as a Research Assistant to Associate Prof. Yinka Olomojobi, the then Head of the Department of International Law and Jurisprudence at Babcock University.
After his admission to the Nigerian Bar in 2016, Geoffrey joined Probitas Partners LLP, Lagos as an associate in the firm’s Corporate and Commercial Law practice where he advised on many corporate and commercial transactions and represented clients in complex commercial disputes before superior courts of record in Nigeria. In December 2017, Geoffrey joined G. Elias & Co. (one of Nigeria’s leading business law firms and a member of the African Legal Network) as an Associate in the M&A, Finance and Capital Markets practice group.
At G. Elias & Co., Geoffrey advised clients including Export Credit Agencies, Development Finance Institutions and large corporations on several landmark local and cross-border M&A, foreign-currency denominated syndicated and non-syndicated corporate and project financings and both debt and equity securities offerings across the financial services, manufacturing, infrastructural and project development, consumer products, energy and telecommunication sectors of the Nigerian economy. Geoffrey was seconded to the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Lagos (October - December 2018) as an in-house legal counsel where he provided legal support to AFC’s project and investment teams and advised on some of AFC’s infrastructure and project financing deals across Africa.
As a Hauser Scholar, Geoffrey will complete an LL.M in Corporations Law with focus on M&A, Corporate Restructuring and Anti-trust.
Tyrone Bailey
Jamaica
Tyrone Bailey obtained a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours in 2014 from the University of the West Indies, Mona (Jamaica) where he was ranked as the top student with a 4.01 GPA. He later obtained a Legal Education Certificate (a professional certificate) in 2016 from the Norman Manley Law School (Jamaica) where he was on the Principal’s Honour Roll and received numerous subject prizes. He was admitted to the Jamaican bar in December 2016.
While attending law school, Tyrone was appointed a Tutor at the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, Mona and taught several courses to undergraduate students. Upon graduating from law school, Tyrone moved to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago to take up the post of Judicial Counsel at the Caribbean Court of Justice. At the court, he assisted the judges with deciding final appeals in civil, criminal and constitutional law matters from four Caribbean states as well as international law matters regarding the interpretation and application of a regional economic treaty entered into among states of the Caribbean Community. Tyrone also continued teaching at the University of the West Indies at its campus in St. Augustine in Trinidad.
Tyrone has served as Liaison Officer to the European Commission for Democracy Through Law (The Venice Commission) in respect of developments in Constitutional Law in Barbados, Belize, Dominica and Guyana. He also worked along with the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (a regional group of Heads of Judiciary, Judges, and other judicial officers) and the Caribbean Court of Justice Academy for Law in organizing major biennial Caribbean law conferences.
Tyrone has strong interest in both academia and practice and will be pursuing the LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration at NYU.
Henry Benson-Pope
New Zealand
Henry graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Politics) in 2014. He was the top graduating student in his Law School class.
After Law School, Henry worked as a Judge's Clerk for Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias at the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Since the completion of his clerkship in early 2016, Henry has been a Crown prosecutor at the Office of the Crown Solicitor for Manukau, Auckland. In this role Henry has appeared as lead counsel in jury trials in the Manukau District Court and as junior counsel in trials in the Auckland High Court and in criminal appeals to the New Zealand Court of Appeal.
At NYU, Henry will pursue the traditional LLM with a focus on criminal law and criminal justice as a Hauser Global Scholar and Fulbright Scholar. He is particularly interested in the scope of prosecutorial discretion and in sentencing policy and practice.
Chao Huang
China
Chao Huang has practiced as a transactional lawyer in China for more than six years. Prior to commencing his LL.M. at NYU, Chao was a counsel at Fangda Partners, a recognized leading PRC law firm in the commercial field. His main practice areas are capital markets, mergers & acquisitions and private equity. In particular, his latest interests include, among others, advising clients on their initial public offerings and listings on the Sci-tech Innovation Board of Shanghai Stock Exchange which was newly launched in 2019. Chao was admitted to PRC Bar in 2017.
Chao obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree and Bachelor of Economics degree in 2011 from Peking University, and his Master of Laws degree (International Economic Law) in 2013 from Peking University. He was awarded a number of honors and scholarships at Peking University for distinguished academic performance, including Morrison & Foerster Scholarship and Leo Koguan Scholarship. Alongside his studies, Chao was the co-chairperson of the Legal Aid Association of Peking University, providing legal assistance to disadvantaged groups. Chao also served as a volunteer in many social events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Chao will pursue an LL.M. degree in Corporation Law at NYU.
Imani Jaoko
Kenya
Imani holds an LL.B (First Class Honours) degree from Strathmore University Law School in Nairobi, Kenya which she obtained in 2017. She graduated as the top student in her law class receiving the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence. She also received other merit awards as the top student in various law units including Commercial Law, Civil Litigation and Criminal Law & Procedure.
While at Strathmore Law School, Imani co-founded the Strathmore Law Review and served as the Managing Editor for 3 years where she led and oversaw the publication of 3 volumes of the Review. She also worked as a Junior Fellow at the Strathmore Centre for Law and Policy where she conducted research and served as a rapporteur. For her student work experience, she was a Summer Legal Intern at Holland & Knight LLP in Washington D.C, in the International Trade & Cross-Border Practice group.
After graduation, she worked for a year as an Associate in the Management Consulting unit at KPMG East Africa and was involved in projects on organizational design and structure, as well as strategy formulation and review.
In January 2019, she joined Kaplan & Stratton, a leading tier-one law firm in Kenya, as a Trainee Advocate. She rotated in the firm’s major departments: Litigation, Commercial Practice, Intellectual Property and Real Estate, where she was involved in conducting research, preparing legal memos and regulatory notes, drafting court submissions and applications, incorporating companies and reviewing commercial and real estate agreements, among other tasks.
At NYU, Imani will pursue an LL.M in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration.
Patricio Enrique Kenny
Argentina
Patricio Enrique obtained his law degree at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, with honors. He was placed in the top 0.4 % of a class of over 2300 students, and his final grade average was 9.17 (in a 1 to 10 grading system). As a consequence of ranking 1st among over 200 students who received their diplomas at the December 2016 graduation ceremony, Patricio Enrique was appointed as the Law School flag-bearer. During his years as a law student, he won various training and research scholarships from the Universidad de Buenos Aires and the Argentine Interuniversity Council (Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional). Also, he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the student-run law review of the Universidad de Buenos Aires Law School (Revista Lecciones y Ensayos).
Before coming to NYU, Patricio Enrique was an Assistant Professor and Tutor at the Universidad de Buenos Aires and the Universidad de San Andrés in Fundamental Rights, Introduction to Scientific Thought, and Jurisprudence. In the last years, he has published different academic articles in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico related to legal theory and legal education. For almost three years, he was a law clerk in the Court of Appeals on Administrative Litigation of the City of Buenos Aires (Argentina), which monitors the implementation of economic and social rights in the federal district of the country.
In parallel, for more than ten years Patricio Enrique has been involved in the work of different non-governmental organizations and, in particular, in various projects related to public interest law—mainly promoting the protection of the environment, the strengthening of public institutions, and the recognition of land rights—. In this context, between 2016 and 2018 he coordinated an interdisciplinary group in charge of designing legal strategies for securing land tenure in low-income neighborhoods in the Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina).
In 2018 he was awarded a scholarship from the Fulbright Commission and the Argentine Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology to pursue a master's degree in the United States of America. As a Hauser Global Scholar, he will complete the LLM program in Legal Theory.
Sakeena Moeen
Pakistan
Sakeena Moeen holds an LLB (Hons.) from the University of London International Programmes with First Class Honours. She is also a recipient of the Academic Achievement Award from the University of London. In 2017 she represented Pakistan at the Jean Pictet International Humanitarian Law Moot Competition in Georgia.
Upon graduating, Sakeena was employed at Gilani & Co., during which time she attained Rights of Audience before the District Courts of Pakistan. Sakeena, in her capacity as a legal associate at the Firm, represented a wide variety of clients, such as, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, the Ministry of Water (Power Division), the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage, and the Nordic Embassies in Pakistan amongst others.
Sakeena also served as a lecturer at the School of International Law, teaching Contract Law and the International Protection of Human Rights; while also being a tutorial teacher for Criminal Law and the Law of Trusts. Afterwards, Sakeena worked on a project for UN Women which involved the submission of a Report on the women of Pakistan and their recourse to legal aid from informal justice systems.
Sakeena has spent the past year employed at the Research Society of International Law, wherein she tackled projects for the Ministry of Human Rights of Pakistan, International Committee of the Red Cross, the American Bar Association, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes etc. Sakeena recently joined as a research assistant at the Centre of Excellence for International Law, at the National Defence University, Pakistan. In her work here she was involved with the submission of Legal Advisory Opinions to the Armed Forces of Pakistan on matters of international law that are of a strategic importance to Pakistan’s position in the international community.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Sakeena will pursue a L.L.M. in International Legal Studies tailoring her coursework in Human Rights, International Law and Constitutional law.
Victor Ricardo
Indonesia
Victor Ricardo is a lawyer admitted in Indonesia. He previously worked at Hendra Soenardi, a boutique law firm in Jakarta, where he was engaged in both transactional matters and commercial disputes. On transactional matters, he was involved in M&A, assets acquisitions, and financing transactions. On dispute side, he was involved in various high-profile commercial disputes adjudicated before courts and arbitration forum in Indonesia and Singapore. He was part of the Indonesian counsels who assisted the winning the Republic of Indonesia in defense against an application for annulment of an award before ICSID forum. In addition, he has assisted the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia in, among others, evaluating Indonesia’s company data administration system.
Victor earned his law degree from the Faculty of Law of Universitas Indonesia in 2015. He graduated 7th with cum laude predicate. During his studies, he was the Executive Director of the faculty’s independent Student Research Body (Lembaga Kajian Keilmuan – LK2), where he and his team conducted several legal discussions and researches and published law journals as well as monthly legal bulletins. He led the organization in holding the largest series of national legal competitions and seminars in Indonesia on the topic of law and economics. Additionally, he won several national legal writing and debating competitions, among others, the National Constitutional Debate for Central Region held by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia. He was the coach for the faculty's teams in several national debating competitions.
Victor also worked as a researcher in several legal researches, among others, on the legality of high-school national examination in Indonesia under the supervision of Prof. Anna Erliyana as the legal expert staff to the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia.
At NYU, Victor is pursuing an LL.M. in Corporation Law. Outside his work, Victor has participated and completed a number of full marathons and half marathons.
Laura Snowdon
Canada
Laura obtained her J.D. with Distinction from Western University, where she was a Blakes Scholar and the recipient of the Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP Award for achieving the highest standing in the first year of the program.
During her law degree, Laura interned at the Center for Democratic Development in Accra, Ghana and in the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch of the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Laura also worked as a legal research assistant to Professor Melanie Randall, specializing in Canadian human rights law and gendered violence. In that role, Laura assisted with a publication on the legal treatment of intimate partner sexual violence and law reform on an international scale. In her final year of law school, Laura participated in an exchange program at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, where she studied international human rights law.
Laura completed her articles as a judicial law clerk to Chief Justice George Strathy, Justice Eileen Gillese and Justice David Watt at the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The following year, she clerked for Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella at the Supreme Court of Canada. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2018.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Laura will pursue an LL.M. in International Legal Studies, with a particular focus on reproductive rights. Laura is also the recipient of the Ruth Binnie Fellowship for 2019-2020.
2018-2019 Academic Year
Carlos Andres Baquero-Diaz
Colombia
Carlos is a lawyer and political scientist from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. While studying there, he worked as a researcher at the Global Justice and Human Rights Program on issues about race, access to law and discrimination. After graduating cum laude, he worked at the Center for the Study of Law, Justice and Society--Dejusticia, a Colombian NGO working with indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, environmental issues, and anti-discrimination cases. He has advocacy experience working with indigenous leaders not only in Colombia, but also in Brazil, Paraguay, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, and other countries in the Global South.
He also works as legal advisor at the Racial Discrimination Watch, a coalition between Dejusticia, Universidad de los Andes and the Proceso de Comunidades Negras, dealing with issues about racial inequality and law. His interests on multiculturalism and human rights are reflected as well on the Centro de Información de la Consulta Previa, where he works as coordinator collecting and organizing legal and political strategies to protect indigenous rights.
His later interests lie on environmental and human rights topics, and he was Lecturer at Universidad de los Andes before coming to NYU. As a Hauser Global Scholar, he will complete the LLM program on International Legal Studies, where he will combine his interests on multiculturalism, environmentalism, and human rights.
Harshita Bhatnagar
India
Harshita received her B.A., LL. B (Hons.) from Gujarat National Law University (India) in 2010, where she was awarded the ‘Sanat P. Mehta’ and ‘Mrunalini Devi Puar’ Gold Medals for her distinguished academic performance. In law school, she researched on the intersection of corporate law and technology, and her proposal on revamping ‘Business Method patents’ in India was adjudged the best contribution on the issue by the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, in collaboration with the Government of India.
Harshita has widely published on cross-border issues in business and technology law, including in the Macquarie Journal of Business Law (Australia), Northwestern Interdisciplinary Law Review (U.S.A), and Journal of Hungarian Legal Studies (a Wolters Kluwer Publication). She has also served as the Editor of the GNLU Law Review (university’s flagship journal).
In 2016, Harshita joined Amazon, as the corporate counsel for its “cloud” business in India and parts of south Asia. At Amazon, she handled legal operations and international expansion of the “cloud” business in the region. During this time, she worked closely with Amazon’s global leadership team on complex inter-jurisdictional issues concerning transfer of data, privacy, and foreign investment laws, among others.
Before moving in-house, Harshita worked as an M&A attorney with Amarchand & Mangaldas (India’s largest law firm), focusing on global technology transactions. She was also a founding member of the firm’s ‘Learning and Development’ department, where she conducted Due-Diligence workshops and M&A training for over 100 junior attorneys. Harshita was called to the Bar in India in 2011.
As a Hauser Scholar, Harshita will complete an LL.M in Corporation Law, tailoring her coursework around global technology law and M&A. In her spare time, Harshita loves traveling. She is the co-founder of an online travel portal - ‘EmptyShack.com’ – that connects like-minded travelers from around the world.
Felix Boos
Germany
Felix studied law at the University of Heidelberg (Germany) and on a merit-based exchange scholarship at the University of Ottawa (Canada). In 2016, he graduated from the University of Heidelberg in the top 5% of his class. At the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, he worked as a student assistant for Professor Stephan Schill, researching transnational arbitration. Felix was a member of the team that represented Heidelberg at the 2013 German National Rounds of the Jessup Moot Court and continued his passion for international dispute resolution two years later as the coach for Heidelberg’s Jessup Moot team. In Heidelberg, Felix was a co-founder of Pro Bono Heidelberg, a student-run law clinic advising refugees and a scholar of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Potsdam, writing a thesis on the role of the Legal Counsel of the United Nations under the supervision of Professor Andreas Zimmermann, a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. His PhD project inquires how legal interpretations of the Legal Counsel of the United Nations shape the behavior of institutional actors and contribute to the international rule of law.
At the University of Potsdam, Felix served as a research assistant for Professor Andreas Zimmermann. In that capacity, he taught constitutional law and was also an assistant editor for the 3rd edition of the The Statute of the International Court of Justice: A Commentary (edited by Zimmermann and Tams). Felix is a generalist international lawyer having published inter alia on international economic law, the law of the United Nations as well as international courts and tribunals, including in the Journal of International Criminal Justice (accepted for publication). Felix has acted as junior counsel before the International Court of Justice, drafting submissions on terrorism suppression treaties.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Felix will pursue a LL.M. in International Legal Studies. Felix comes to NYU as a Fulbright Fellow and as an ERP Scholar of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. Felix is an avid martial artist practicing Taekwondo and German Ju-Jutsu.
Kei Kajiwara
Japan
Kei Kajiwara is an attorney in the dispute resolution group of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, one of the largest full-service law firms in Tokyo. He has helped resolve disputes as counsel for Japanese and foreign companies in an array of industries in litigation, arbitration and other legal procedures. He has substantial experience representing financial institutions in high-profile complex commercial litigation matters, and has also engaged in appellate court practice, including attending a rare sitting of the Supreme Court of Japan.
Prior to joining Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu in 2013, Kei earned his LLB in 2010 from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law and his JD cum laude in 2012 from the University of Tokyo School of Law. Having passed the Japanese national bar examination in the top 0.4% out of 8,387 examinees in 2012, he served as a legal apprentice in the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan for one year.
At NYU, Kei will pursue an LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration with a focus on international arbitration.
April Carmela Lacson
Philippines
April received her Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with specialization in International Political Economy and Master of Arts in Political Economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific (magna cum laude). She obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of the Philippines (cum laude).
While in law school, April worked as a trade desk officer for Brazil and the European Union, with focus on Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands at the Philippine Department of Agriculture and later, a program assistant at the United Nations International Labor Organization. Prior to that, she was a researcher at the Philippine Institute of Development Studies, a Philippine government think tank specializing in economic research, and the Yuchengco Center, where she helped draft a monograph for UNESCO.
After passing the Philippine bar examinations and scoring in the top 0.05% of 5,343 examinees, she joined
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, one of the oldest and largest law firms in the Philippines. Afterwards, she became a junior associate at Quisumbing Torres, a member firm of Baker & McKenzie.
Before attending NYU to pursue further studies, April also worked as a Senior Associate at Poblador Bautista & Reyes in the Philippines, with specialization in litigation and dispute resolution.
At NYU, April will purse an LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration.
Mathias Kjaersgaard Larsen
Denmark
Mathias received his Master of Laws degree from Aalborg University in 2012, graduating in the top 5 % of his class. Alongside his law studies, he worked as a student research assistant at the Aalborg University Institute of Law and taught courses in civil law, family & succesion law, constitutional law and tax law. Mathias was also part of the team representing Aalborg University in the 2011-12 Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.
After graduation, Mathias joined the tax department of the law firm Plesner in Copenhagen, the leading firm in Danish tax litigation that has won prizes as Danish Tax Firm of the Year eight times since 2009 and has been nominated as European Court of Justice Firm of The Year in 2015 and 2017. As an attorney in the tax litigation team, Mathias' work is focused on administrative appeals and court cases concerning Danish corporate income taxes, international transfer pricing and EU VAT in the financial sector. Mathias was admitted to the Danish Bar in 2015.
Alongside his work, Mathias has rendered pro bono legal advice to Danish NGOs concerning tax exemptions for inheritances and donations to charitable purposes. Also, Mathias has taught EU law and tax law as an external lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Copenhagen.
Mathias' main interests lie in tax law in combination with administrative law, procedural law and international law.
At NYU Mathias will pursue an LLM in International Taxation.
Ngozi Nwanta
Nigeria
Ngozi holds an LL.B. degree from the University of Nigeria with First Class Honors in 2015. She received the prize to the Best Graduating Student of the Faculty of Law by the University of Nigeria. During her studies, Ngozi received several awards for academic and leadership excellence including the prize to the Best Student in the Departments of Private & Public Law, Property Law, Jurisprudence, Company Law and Environmental law. Ngozi is a recipient of the Bankole Olumide Aluko Scholarship award.
Ngozi represented the University of Nigeria at several moot competition in Nigeria and received the University of Nigeria best female advocate award in 2014. Ngozi also served as a Research Assistant to the Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in 2015. Ngozi is called to the Nigerian Bar and was awarded with the Prize to the Most Constructive Participant in all class sessions by the Lagos Campus of the Law School.
Prior to commencing her LL.M at NYU, Ngozi was an associate in the Capital Market and Mergers & Acquisition department of Aluko & Oyebode in the Lagos office and the Litigation and Regulatory Compliance Department in the Abuja Office. There, she dealt on transactions involving debt and equity financing, assets management, acquisitions, public offerings and other financial deals. Ngozi has also advised clients on issues bordering on project finance, aircraft recovery, aviation, development finance, oil & gas and banking.
Ngozi has done extensive research on international and domestic issues involving climate change and has co-authored three published articles on international liability schemes, claims and barriers to climate change litigation.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Ngozi is pursuing an LL.M in Corporation Law at NYU.
Rosa Polaschek
New Zealand
Rosa holds a Bachelor of Arts (Art History/Politics) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Auckland in New Zealand in 2015. She graduated third in her cohort, receiving a Senior Scholar and Dean’s Academic Excellence awards.
Alongside her studies, Rosa was the co-Director of the Equal Justice Project, organising more than 150 law students to provide pro bono legal assistance in the community. She was also the President of Amnesty International on Campus.
Since graduating, she has continued to be involved in community organisations, including as co-Chair of the Aotearoa Human Rights Lawyers Association, a committee member of the Wellington Women Lawyers Association and volunteering at the Wellington Community Law Centre. In 2017, Rosa received the New Zealand Law Foundation’s Cleary Memorial Prize for the young barrister or solicitor who shows outstanding future promise in the legal profession
After law school, Rosa worked as a Judges’ Clerk at the High Court of New Zealand. Since completing her term of clerking, Rosa has been an Assistant Crown Counsel at the Crown Law Office, the litigation department of the New Zealand Government. While there, she appeared in the Court of Appeal and High Court on a range of public and constitutional law matters, including challenges to the legitimacy of delegated legislation and refugee and indigenous rights issues.
At NYU, Rosa will pursue the Traditional LLM focused on human rights and constitutional law. She is particularly interested in how these areas of the law are adapting to reflect the role of private actors within the state.
Myles Pulsford
Australia
Myles graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economic and Social Sciences and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours Class I). He received numerous awards and scholarships at University, including the C.A. Hardwick Prize and the Pitt Cobbett Prize for placing first in Federal Constitutional Law.
After completing his studies in 2012, Myles spent two years working for the Honourable Justice Margaret Beazley AO, President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal as her Honour’s Judicial Clerk and then Researcher. Myles assisted the President in publishing judgments of the NSW Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal as well as speeches and articles on a range of topics.
Myles worked as a solicitor in mergers and acquisitions at Herbert Smith Freehills and in criminal law at the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office.
In May 2016, Myles was appointed the Counsel Assisting the Solicitor General and Crown Advocate of NSW. In that capacity, he practised as a barrister and assisted the Solicitor General and Crown Advocate in advice and litigious matters that were of significant importance to the State of NSW, primarily in the areas of administrative, constitutional and criminal law. As Counsel Assisting, Myles appeared as junior counsel in the High Court of Australia and the NSW Court of Appeal, Court of Criminal Appeal and Supreme Court.
At NYU, Myles is pursuing a Traditional LLM, with a focus on administrative, constitutional and criminal law.
Luwei Wang
China
Luwei Wang obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2013 from East China University of Political Science and Law where she ranked at the top of her class and was awarded a number of scholarships and honors for academic excellence. She later pursued her Master of Laws degree at Tsinghua University School of Law.
After graduation in 2016, Luwei joined the Beijing Office of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and primarily focused on high-profile capital markets transactions, cross-border mergers and acquisitions and general compliance matters for listed companies.
Luwei passed the national bar examination in China in 2013. At NYU School of Law she is pursuing an LLM in Corporation Law.
2017-2018 Academic Year
Alec Dawson
New Zealand
Alec received his Bachelor of Laws with first class honors at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2015. Alongside his studies he spent a significant amount of time debating for the University of Otago debating society, including attending the world universities debating championships three times. He also did campaign work with Generation Zero, an organization of young people campaigning for improved climate change policy in New Zealand. This work involved producing a number of policy reports analyzing t options for the state of climate policy in New Zealand.
For two years after graduating, Alec was a clerk to O’Regan J in the Supreme Court of New Zealand, New Zealand’s final court of appeal. Since completing his term clerking, Alec has been working at the New Zealand Law Commission, an independent government body responsible for reviewing the country’s laws. He has been a part of the team reviewing New Zealand’s laws governing the division of property when couples separate.
At NYU Alec will pursue an LLM in environmental and energy law. He is particularly interested in the intersection of environmental issues with international law and constitutional law.
Marco Dell'Erba
Italy
Marco is a lawyer and a researcher. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Rome La Sapienza and is a fellow of the Lamaro Pozzani University College of Excellence (Rome) where he was awarded a five year full merit-based scholarhip. He holds a PhD in private law and financial regulation from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and a PhD in corporate and securities law from the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
Marco practiced law in the departments of Banking & Finance and Litigation & Dispute Resolutions at Clifford Chance LLP (Rome) and as an independent consultant (Paris). He has held research positions in various institutions from different countries: the University of Groningen (Netherlands), where he is affiliated with the Groningen Center for Financial European Financial Services; the Financial Regulation Laboratory of Excellence (Paris, France, created among four leading French institutions, including Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, ENA, ESCP, CNAM), where he is Research Associate; the National University of Singapore (Singapore); and, at the London School of Economics (UK) as a Research Assistant in the Department of law during his PhD.
His main interests lie in the field of financial and banking regulation, corporate law and securities law (hedge funds, derivatives, clearing houses, blockchain).
At NYU Marco will pursue an LLM in Corporation Law, with a focus on Securities law and Financial Regulation.
Grace Keesing
Australia
Grace holds a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honors, a Bachelor of Economics and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice with Distinction from the Australian National University, which she attended as the recipient of a National Undergraduate Scholarship. She received numerous prizes during her undergraduate studies including first place in law and first place in honors in law.
Whilst at university, Grace served as a member of the New South Wales State Executive Council for Amnesty International, as Co-coordinator of the Amnesty International Youth Outreach Project and as an Australian delegate to several international youth leadership forums. She also volunteered at the Legal Aid Centre and Women’s Legal Services. She is a state champion rower, amateur actor and long distance ocean swimmer.
Following graduation, Grace was Associate to the Chief Justice of Australia, before commencing employment as a litigation solicitor in Sydney. She has worked as a sessional academic, lecturing and tutoring in administrative and commercial law, and as a volunteer editor for the Federal Law Review. Grace’s interest is in improving private law protections for vulnerable people. Her recent work has focused on financial regulation, white collar crime and refugee protection matters.
At NYU, Grace is undertaking a Traditional LLM with focus on advocacy, dispute resolution and regulatory theory. She will work as a barrister and academic after completing her degree.
Kresimira Kruslin
Croatia
Kresimira Kruslin obtained her Master of Laws degree from the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Croatia in September 2013. She graduated summa cum laude in the top 1% of her class. In recognition of her academic performance, Kresimira received multiple merit scholarships for academic distinction and was awarded several annual awards for exceptional achievements in studies.
During her law studies, Kresimira worked as a student teaching and research assistant for professors in different departments of her faculty where she provided support to student groups and classes on a range of topics related to Civil Law and European Public Law. Kresimira was also a member and a speaker of the team that represented the University of Zagreb at the 2013 edition of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. She provided pro bono legal advice through the Legal Clinic of Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb.
After graduation, Kresimira joined Šavorić & Partners, one of the leading Croatian law firms. Over the years Kresimira participated in a number of high-profile transactions advising numerous lenders as well as large domestic corporate borrowers. Kresimira assisted local and international lenders in all types of bilateral and syndicated loan lending, structured debt financing, acquisition and real estate financing projects.
Kresimira was admitted to the Croatian Bar Association in March 2017 after passing the bar exam with highest honors. Her primary areas of interest are corporate and commercial law focusing in particular on banking and finance and capital markets.
At NYU, Kresimira is enrolled in the LLM program in Corporation Law.
Brigitte Leal Vásquez
Chile
Brigitte Leal received her LL.B. (summa cum laude) from Universidad de Chile in 2014, being ranked as the second best undergraduate student in that academic year. She also obtained a Diploma in Economic Public Law in 2013 from Universidad de Chile Law School.
During her university years, she received several distinctions, such as The Dean List Honor. Also, her undergraduate thesis “Supervisory Power of Administrative Authorities” was granted with two important academic recognitions: The Chilean House of Representatives Award for the best undergraduate thesis project (2013), and the Chilean Constitutional Court Award (2014) for the best undergraduate thesis of the year. In this case, she obtained the first place and her thesis was published as a book.
As undergraduate student, she worked as research assistant for the Chilean Bar Association in the context of the New Code of Professional Ethics (2008). After that, she gained experience in a Chilean law firm, especially in researching on Public Law and regulation (2009-2010). Then, she started to work as researcher in the Center of Regulation and Competition (RegCom) – Universidad de Chile Law School, contributing in different research projects for public agencies (2013). After finished her law degree and prior to come to NYU Law, she was Law Clerk of the Chief Justice of Chilean Constitutional Court, Mr. Carlos Carmona Santander (2014-2017).
In the academic field, she has been teaching and research assistant in Public Law, especially in Administrative Law. She has published different academic articles in Chilean law journals and presented in national and international conferences. During 2014 to 2017, she was invited professor in the graduate and undergraduate departments of Universidad de Chile Law School.
At NYU, Brigitte will pursue the LLM in Legal Theory, focusing on Public Law, legal and political philosophy.
Monika Leszczyńska
Poland
Monika Leszczyńska received her first degree in law from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (Poland) and an LLM degree in international and European business law from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich (Germany). She earned her PhD degree in law (summa cum laude) from the University in Bonn (Germany) for a doctoral thesis entitled “Behavioral effects of corporate governance reforms and their legal implications”. During her doctoral studies, Monika was a member of the International Max Planck Research School “Uncertainty” and a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods in Bonn. In 2014, she was a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of California Berkeley School of Law. From September 2016 till May 2017, she was a Post-Doctoral Global Fellow at the New York University School of Law.
Monika conducts experimental research to provide evidence-based arguments to the ongoing legal debates in corporate governance and contract law. For instance, in her research on affirmative action and group dynamics she described behavioral consequences of a gender quota rule for cooperation between group members. She also investigated experimentally the impact of two types of contracts – fixed-term and open-ended – on individual behavior showing that seemingly equivalent contract types might differently influence a contractual relationship. In a most recent research project, Monika has examined the impact of contractual formalities, such as a handwritten signature, on impulsive behavior. Monika aspires to communicate her projects to the legal and experimental community. One example of this approach is her study on gender quotas, which have yielded one article for an experimental journal (published in the Journal of Economic Psychology), and another for a primarily legal audience (accepted to the European Business Organization Law Review).
Na Lu
China
Na Lu graduated with an LL.B. degree with First Class Honors from the Law School of University of International Business and Economics (the “UIBE”) in 2006. She obtained an LL.M. degree from UIBE in 2008 focusing on the international economic law. During her studies, Na received several awards for academic excellence both in her university and beyond.
Na passed the bar examination in China in 2007. Between February 2008 and July 2017, she worked in the capital markets department of Shanghai/Hong Kong offices of Clifford Chance (one of the world's pre-eminent law firms and a member of the “Magic Circle” of the leading British law firms), focusing on the Hong Kong capital markets equity and debt transactions as well as the post-IPO compliances. She was the senior associate of Clifford Chance before her LL.M. study at NYU.
Na has also been keen to the development of junior lawyers and was recognized as “Recruiting Star” of Clifford Chance in 2016. She has also been active in pro bono activities and was recognized as “Charity Star” of Clifford Chance in 2013.
At NYU, Na is pursuing the Traditional LLM with a focus on the commercial law and securities law.
Kaitlin Owens
Canada
Kaitlin Owens received her J.D. from the University of Toronto, where she was awarded the Angus MacMurchy Gold Medal as well as the Gallant Ho Prize for ranking first overall in her graduating class.
During her law degree, she worked extensively with the International Human Rights Program (IHRP) at the University of Toronto. In partnership with PEN Canada and PEN International, she authored an advocacy report on violence against journalists in Honduras. This report was published and subsequently used in submissions before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and Canada’s Standing Committee on Trade. Kaitlin also represented the IHRP at the PEN Americas Summit in Mexico City, providing a presentation on liaising with NGOs to draft advocacy reports. She additionally conducted investigations into Mexico’s responses to international outcry over high levels of violence against journalists and impunity for these crimes.
Following law school, Kaitlin clerked for three judges at the Ontario Court of Appeal, the province’s highest court. There, she conducted legal research on a wide variety of topics, examining both domestic and foreign case law. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2016, and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. After completing her clerkship, Kaitlin worked as an Assistant Crown Attorney, prosecuting criminal cases at the Ontario Court of Justice.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Kaitlin will complete an LLM in International Legal Studies at New York University, specializing in international human rights law, transitional justice and international criminal law. She is also the recipient of the 2017 John P. Humphrey Fellowship in International Human Rights Law.
Jan Petrov
Czech Republic
Jan Petrov obtained a Master degree in Law in 2014 at Masaryk University Faculty of Law in Brno. He graduated with honors and ranked among the top 2 % of his class. During his studies Jan was awarded multiple merit scholarships and won the Dean’s award for the best paper in constitutional law in the Competition of Student Research Papers. He also studied law at Aberystwyth University in the UK as an Erasmus exchange student. Apart from law, Jan also earned a degree in Political Science and International Relations at the Faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University in 2013.
During his undergraduate studies, Jan got mostly interested in constitutional law and human rights and did internships at the Czech Constitutional Court, Supreme Administrative Court and at the Czech Centre for Human Rights and Democratization. After graduating from law, Jan became a law clerk at the Supreme Administrative Court. For more than two years, he worked on cases from various fields of public law, including electoral disputes and the dissolution of political parties.
Besides working in the judiciary, Jan has been a Ph.D. student at the Department of Constitutional Law and Politics at Masaryk University. His dissertation focuses on the interactions between the European Court of Human Rights and domestic constitutional courts. During his Ph.D. studies, Jan was a visiting researcher at PluriCourts (University of Oslo), presented his research at international conferences in New York, Oslo, Berlin, Tartu and Copenhagen, and published articles in Czech and international journals.
Currently, Jan is a full-time Ph.D. researcher at the Judicial Studies Institute (JUSTIN) of Masaryk University. He conducts research on domestic implementation of international human rights courts’ decisions and on the judicial self-government in Europe with a special focus on the European Court of Human Rights.
At NYU, Jan will pursue a Traditional LLM, focusing on international law and constitutional theory.
2016-2017 Academic Year
Mintewab Afework Abebe
Ethiopia
Mintewab received her Bachelor of Laws with very great distinction (Summa Cum Laude) from Addis Ababa University, School of Law and was awarded the Chancellor’s Gold Medal for Out Standing Student of the Year in 2014. While at the Law school, she was the member of the Yellow Movement, a campaign to eliminate violence against women, she was also a member of the first all-woman Ethiopian team to compete at the Jessup International Law Moot Court competition in Washington DC in April 2013.
After graduation, she worked at Save the Children Ethiopia as an intern and as a program coordinator for the Child Rights Governance Program before she took a different career path by joining a local law office that specialized in the area of business and corporate law. Her work at the office involved preparing of legal documents, structuring of deals and consulting of foreign investors on the country’s major business laws. She was also a part-time instructor at her alma mater, Addis Ababa University for one semester.
Mintewab will be specializing in the International Business Regulation Litigation and Arbitration Program at NYU and hopes to return back to her home country to positively contribute to the commercial legal infrastructure and legal discourse of the country.
Tawakalitu Folake Alabi
Nigeria
Folake earned her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2006 from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria, where she graduated as the best student in a class of over two hundred students. Thereafter, she proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, graduating in the 5th percentile in a national class of over four thousand students. At the University, Folake acted in varied leadership roles, including acting as a Student Judge of the Student Union for two academic sessions, heading the Olabisi Onabanjo University Faculty of Law Equity Chambers and participating in Inter University Moot Court Competitions.
Folake completed her national youth service in 2008 in a top commercial law firm in Nigeria, Aelex Legal Practitioners, where she gained first hand experience in commercial litigation; after which she proceeded to Olaniwun Ajayi LP, a tier-one law firm in Nigeria adjudged in 2014 to be the 19th law firm in the world in Project Finance, by deal size, and 1st in Africa. At Olaniwun Ajayi LP, Folake gained vast experience in project finance, corporate finance, commercial dispute resolution, company establishment and secretarial services, mergers and acquisitions with specialization in acquisition of power assets.
Folake has advised on landmark and industry-defining transaction in Nigeria, some of which include advising on: the acquisition of about three-quarter of the total government-owned privatized power assets in 2013, the financing of the construction of the first methanol plant in Nigeria, a $1.2 billion financing for the construction of a fertilizer plant in Cross Rivers State, a financing (by internationaI financial institutions) of the construction of a 500MW first Independent Power Plant in Nigeria (Azura-Edo IPP), the first ever precedent-setting banking reform undertaken by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2009 (member of team of lawyers that advised the CBN on the reformation of the Nigerian banking sector, the intervention of the CBN in the management of failing Banks in Nigeria, the dismissal and prosecution of erring bank chiefs, the bridging of some of the banks for eventual transfer of their assets, and the setting up of the regulatory framework for the establishment of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria).
At NYU, Folake is undertaking a Traditional LLM with focus in finance.
Daniel W. Blum
Austria
Daniel W. Blum obtained a Magister Iuris (JD equivalent) at the University of Vienna Law School in 2011 graduating in the top 7% of his class and receiving multiple merit scholarships for academic distinction. Simultaneously he was enrolled in the Bachelor of Science program in Business Administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, where he worked as a Student Assistant at the Institute for International Business and in 2012 graduated in the top 5% of his class. In 2014, Daniel completed his doctoral thesis on the taxation of derivative financial instruments receiving a Doctor of Laws (Doctor Iuris) with highest distinction. For his thesis, which was published as a book, he was awarded with two prestigious academic awards. While working on his dissertation, Daniel gained professional and especially extensive teaching experience as a Research and Teaching Associate at the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business.
Daniel W. Blum currently is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. He is the author of 40 publications (in both English and German) covering questions of Austrian, European and international tax law and for which he has been repeatedly awarded. In the course of his research, Daniel was a Visiting Scholar at the Max-Planck-Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance (Munich), the Dean Rusk International Law Center at UGA Law, Athens, and the Frederic G. Levin College of Law at UF Gainesville and presented his research results to an international academic audience at universities and conferences in Austria, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland and the United States.
At NYU Law he will pursue an LLM in International Taxation.
Giulia Checcacci
Italy
Giulia Checcacci received her law degree summa cum laude from the University of Florence (Italy) in October 2008, spending her last semester in France on a merit-based scholarship at the University R. Schumann, Strasbourg. While working as a teaching assistant at the University of Florence, she was admitted as a Ph.D. candidate in Criminal Law on a full merit-based scholarship at the prestigious Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and in 2013 she has been Visiting Researcher at the University of California – Berkeley (USA). She obtained her Ph.D. summa cum laude in 2015 with a thesis on Criminal Corporate Liability for environmental crimes and industrial fatalities.
Giulia has also worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (UN) in the Appeals Section of the Office of the Prosecutor in The Hague (The Netherlands) and as a qualified lawyer in a boutique criminal law firm in Florence for more than 4 years. In January 2016, she joined the Rome office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where she practices litigation, internal investigations and white collar crimes defense.
Her primary areas of interest are international and domestic criminal law, criminal corporate liability and the connection between crime and corporation malpractice. She has published a number of articles and book chapters, and has presented at many conferences and seminars on these topics.
Giulia speaks Italian, English and French.
Ismael Franco Gonzales
Bolivia
Ismael Franco Gonzales graduated summa cum laude from Universidad Privada Boliviana in La Paz, Bolivia. He holds a Law Degree with concentration in Corporate Law. Furthermore, he has coursed several post-graduate studies including diplomas in International Commercial Arbitration, from American University; Corporate Contracts, from UPB; and Business Administration for Lawyers, from Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas - INCAE.
He was born and raised in the town of Tupiza, Bolivia. During his undergraduate years, he was a two-time winner of the Scholarship for Excellence granted by the University, as well as taking part in the Honor Roll of the Law School in every semester coursed. He was also member of the semifinalist team at the International Commercial Arbitration Competition held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2011 and was acknowledged valedictorian of his graduating class the same year.
After numerous public and private internships, he was hired as an attorney by the highly regarded law firm Tufiño & Villegas in 2012. There, he was promoted to Junior Partner in early 2015. Ismael focuses his practice in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, arbitration and complex commercial contracts.
In the academic field, Ismael has been an invited professor at Universidad Privada Boliviana. He has taught civil law courses such as Law of persons and goods and Contracts II, as well as lecturing an Introduction to Business Law course. He was also inducted as Honorary Professor from Universidad Nacional Hermilio Valdizán in Huánuco, Peru.
At NYU, Ismael is enrolled in the International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration LLM program.
Nahuel Maisley
Argentina
Nahuel Maisley obtained his law degree at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) in 2013, with the 2nd best grades out of the 2575 students in his class. In 2014, he was awarded a full-time scholarship from the prestigious Argentinean National Council for Scientific Research (CONICET) and he began his doctoral studies at UBA. As of 2014, he has also been a Lecturer in International Law at UBA, teaching a number of courses to advanced law students.
During his law studies, Nahuel was a member of the team that represented the University of Buenos Aires at the 2010 and 2011 editions of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Both years, the team won the Argentinean National Rounds undefeated, and then obtained excellent results at the International Rounds in Washington, D.C (an Alona Evans Award, and a position as quarter-finalist, respectively). He was later, also, an advisor to UBA teams. In 2012, he was selected among many students at UBA to participate in the student exchange program with Columbia Law School, where he took classes for a semester. Between 2010 and 2013, Nahuel received research scholarships from UBA and UBA Law School to work on projects on international law and political theory.
Nahuel’s current research combines discussions of international law with others of international legal theory and global political philosophy (particularly, global democracy). In his dissertation, he is considering the possible emergence of a right of global civil society to participate in international law-making. He has published, on this matter, in journals from Argentina and the United States. He has also presented his works in events convened by the American and European Societies of International Law, the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada), the University of the Center of Buenos Aires Province (Azul, Argentina), the Autonomous University of Madrid (Madrid, Spain), the Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, Spain) and the Max Planck Institute for International Law (Heidelberg, Germany), among others. Nahuel was also a visiting scholar at the latter two institutions.
Jaroslav Mencik
Czech Republic
Jaroslav Mencik obtained his Master of Laws degree from the Masaryk University Faculty of Law in Brno, Czech Republic in June 2009. He graduated summa cum laude and ranks among the top 1% of more than 9,300 students of the master degree program.
During his undergraduate studies, Jaroslav was a regular recipient of the Masaryk University Merit Scholarships. In recognition of his academic performance, he was awarded the Dean’s Award for the Best Essay in Students’ Scientific and Academic Papers Competition and the Dean’s Recognition for Exemplary Representation of the Faculty of Law in Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. Jaroslav also spent one semester studying law at the Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom.
Shortly after graduation from his law school, Jaroslav joined the Prague Office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, a leading international law firm. He has been working for the law firm’s corporate department for seven years, during which he engaged in a large number of major commercial, corporate, M&A and other business transactions including some of the most challenging legal projects in the relatively short history of the Czech Republic. He also dedicates a significant portion of his time to pro bono work for charitable organizations. Jaroslav was admitted to the Czech Bar Association in January 2013 after passing the bar examinations with honors.
In addition to his legal education, Jaroslav studied public administration and regional development at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, from which he graduated summa cum laude in February 2015.
At NYU, Jaroslav will pursue the Traditional LLM.
Aleksi Peltonen
Finland
Aleksi holds an LL.M. from the University of Helsinki, where he is now pursuing his doctoral studies. He has also studied at the Santa Clara University School of Law. Since 2014, Aleksi has worked as a doctoral candidate in criminal law at the University of Helsinki. Previously he has worked, inter alia, at the Prosecutor’s Office of Helsinki and interned at the International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor.
Aleksi’s research concentrates on the problem of judicial discretion in international criminal courts, with a particular emphasis on the interpretation of customary international law. At NYU, Aleksi will pursue an LL.M. in International Legal Studies, focusing on global governance and legal theory. After completing his LL.M. Aleksi plans to return to Finland to complete his doctoral dissertation and continue teaching.
Besides being a Hauser Global Scholar, Aleksi has been selected for the ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant Program for the academic year 2015-2016.
Sherin Shefik
United Kingdom
Sherin was ranked in the top 1% of her year group overall when she was awarded a First Class Law degree from the University of Warwick. She won the Freshfield’s Prize for best Trusts student of the year. She worked during summer holidays at several high-ranking barrister’s Chambers, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
After University, Sherin worked for a human rights NGO in London, where she submitted two applications to the European Court of Human Rights on behalf of detainees in high security immigration detention centres. She qualified as a barrister in 2009 as a Queen Mother Scholar of Middle Temple.
Passionate about working in the public interest, Sherin joined the Government Legal Service, where she was seconded as a pupil barrister for six months to 11KBW. She then worked as a legal adviser in the EU and International Law team at the Home Office, where she negotiated several complex and high-profile EU dossiers in Brussels, attended the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg as lead UK lawyer for six major cases, and led Treaty negotiations on behalf of the UK in London, Strasbourg, and Jordan. During the London Olympics 2012, Sherin worked as a counter-terrorist policy adviser to Ministers for the Olympic Security Directorate.
Sherin was awarded a Pegasus Scholarship in 2014 by the Honorable Society of Inner Temple to fund pro bono UN work at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia. She worked in the Office of the Co-Prosecutors assisting senior lawyers with casework, and represented the court at an expert panel discussion on preventing sexual violence in conflict zones.
Sherin currently works as a legal adviser at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. She was fortunate enough to represent the UK at the Sixth Committee (Legal) at the UN General Assembly in New York in 2015.
As a Hauser Global Scholar, Sherin will complete a Masters in international legal studies at New York University, specialising in international humanitarian law, international human rights law, international criminal law and global governance. Sherin is also the 2016 recipient of the Fulbright’s international law award.
2015-2016 Academic Year
Amy Armstrong
South Africa
Amy Armstrong, who is also a Fulbright Scholar, obtained a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Law and Economics (with distinction) from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2009. Thereafter she obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from UCT in 2011, graduating magna cum laude. Throughout her studies, Amy earned several academic awards and represented UCT in moot court competitions, including the All Africa Moot Court Competition in Lagos, Nigeria, where she was ranked second best speaker in the English-speaking category.
Amy was also a tutor for the UCT Economics Department from 2009 to 2011. She was actively involved in social justice and community development projects at UCT, fulfilling the role of director of the Thethani Debating League (as it is now known). This student-run initiative teaches debating and critical thinking skills to learners in no-fee paying schools in and around Cape Town. Amy was an executive member of Lawco Education, which provides legal education workshops to High School students and Lawco Health, which provided relevant legal information and advice to patients of mobile primary health clinics in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
After her LLB degree, Amy completed her articles of clerkship at the largest law firm in Africa and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 2014. She continued at the firm as an associate in the Insolvency, Business Rescue and Debt Recovery Department before commencing a one year clerkship at the Constitutional Court of South Africa for Justice Johann van der Westhuizen and Acting Justice Leona Theron.
At NYU Amy will undertake a Traditional LLM with a focus on legal theory and comparative constitutional law.
Shirin Chua
Singapore
Shirin Chua graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2010. She was a member of the NUS team that won the Richard R. Baxter Award (for the Best Applicant Memorial) at the International Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2010. She was also ranked among the Top 100 Oralists at these International Rounds.
Between 2010 and 2012, she clerked for the Chief Justice and the Judges of the Supreme Court of Singapore. She then served as a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General’s Chambers in Singapore, before taking up her current post as State Counsel at the International Affairs Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers in June 2012.
Shirin is enrolled in the LLM programme in International Legal Studies at NYU.
Paul Dermine
Belgium
Paul Dermine holds a Bachelor of Laws, summa cum laude, from the University of Namur (Belgium), and a Master of Laws, magna cum laude, from the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium). In addition, Paul also studied, with the help of an Inbev-Baillet-Latour scholarship, at the prestigious College of Europe, from which he holds a Master of Arts in European Studies, magna cum laude.
For the last two years, Paul has been combining a position at the Brussels Bar, where he was admitted in September 2013, and at the Law Faculty of the Catholic University of Louvain, his alma mater. As an associate at the Public and Administrative Law department of Stibbe LLP, one of the leading law firms in the Benelux, Paul was mainly handling cases in front of the Belgian Constitutionnal Court and State Council. Paul also advised multiple governmental agencies on various public law issues, ranging from public procurements or public service law to human rights and constitutional law. At university, Paul served as a Teaching and Research Fellow in European and Belgian public law. In this capacity, he has been able to lecture in Sources and Principles of Law and Constitutional Law. He has also published numerous articles and papers on European and national public law issues, and had the opportunity to share his findings in several congresses and conferences, such as the 2014 World Congress of Constitutional Law, which took place in Oslo.
Paul’s research cover various areas of Public Law : human rights law, federalism, European Union law and constitutional theory. Over the last two years, Paul has been more specifically focused on the field of European Constitutional Law, and has seeked to assess how the European integration process impacts the traditional paradigms of constitutionalism. In this framework, Paul has investigated in several papers and articles how the financial and economic crisis that hit the European continent may have affected the ways national constitutional orders and the EU legal order relate to each other.
Along with his native French, Paul speaks English, Dutch and German. He enjoys all kind of sports, especially rugby.
At NYU, Paul will pursue a Traditional LL.M, with a focus on Constitutional Theory, Legal Philosophy, Federalism and Global Governance.
Joseph Elks
Australia
Joseph Elks graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Queensland, Australia in 2010. He was ranked third in his graduating law class and received numerous academic honours, including the prize for the graduating law student with the highest GPA in the Commerce and Law program.
Upon graduation, Joseph clerked for the Honourable Justice Dennis Cowdroy OAM on the Federal Court of Australia.
Before commencing his LLM, Joseph practised for a number of years as a lawyer in the intellectual property disputes team of international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. He worked on a variety of IP disputes involving multinational corporations, including the Australian phase of the Apple v. Samsung global smartphone litigation.
While at Herbert Smith Freehills, Joseph was also involved in pro bono work for the Shopfront Legal Centre, seeking compensation on behalf of young adults who were victims of childhood sexual abuse and appearing in local courts for homeless youth.
At NYU, Joseph is pursuing an LLM in Competition, Information and Innovation Policy, with a focus on patent litigation and the intersection of patent law and antitrust law.
Valentina Escalante Giraldo
Colombia
Valentina graduated Magna Cum Laude from Los Andes University Law School (2011) and Cum Laude from the Political Science School (2011) of the same University. She also completed postgraduate studies in Colombian Tax Law at Los Andes University in 2012 obtaining the first place in her class.
Upon graduation, Valentina was admitted to the Colombian Bar Association. Since then, she has worked in tax litigation and tax advisory for individuals and corporations of different fields of the industry (Utilities, telecommunications, financial entities, technology, transport, among others).
Additionally, Valentina has been involved in teaching activities since 2011. She first served as a teacher assistant of Colombian Income Tax class at the Graduate program in Taxation at Los Andes University. In 2014, she served as a teacher assistant of Colombian Taxation Class at Los Andes University Law School.
At NYU, Valentina will pursue an LLM in International Taxation.
Hassan Niazi
Pakistan
Hassan Niazi graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honors from University College Lahore (UCL), an affiliate of the University of London, in 2012. He was ranked first in his graduating law class, and was the recipient of the Routledge Law Prize for the best result in LLB Part I, as well as the University of London Prize for academic achievement in LLB Part II, for which he was recognized as the sole undergraduate to receive a First Class Honors that year.
While at university, Hassan represented his graduating class on UCL’s Student Council, besides working as General Secretary of the Law Moot Society and participating in the International Committee of the Red Cross’s Henry Dunant Moot Competition.
After graduating, Hassan was recruited as an associate by Mohsin Tayebaly & Co. (MTC), a leading Pakistani law firm, where he worked in constitutional, anti-trust, commercial and company litigation, as well as corporate law. Admitted to the Lahore Bar Association in 2013, he assisted the firm in landmark cases involving the constitutionality of the Competition Commission of Pakistan, the ambit of local government bodies, discriminatory taxation, and anti-trust litigation against barriers to entry in the energy sector. He also handled various cross-border transactions, to do with mergers and acquisitions.
During this time, Hassan taught Jurisprudence as well as Equity and Trusts law as an adjunct faculty member at UCL. He also served as Sub-Editor of Human Rights Review, UCL’s first legal journal, launched in collaboration with the American Bar Association. He has published several academic articles in law reviews pertaining to constitutional law and individual freedoms, including religious expression and privacy. He has also been published in some of the leading newspapers in Pakistan.
In addition to his publications, Hassan has been involved in the critique of surveillance laws in Pakistan from a constitutional perspective, being invited to give presentations on the subject twice by the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative.
At NYU, Hassan is pursuing a Traditional LLM with a focus on constitutional law, anti-trust law and legal philosophy.
Lucia Ochoa Becerra
Peru
Lucia holds a Master in Corporate Business Law, by Universidad de Lima (Peru, 2013), and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain, 2014). She was ranked first in the Degree Program and earned her degree with an outstanding qualification to her thesis. She graduated as a lawyer from Universidad Católica de Santa María (Peru, 2008), ranked second in the Law School, and earned her degree with public honors.
During her studies, Lucia received several awards for academic excellence both in her university and beyond. These academic honors include the award of the “VII Academic Excellence Prize – José León Barandarián Hart”, sponsored by the Peruvian Public Registry National Superintendence (2008) and the Academic Excellence Prize – Highest G.P.A. in the School of Political and Legal Sciences from Universidad Católica de Santa María (2007).
Lucia is a lawyer admitted to practice law in Peru. She has experience working in public and private sectors, including an important international corporation with presence in Peru, although Lucia’s career practice was mainly in private law firms, focused on corporate law. Before the Master of Laws (LL.M.), Lucia was a senior associate of the mergers and acquisitions area of one of the leading law firms in Peru.
In addition, she has been a professor of the Specialization Program in Corporate Finance from Universidad del Pacífico (Peru) and a teaching assistant in the Corporate Law course in Universidad de Lima (Peru). Lucia is fluent in Spanish and English, speaks French and is learning Portuguese.
At New York University School of Law, Lucia is a candidate pursuing the LL.M. in Corporation Law.
Aleksi Peltonen
Finland
Aleksi holds an LL.M. from the University of Helsinki, where he is now pursuing his doctoral studies. He has also studied at the Santa Clara University School of Law. Since 2014, Aleksi has worked as a doctoral candidate in criminal law at the University of Helsinki. Previously he has worked, inter alia, at the Prosecutor’s Office of Helsinki and interned at the International Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor.
Aleksi’s research concentrates on the problem of judicial discretion in international criminal courts, with a particular emphasis on the interpretation of customary international law. At NYU, Aleksi will pursue an LL.M. in International Legal Studies, focusing on global governance and legal theory. After completing his LL.M. Aleksi plans to return to Finland to complete his doctoral dissertation and continue teaching.
Besides being a Hauser Global Scholar, Aleksi has been selected for the ASLA-Fulbright Graduate Grant Program for the academic year 2015-2016.
Valeria Vegh Weis
Argentina
Valeria Vegh Weis graduated summa cum laude from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) Law School in December 2008. She obtained a Law degree with a concentration on Criminal Law. She was placed in the top 0.1% of a class of over 2,824 students and she was awarded an Honors Diploma by the UBA Law School and an Academic Distinction as the Best GPA 2009 by the Argentinean Attorneys Association. She has completed her post-graduate studies in Criminal at the UBA Law School, where she graduated in 2013 with the best grade (10/10). She finished the required Ph.D. courses with the best grade (10/10) and in 2014 she delivered her Ph.D. thesis at the UBA Law School, which concerns an historical and sociological analysis based on crime and punishment. She will defend the thesis on June, 4th.
During her undergraduate studies, she was awarded with the Estímulo Scholarship to fulfill a research in restorative justice for children. Pending her post-graduate studies, she earned the Centro Cultural de la Cooperación Fellow to develop mental health and criminal research. She was also awarded with a CONICET scholarship by the Argentinean Agency of Science and Technology and the PROFITE Scholarship from the Ministry of Education to accomplish her Ph.D. thesis. In 2014 she was awarded with the Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a Master Degree in the US.
Furthermore, she has been working at the Argentinean Judiciary in different courts of the criminal law area since 2005. Since 2012, she has been working as a Pro-secretary Lawyer of the Public Defender Office of Buenos Aires City, where she co-coordinates an interdisciplinary team oriented towards the defense of the disadvantaged during criminal enforcement.
She also had an interesting experience in mental health issues as she was designated as the representative of the Health Ministry in the creation of the Argentinean National Mental Health Law in 2011 and, specifically, was part of the development of a program for prisoners with mental health issues. Right now she is working with different social organizations to impulse the replacement of the traditional mental health centers with new community services.
Valeria has been serving as a University Lecturer since 2004. From 2004 to 2009 she served as a student teaching assistant of “Elements of Constitutional Law”, “State Theory”, “Elements of Criminal Law” and “Juvenile Criminal Law” at the UBA Law School. In 2009, after sitting for a qualifying examination, she became a second teaching assistant and, since then, she has been serving as a graduate teaching assistant in “Criminology”. In 2012 she earned the Teaching Diploma at the Teaching Career Department of the UBA Law School. Since 2012, she has been teaching “Criminology” at the University Institute of Argentinean Federal Police, where she is part of an institutional transformation focused on the development of a critical perspective about crime and control. Since 2014, she is teaching also in the Postgraduate Specialization in Criminology at Quilmes University. Finally, from 2011 to 2013, she served as a Legal Adviser at the “Restorative Justice Mechanisms Program” of the UBA Psychology School.
Valeria co-organized seminars about education in prisons, Criminology and Forensic Psychiatry, and Criminal Matter and Marxism. She participates in different university research projects. In the present she is part of the University Extension Project “Culture and Criminal Law” and the Law School Project “The Right to Education in Prison”. She has a large number of publications in criminal law and mental health. Since 2011, she is part of the professional associations Argentine Network of Families, Users and Volunteers for Mental Health, the Association of Psychiatrists and Adherents for Human Rights and Latin Forensic. She speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese.
At NYU, she will pursue the Traditional LLM.
Christian Winkler
Germany
Christian read law and European law at Julius-Maximilians-University Wuerzburg, Germany, and University of Bristol, United Kingdom. During his law studies he was funded by the German National Academic Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e.V.). Christian passed the First and the Second State Examination in Law in the State of Bavaria, Germany, and holds a degree in European Law from Julius-Maximilians-University Wuerzburg. Christian received his Doctor of Laws (Dr. jur.) summa cum laude from Bayreuth University, Germany, writing a doctoral thesis on the application of the attorney-client privilege in the corporate context.
During his legal training Christian worked with law firms and banks in Frankfurt, London and New York. Throughout his doctoral studies and his legal practice training (Rechtsreferendariat) Christian has been teaching revision classes for law students as lecturer for criminal law and criminal procedure.
At NYU Christian will pursue the traditional LLM program.
Hanna Zemichael
Ethiopia
Hanna Arayaselassie Zemichael received her LL.B. from Addis Ababa University in 2013 and was awarded the Gold Medal for finishing top of her class. During her stay at the Law School, she served as a member of the Editorial Board of the AAU Student Law Review and represented her university at the 2011 EuroMUN Conference. She was also a member of the team that won the national rounds and participated in the international rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2012.
After graduation, Hanna was employed as a consultant at McKinsey & Company where she worked across various sectors particularly in public sector contracting, and performance management in agricultural research. She has also served as a researcher at the Ethiopian Justice and Legal System Research Institute. Before starting studies at NYU, Hanna has been working in a private law firm focusing on criminal litigation. She is an Associate Editor of the Mizan Law Review.
At NYU, Hanna will be pursuing an LLM in Legal Theory.
2014-2015 Academic Year
Shirin Chua
Singapore
Shirin Chua graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2010. She was a member of the NUS team that won the Richard R. Baxter Award (for the Best Applicant Memorial) at the International Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2010. She was also ranked among the Top 100 Oralists at these International Rounds.
Between 2010 and 2012, she clerked for the Chief Justice and the Judges of the Supreme Court of Singapore. She then served as a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General’s Chambers in Singapore, before taking up her current post as State Counsel at the International Affairs Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers in June 2012.
Shirin is enrolled in the LLM programme in International Legal Studies at NYU.
Luis María Clouet
Argentina
Luis María Clouet graduated summa cum laude from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) Law School in December 2008. He obtained a Law degree with a concentration on Business Law. He was placed in the top 0.1% of a class of over 2,948 students. In recognition of his academic performance, he was awarded an Honors Diploma, the UBA Law School Academic Excellence Distinction and was the recipient of a Hague Academy of International Law Scholarship. He has completed postgraduate studies in Oil & Gras Law at the UBA Law School, and has attended a Master in Private International Law in Argentina.
During his undergraduate studies, he was a member of the UBA Law School arbitration team reaching the quarterfinal round of the 2008 UBA International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and was awarded the competition award for best individual oralists. Luis María also coached the team of students that represented the UBA Law School in the 2009 and 2010 UBA International Commercial Arbitration Moot.
Upon graduation, Luis María was admitted to the Buenos Aires Bar Association. Since then, he has worked in complex litigation and arbitration matters on international commercial and investment arbitration, in international business transactions, cross-border contracts and other commercial matters.
Furthermore, Luis María has been involved in teaching activities since 2008. He first served as a student teaching assistant of Private International Law at the UBA Law School, and then as a graduate teaching assistant. In 2010, after sitting for a qualifying examination, he became a second teaching assistant. He speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese.
At NYU, Luis María will pursue an LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration.
Michael Darcy
Canada
Michael Darcy holds a BA in English Literature from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a JD from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. During his legal studies, Michael specialized in business law, winning numerous awards for academic excellence, including being named a Schulich Scholar, a Blakes Scholar, and receiving the University Medal in Law for graduating first in his class. He has recently become a member of the Bar of Ontario.
In 2013-2014, Michael clerked for the Honourable Justice Eleanor Dawson of the Federal Court of Appeal (Canada) and the Court Martial Appeals Court (Canada).
Throughout his studies, Michael has maintained strong ties to social justice and civil liberty organizations, including reporting for the Canadian Civil Liberties Associations’ RightsWatch Blog and working in various roles for Oxfam Canada and the Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia.
Michael is currently pursuing an LLM in International Taxation. Due to his interest in both business law and social justice, he will focus on the interaction between tax systems and global development initiatives.
Michael has also been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for his studies at NYU.
Zeev Gutreich
Israel
Zeev Gutreich graduated summa cum laude from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law, 4th in his class. In addition he holds an MBA in finance and banking from the Hebrew University, magna cum laude. During his studies, Zeev received five awards for exceptional achievements, including the Dean's Prize, Abraham Agmon Prize, and Isaac Drori Prize. In the 2008/2009 academic year Zeev served as a member of the editorial board of the prestigious Hebrew University Law Review ("Mishpatim"), and in the following year he was selected to serve as the Editor-In-Chief of the Law Review. Zeev was also a Teaching Assistant to Dr. Tomer Brody in the Legal Writing and Research Course of the Hebrew University.
Upon his LLB graduation, Zeev clerked for the Honorable Deputy President Justice Eliezer Rivlin of the Supreme Court of Israel for one year. After being accepted as a member of the Israeli Bar Association on December 2012, Zeev returned to work at the Israeli Supreme Court as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Justice Esther Hayut.
Last, but definitely not least, Zeev is married to Renana and is a proud father of the cute and adorable Eytan (3 years old) and Yair (1 year old).
Sienna Merope-Synge
Australia
Sienna Merope-Synge graduated from Melbourne University with degrees in Arts and Laws and Diploma in Asian Studies in 2012. She was ranked second in her graduating law class and received numerous academic honours, including the prestigious Chief Justice’s medal, awarded to the law student in Victoria who has achieved most academically and for the community during their studies.
While at law school, Sienna completed internships with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Australia’s largest refugee advocacy organisation. She also sat on the National Executive of UN Youth Australia, and the editorial board of theMelbourne Journal of International Law.
Sienna was a member of the Melbourne Law School team that won the national rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2009.
After graduating, Sienna was appointed Research Director to the Chief Justice of NSW, the Hon. TF Bathurst QC. Working directly with the Chief Justice, she helped produce judgments and collaborated in writing academic papers and speeches. During this time she also served as Assistant General Editor of the Australian Law Journal. She has published several academic articles and has been cited before the International Criminal Court. She also writes on human rights issues for Australian media.
Before commencing her LLM, Sienna worked as a consultant for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and in the public law litigation team of international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills.
At NYU, Sienna is pursuing an LLM in International Legal Studies, with a focus on international human rights law and transitional justice.
Edefe Ojomo
Nigeria
Edefe is a lecturer in the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Lagos, a Qualifying Certificate (BL) from the Nigerian Law School, a Master of Laws (LLM) in International and Comparative Law from the American University in Cairo, and a Master of Arts (MA) in Conflict, Security and Development from King’s College London. Edefe has been a recipient of several fellowships and academic awards, including the African Graduate Fellowship at the American University in Cairo, the CSDG/ECOWAS Fellowship at King’s College London, and several scholastic awards at the University of Lagos and the Nigerian Law School, where she graduated with First Class Honours. She also has certificates in research and specialized courses from several institutions and organisations, including the United Nations and the International Organisation for Migration.
Edefe has worked as an intern and a research fellow at the ECOWAS Commission, where she specialized in projects relating to peace building, mediation, and the development of migration policies for the West African community. She has also trained government officials from West African countries on issues relating to integration and migration. Her research focuses on citizenship, migration, and regional integration in Africa. She also provides research and program support to the Network of Migration Research on Africa (NOMRA).
Edefe is the co-founder of the Young African Research Arena (YARA), a research support website for African students, the editor-in-chief of the Young African Research Journal, the supervisor of Campus to Communities (C2C), a community development organization, and the Open Educational Resources (OER) Lead for Creative Commons Nigeria. As supervisor for the C2C organization at the University of Lagos, Edefe has supervised and participated in community development projects with students from her University. She continues to provide research support to Law students across Africa.
At NYU, Edefe will pursue an LLM in International Legal Studies.
Juan Marcos Otazú
Paraguay
Marcos graduated magna cum laude from the Law School of the National University of Asuncion in December 2012, ranking 2nd in a class of 525 students. At law school he participated actively in moot court competitions, acting as a pleader for his law school in the 18th and 20th Editions of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. He served as a law clerk to Judge Alberto Martinez at a First Instance Civil a Commercial Court in Asuncion (from 2009 to 2012) and at a Civil and Commercial Appellate Court in Asuncion (from 2012 to 2013). Three rulings of the Appellate Court based on opinions he drafted were published in Unilex.
In 2013 Marcos participated in a Certificate Program in International Commercial Arbitration organized jointly by the Paraguayan Center for Studies of Law, Economics and Politics and the University of Heidelberg.
Marcos received a full merit-based scholarship for his law school studies in Paraguay. He was also awarded a full scholarship to attend the 2013 Annual Conference of the International Bar Association held in Boston.
A year after graduating from law school he earned a position as an Associate at Olmedo Abogados, a leading Paraguayan law firm, where he worked in civil and commercial litigation and corporate law. From July 2013 to June 2014, he served as an Assistant Professor of Contracts and Law of Obligations at the National University of Asuncion.
Marcos is fluent in English and Spanish, is proficient in French and has working knowledge of Portuguese.
At NYU, Marcos will pursue an LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration.
Thomas Streinz
Germany
Thomas Streinz studied law and economics at the University of Bayreuth, international trade law at Bond University in Australia, European and international public law at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and competition law and policy at the London School of Economics. He passed the First and Second State Exam in the Free State of Bavaria and holds the diploma in European law from the Academy of European Law at the European University Institute in Florence. He is a PhD candidate at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, writing a thesis on the role of the Advocate General at the European Court of Justice under the supervision of Professor Dr. Peter M Huber, a judge at the German Federal Constitution Court.
During his legal practice training (Referendariat) Thomas worked inter alia for the Legal Service of the European Commission in Brussels and the German Embassy in Washington, DC. He also served as a research assistant at the Research Center for the Law of European Integration at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. In this capacity, he organized conferences on current problems in constitutional law in cooperation with the Institute of European and Comparative Law at University of Oxford. Subsequently he has been a research associate in the governmental affairs department of the international law firm Noerr LLP in Munich, dealing primarily with competition and state aid law.
Thomas’ publications cover different areas of EU law. He is the co-author of a commentary on the free movement of goods and of a chapter on the membership of the EU in the WTO. He analyzed the relationship between the EU and the Council of Europe in a chapter in a book on the EU’s emerging international identity. In various journal and blog articles he has dealt with the ne bis in idem principle, the preliminary reference procedure, and the accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Since Spring term 2012 he has been a lecturer for EU Law at University of Passau. In summer 2012, he taught EU law to Russian students in Krasnoyarsk, in a project sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Along with his native German, Thomas speaks English, French and Spanish. He enjoys all kinds of sport, in particular soccer.
At NYU, Thomas will pursue an LLM in International Legal Studies, focusing on global governance, international trade law, constitutional law, and legal theory.
Maruša Varl
Slovenia
Maruša Varl graduated cum laude from University of Ljubljana Faculty of Law in May 2012. In her class, she had the best average and the shortest time to finish her undergraduate studies. In recognition of her academic performance, she received the Faculty’s award for outstanding academic achievement.
Immediately after earning her law degree, she was placed number one at the list of 1132 applicants, making it to be one of three interns, accepted into the two-year internship program at the Ljubljana Court of Appeal. During her internship she was named the head of judicial trainees. In 2013, she spent 5 months at the private law department of the Republic of Slovenia Supreme Court, where she assisted a Supreme Court justice. In September 2013, she participated in University of Oxford summer law school.
Maruša is continuing her legal studies as a PhD student at University of Ljubljana Faculty of Law, where she is preparing a dissertation on punitive damages issues and aspects of its implementation in civil law systems.
At NYU she will pursue a Traditional LLM with a focus on torts, contracts and civil procedure
Xiaoxuan Wang
China
Xiaoxuan Wang graduated with an LLB degree from the Law School and Yuanpei College of Peking University in 2010. After undergraduate study, she spent another two years pursuing an LLM degree concentrating on Commercial Law in Peking University. During her legal studies, Xiaoxuan received numerous awards for academic excellence, including Morrison & Foerster Scholarship, May Fourth Scholarship and Starlight International Scholarship.
Xiaoxuan passed the bar examination in China and got permitted to practice PRC law in 2011. Between 2012 and 2014, Xiaoxuan worked at Fangda Partners and practiced in the emerging field of RMB-dominated funds (RMB funds) and assets management, advising private equity firms, investment teams or assets management institutions on their fundraising or other financial products.
At NYU, Xiaoxuan is pursuing an LLM in Corporation Law.
2013-2014 Academic Year
Santiago Bejarano Isaza
Colombia
Santiago Bejarano Isaza received his law degree from Universidad del Rosario in Bogota, Colombia in 2011 and is admitted to practice in Colombia. While attending law school, he was distinguished as a Fellow (Colegial), the highest recognition granted to students at this University and received a full scholarship during his studies of law. He was also a member of the Student Council and an active member of the Law Review. Santiago attended the Duke-Geneva Transnational Law Institute organized by Duke University in 2010, where he took courses in American law and comparative contracts.
Upon graduation in 2011, Santiago joined top-tier arbitrators and practitioners in the international arbitration practice at Dechert LLP’s Paris office, where he participated in investment and commercial arbitration proceedings administered by ICSID and the ICC under the supervision of Professor Eduardo Silva-Romero. He later returned to Cardenas & Cardenas, a leading Colombian law firm which he had joined in 2008 while still a student at law school, where he concentrated mainly in the areas of natural resources, investment protection and litigation.
In addition to his law-firm-based career, Santiago has been an assistant professor of Corporations at Universidad del Rosario since his graduation.
At NYU, Santiago will pursue an LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration.
Christopher Beshara
Australia
Christopher Beshara received first-class honors degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 2010 and 2012 respectively. He has a number of academic honors to his name, including the University Medal in History, the Nancy Gordon Smith Memorial Prize for Honors in the Bachelor of Laws, and the prize for administrative law.
In his time at law school, Chris completed a six-month internship with the Australian Law Reform Commission and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Sydney Globalist, an undergraduate international affairs magazine. He also won the trial advocacy competition and the moot court competitions in constitutional and international law. In his penultimate and final years, Chris clerked at corporate law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques (now King & Wood Mallesons).
Chris was a member of the Sydney Law School team that won the national and international rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2011. Chris was awarded the prize for best oralist in the Australian grand final round, over which the Chief Justice of Australia presided. He was also recognized as the second-best speaker overall in the international rounds held in Washington DC.
After graduation, Chris was appointed Researcher to the Common Law Division of the New South Wales Supreme Court. Working under the direct supervision of the Chief Judge at Common Law, Chris produced doctrinal research for the common-law judges and advised on the issues raised by first-instance hearings and cases on appeal to the Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal. In 2013, Chris and the Chief Judge co-authored a monograph on the origins and history of the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal.
Before commencing his studies at NYU, Chris worked as a legal officer at the Commonwealth Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. He practiced principally in administrative law and helped prepare cases for private and public hearings of the Commission. While at the Commission, Chris was a tutor in constitutional law at Sydney Law School. He was also coach of the law school’s 2013 Jessup team, which took out the national championship.
At NYU, Chris will pursue an LLM in International Legal Studies, with a focus on international human rights law and comparative study in the areas of constitutional and administrative law.
Mariano Braccia
Argentina
Mariano F. Braccia graduated summa cum laude from the University of Buenos Aires Law School in December 2003. He was first out of a graduation class of 2,883 alumni and obtained a Law degree with a concentration on Business Law. In recognition of his academic performance, he was awarded an Honors Diploma and the Gold Medal of the University of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Supreme Court of Justice Award and the Buenos Aires Bar Association Academic Excellence Distinction.
In December 2008, he earned a Tax Law Specialist degree from the University of Buenos Aires Law School with the highest grade in his final exam.
Before graduating, Mariano started a career of more than ten years at the Tax General Directorate (DGI), the agency of the Federal Administration of Public Revenue (AFIP) in charge of the enforcement, collection and control of the national taxes. In 2009, upon gaining extensive experience in areas including examination and tax advice, Mariano was appointed acting Head of a section of the Tax Appeals Division, the administrative unit responsible for the appellate review of protests and claims of refunds within the Legal Department of the National Large Taxpayers Subdepartment.
In 2010, the Institute of Fiscal Studies of AFIP published Mariano’s research on aggressive tax planning and criminal tax prosecution. His primary area of interest is the global dimension of tax abuse and he has published many articles and book chapters on comparative tax avoidance involving specific legislation and case law of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, China and India, among others. For the last two years, he has been working in a book about the functional approach to comparative tax avoidance and has participated as a lecturer in conferences on topics of his expertise.
Mariano speaks Spanish, English and Portuguese and reads French and Italian. He was admitted to the Buenos Aires Bar and is also a member of the Argentine Association of Fiscal Studies. He served as a Contract Law and Legal Theory student teaching assistant and a Civil Law second teaching assistant at the University of Buenos Aires Law School, subjects about which he wrote book chapters.
At NYU School of Law, Mariano is pursuing an LLM in Taxation concentrating on Business Taxation.
Roberto Niembro Ortega
Mexico
Roberto Niembro Ortega received his law degree from Escuela Libre de Derecho in 2008. He was granted excellent graduate awards in the second and fifth year of the five-year curriculum. He received special honours in his professional examination and his undergraduate thesis related with the 2006 Mexican presidential election was awarded by the Electoral Court of the Federal Judiciary in the National Contest for Thesis and Essays on Electoral Matters 2008, Undergraduate's Thesis category.
During the last year of his undergraduate studies and the first year after earning his law degree, Roberto assisted a Justice of the Supreme Court of Mexico. After this stage, he moved to Spain where he embarked on postgraduate studies in constitutional law, human rights, legal argumentation and political science. He also worked for more than one year as a legal trainee in the Constitutional Court of Spain.
After his studies in Spain, he moved to Heidelberg, Germany, to research in the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, where he stayed six months.
In 2013 he served as a research assistant of the Judge of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights Eduardo Ferrer Mac-Gregor and received the Human Rights award “Enrique Ruano Casanova” that Universidad Complutense de Madrid grants each year.
He has published several articles in prestigious law reviews of Spain and Mexico related with a deliberative model of constitutional justice, and he has edited with his colleagues two books related with the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court of Spain and Popular Constitutionalism in Latin America.
He is now pursuing a LLM at NYU focusing on legal theory.
Michael Riegner
Germany
Michael Riegner graduated from Passau University in Germany as the best of his year. During his studies in Passau and Geneva, he specialized in international and comparative law and interned at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the German Foreign Office and international law firms in Frankfurt, London and Seattle. After graduation, he completed his two-year practical training for German lawyers and clerked inter alia at the District Court and with the Public Prosecutor in Heidelberg. He also worked for two years as external consultant for the German development agency GIZ in a legal reform project in Kosovo, contributing to capacity building at the newly established Constitutional Court of Kosovo.
Michael started his academic career as a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg in 2008 and has been a research fellow at Justus Liebig University Giessen since 2011. His research interests focus on international law and comparative constitutional law, with emphasis on international institutional and human rights law, development, postcolonialism and the Global South. His PhD project inquires into “governance by information” by international aid institutions and how their law regulates the production and dissemination of quantitative knowledge in the form of statistics, indicators and rankings on development.
His publications include a volume on ‘Constitutional Justice in Southeast Europe’, co-edited with the constitutional court presidents of Hungary and Kosovo, and journal articles on internationalized constitutionalism in multi-ethnic societies, law and development, World Bank law and Third World Approaches to International Law. Besides, he is a review editor of the “Law and Politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America”, the only German law journal exclusively dedicated to the Global South, and a member of the Schumpter-Research-Group on “Law and Governance of Development Cooperation”.
Michael has taught comparative constitutional law, human rights law, international law as well as law and development at Universities in Giessen, Pristina (Kosovo) and Gujarat (India). He has received several scholarships and awards for his undergraduate and post-graduate studies. At NYU, he will pursue a traditional LLM with a focus on constitutional law, international law and interdisciplinary approaches to law.
Gil Rothschild
Israel
Gil Rothschild is a Hauser Global Scholar enrolled in the LLM program in Legal Theory. Gil holds an LLB, summa cum laude, and a Bachelor's degree in History, summa cum laude, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he received several merit-based awards for academic excellence. During his studies Gil served as a teaching and research assistant and as a member of the editorial board of the Hebrew University Law Review ("Mishpatim"), while also actively engaging in clinical legal counseling.
In 2011 Gil participated in a delegation to Rwanda and Tanzania, seeking to better understand the role of legal, civil society and transitional justice mechanisms in rehabilitating societies in the aftermath of crisis. After interning at the Constitutional and Administrative Law Department at the Israeli Solicitor General's Office, Gil has clerked for the Honorable Justice Esther Hayut of the Supreme Court of Israel. Gil has also worked in the research panel at the Israel Democracy Institute, where he participated in writing a book about modern democracies and their conduct of counter-terrorism policies, and he recently published an article concerning some of the law's symbolic effects on the production of public space.
Gil's areas of interest include legal philosophy, the sociology of law and punishment, law and culture, and public law. He has been a member of the Israeli bar since 2012.
Florence Sauve-Lafrance
Canada
Florence Sauve-Lafrance earned a bachelor degree in International Development and Globalization, a Licence in Civil Law and a Juris Doctor (National Program) from the University of Ottawa, graduating first in her class in each program.
Florence was a member of the 2010 National Champion Team at the Jessup Moot Court Competition in public international law, receiving an award for Best Oralist in one of the National Championship Rounds. In 2011, Florence presented her paper entitled, “International Investment Arbitration: Inconsistency and Illegitimacy” before the North American Consortium on Legal Education in Washington, DC.
Florence spent two summers in the tax department of a major Canadian law firm. She then worked at a law firm affiliated with an accounting firm, interned at the Tax Services Section of the Department of Justice, and clerked at the Tax Court of Canada. Florence is a member of the Ontario Bar. She speaks fluent French, English, and Spanish.
Florence was also awarded a Fulbright Scholarship towards her studies at NYU where she is now pursuing an LLM in International Taxation.
Olena Sharvan
Ukraine/Poland
Olena Sharvan graduated with honors from the Law Faculty of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine) in June 2010. Since graduation, she has been admitted to two separate PhD Programs: one in Criminal Law at Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland), and another in Criminal Law and Criminology at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine).
In the 2009/10 academic year, Olena was an exchange student at Jagiellonian University (Poland). She participated in many summer schools and conferences (e.g. European Forum Alpbach 2009, Humanity in Action Warsaw Summer Fellowship 2011, 7th UNESCO Annual International Leadership Training Programme 2011 at University of Connecticut). Olena has a wide list of publications and significant academic achievements. Also she participated in several internships, both in Ukraine and Poland, and has some work experience in the public sector (e.g. lawyer in Mostyska Town Hall). Olena is a qualified translator of legal texts and documents (English-Polish-Ukrainian).
While studying in Ukraine and Poland, Olena received a number of merit-based scholarships reserved for the 5% best PhD students and two research grants.
Since 2010, Olena has worked very closely with the Coordination Center of Schools of Foreign Law. During the last three years, she taught these courses: Introduction to Ukrainian Law (workshop) and Criminal Substantive Law (workshop).
Currently, Olena is engaged in her PhD research on restorative justice, probation, offender victim reconciliation, and sentencing. Additionally, she is interested in international and national justice systems, human rights law, immigration law, and litigation and mediation, as well as comparative constitutional law and legal theory.
Olena speaks Ukrainian, Polish, English and Russian. In her free time she plays volleyball, skis, travels, and reads a lot.
At NYU School of Law she will pursue a Traditional LLM with a strong focus on Criminal Law and Human Rights issues.
Sonja Sreckovic
Serbia
Sonja Sreckovic graduated from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law in 2010, having received the Faculty’s diploma for outstanding academic achievement, given her high GPA, for each year of her studies. The Serbian Ministry of Youth and Sport also recognized her academic achievements in 2011, when she became a scholar of the Ministry’s Fund for Young Talents.
The focus of Sonja’s legal studies has been commercial, company and trade law. In 2011, she was awarded the Profesor Dr. Mirko Vasiljevic Foundation award for her co-authored essay “Corporate Takeovers in Serbia – Comparative Analysis and Critical Review,” published in Law & Economy, Serbia. Furthermore, Sonja obtained her LLM in European Integration, the focus of which was likewise company and trade law, in the milieu of EU law. A condensed version of her LLM thesis, “The Issues of Enforcement of Investment Arbitral Awards in the Post-Lisbon Era,” was published in Harmonious – Journal for Legal and Social Studies in South East Europe.
Sonja was a member of the University of Belgrade’s Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot team in 2010/2011 and was awarded the Martin Domke award for best individual oralists. She also participated in the 2011 Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot where she was awarded an Honorable Mention, once more, for her accomplishments as an oralist. In both competitions, the Belgrade team garnered substantial success amongst numerous competing universities.
In 2012, Sonja joined Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr’s international arbitration practice in London. There, she spent a year and a half working on complex commercial and regulatory arbitration disputes, gaining invaluable experience in one of the world’s leading and most diverse law firms.
Sonja is currently enrolled in the International Legal Studies program and will focus her work on international private law, foreign investment, and trade law.
2012-2013 Academic Year
Mariana Ardila Trujillo
Colombia
Mariana Ardila received her law degree from Universidad Externado in 2008, after being granted the honor scholarship four times for her high GPA and winning the first national place in the official exam for law students in Colombia (ECAES). Previously, for three years she served as a research assistant in the Constitutional Law Department where she developed a special interest in women rights. Since then, she has continuously looked for opportunities to learn about and concentrate her work in this field. In her undergraduate thesis, she came up with a strategy to demand sexual and reproductive rights for women in the inter-American system of human rights. Two years later this work became Mariana’s first book.
Immediately after earning her law degree, Mariana clerked in the Colombian Constitutional Court for Judge Humberto Sierra Porto for almost four years, contributing to improvement of the condition of women in Colombia. She was involved in various important decisions about legal abortion, sexual and reproductive rights, protection at work and sex discrimination. Mariana is also a law professor in Universidad Externado since 2009. She teaches seminars on civil and social rights, international humanitarian law and the impact of war in women. In the past two years, Mariana has participated as a lecturer in four conferences and has published an article, a book chapter, and her own book, all on topics relating to women’s rights.
With a full scholarship, Mariana earned a graduate diploma on women and human rights at Universidad de Chile in 2009. She graduated at the top of her class. She is now pursuing a Traditional LLM at NYU, taking courses in legal theory, constitutional law, human rights, international law and gender-related issues.
Serene Chew
Singapore
Serene Chew was awarded the Jardine Foundation Scholarship to read a Bachelor’s degree in Jurisprudence at Exeter College, University of Oxford. In 2008, she graduated with First Class Honors. Thereafter, she completed a Graduate Diploma in Singapore Law at the National University of Singapore.
In 2009, Serene joined the Singapore Legal Service as a justices’ law clerk at the Supreme Court of Singapore. She then became a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General’s Chambers in Singapore where she was primarily involved in the prosecution of commercial crime. She also taught business law briefly as an adjunct tutor at the Singapore Management University.
In NYU, Serene will be pursuing a Traditional LLM. She is especially interested in taxation, securities and crime.
Alessandro Corda
Italy
Dr. Alessandro Corda graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pavia (Italy) in July 2007. While attending law school, he received a number of merit-based grants for tutoring activity in the areas of Constitutional Law and Criminal Law.
In March 2011 Alessandro obtained his PhD in Criminal Justice, International Justice and Fundamental Rights, Criminal Law curriculum. Throughout his years as a PhD student he received a full merit-based scholarship. Alessandro spent the 2010 Spring semester at Yale Law School as a Visiting Researcher after being selected on the basis of a research project proposal.
Since 2010 Alessandro joined the editorial board of the Review Criminalia, Annuario di Scienze Penalistiche and is involved as an expert member in Restorative Justice projects. He is also a qualified lawyer in Italy. In 2011 Alessandro was named a post-doctoral research fellow of the Italian Ministry of Higher Education and Research. In 2011-2012 he served as a lecturer in Criminal Law at the University of Pavia School of Law and guest lecturer in Criminal Law at the School of Specialization for Legal Professions of the University of Pavia and Bocconi University.
Alessandro’s research agenda encompasses white collar and corporate crime, comparative criminal law, criminology and deviance, prisoners’ rights, and the relationship between substantive criminal law and criminal procedure, with a specific focus on scientific evidence. He has published articles and book chapters and presented at many conferences and seminars on these topics.
Alessandro speaks Italian, English and Spanish. At NYU School of Law he will pursue a Traditional LLM with a strong focus on Criminal Law and Administration-related issues.
Celeste Marie Reyes Cruz
Philippines
Celeste Marie R. Cruz received her Bachelor of Arts, Major in Management Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines with Second Honors in 2003. She then obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo School of Law in 2007, where she also graduated with Second Honors. Here, she maintained her high rank in the Dean’s List and her standing as a scholar under the prestigious Justice Rellova Academic Scholarship Grant for Outstanding Law Students, chairing the Ateneo Central Bar Operations’ Academics-Civil Law Committee for two years. Celeste volunteered in the activities of the Ateneo Human Rights Centre and as a paralegal at the Ateneo Law School’s Legal Services Center, where she extended free legal assistance to indigent clients, focusing on women’s and children’s rights. She represented pro bono child rape victims, battered women, and women prisoners. Celeste also authored and defended a thesis entitled, “In the Name of the Child and of the Fathers: A Proposed Amendment of the Family Code to Allow the Child to Impugn His/Her Presumed Legitimacy,” which discussed the legal concept of favoring the illegitmate over the legitimate status of children in order to protect and preserve their civil and human rights.
After graduation, Celeste was invited to join SyCip Salazar Hernandez Gatmaitan, a prominent law firm, where she focused on corporate and labor law practices, participating in multi-national business transactions. She learned in practical terms why good governance and prudent regulatory practices are crucial for advocacy of women and children’s rights and human rights, in general. Simultaneously, she joined the De La Salle University-Far Eastern University Joint Degree Program in Master in Business Administration and in Juris Doctor--a pioneer program in the Philippines--as the youngest member of its distinguished faculty and thesis panel in 2009. She earned a fellowship from the Theodor Heuss International Academy for Leadership, in Gummersbach, Germany, where she was a scholar of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberalism under a Human and Civil Rights course.
After three years in the private sector, she shifted to serve in the public sector, becoming a Director of the Philippine Senate’s Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures, where she helped institute reforms to protect her country’s ever-vulnerable coffers. She also clerked for a Senator-Judge of the Philippine Senate, sitting as an Impeachment Court, during the country’s historic impeachment trial of the Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court this year. In the Senate, her advocacy for women’s and children’s rights has been expanded to include its relationship with good governance and socio-economic development.
She is now currently enrolled in NYU’s Traditional LLM program as a Transitional Justice Scholar, focusing on International Law and Human Rights courses.
Igor Alexandre Felipe de Macedo
Brazil
Igor Alexandre Felipe de Macedo graduated from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (Natal, RN, Brazil) Law School in 2005 and was the valedictorian speaker of his class. Following graduation, he was selected for a temporary position as a Constitutional Law Professor at his alma mater, and, in 2007, the Centro Academico Amaro Cavalcanti (the Law School students association) awarded him a prize for distinguished teaching. Also in recognition of his work as a professor, he was also chosen by his students to give the Commencement Speech during the 2009 Law School’s graduating ceremony.
While attending law school, Igor Alexandre founded the Simulacoes de Tribunais Constitucionais and joined the Simulacao de Organizacoes Internacionais (a U.N. Model) as a Director.
Later, as part of his dedication to the academic life, he joined the law journal In Verbis and the journal FIDES as a member of the Board of Editors. In 2008, he became President of the Instituto Potiguar de Direito Publico, a think tank that brings together some of the most prominent jurists in his home state.
His research agenda has included constitutional law, international law and tax law. In recent years, he has oriented his studies to the taxation of international investments in Brazil, joining Fordham Law School as a researcher and, in 2011, the University of Michigan Law School as a Visiting Scholar.
At NYU, Igor will pursue an LLM degree in International Taxation.
Alexander Latu
New Zealand
Alex Latu, who has also received a Fulbright General Graduate Award towards his LLM study, graduated from the University of Otago, New Zealand in 2010. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree (with first class Honours, ranked first in his graduating class), along with a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Political Studies). While at University, Alex mooted and participated in conferences in conjunction with exchanges to and from the University of the South Pacific’s Vanuatu campus, as well as mentored and tutored students. He spent the summer of 2008-2009 clerking at a large New Zealand law firm – Russell McVeagh.
After completing his legal studies, Alex worked as a Judge’s clerk in the New Zealand Court of Appeal – first for its President, the Hon Justice Sir William Young, then for the Hon Justice Rhys Harrison. He later resumed clerking for Justice Young in the Supreme Court of New Zealand, New Zealand’s final court of appeal. During this time Alex was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and also worked as a tutor at Victoria University of Wellington. Since the end of his clerkship in early 2012, Alex has returned to the University of Otago, Faculty of Law, where he has been working as a research assistant and tutor.
Alex’s interest in the law, while broad, has been influenced by his political studies degree, and he will pursue a Traditional LLM with an emphasis on administrative and constitutional law.
Shingira Masanzu
Zimbabwe
Shingi Masanzu obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2008, graduating magna cum laude and in the top 2% of her class. She was placed on the Dean’s Merit List for each year of her law degree. In addition to placing first in her class for several courses, including Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Comparative Legal History, Law of Persons and Marriage, Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, Shingi also received a number of academic awards, including a Law Faculty Scholarship, the International Bar Association Scholarship, the Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs Essay Prize, the Spoor and Fisher Prize for legal writing, and the Yash Ghai International Law Prize. She obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Law in 2011, also from UCT.
Shingi was a member of the UCT team in the Jean Pictet Competition held in El Escorial (Spain) in 2007, and she was awarded the Gilbert-Apollis Award for the best oralist in the English language section. In 2008, Shingi was a member of UCT’s team to the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, and was the best oralist in the South African rounds of the competition. She subsequently coached the UCT team in 2009, which made it to the international rounds of the Jessup Competition. In 2008, Shingi served as President of the Law Students’ Council, and received the award for the most outstanding student leader in an undergraduate faculty council. Also in 2008, Shingi served as a member of the University of Cape Town’s Student Assembly and the Student Representative Council Academic Sub-Council.
Shingi worked as a Teaching and Research Assistant in the Department of Public Law, in which capacity she tutored public international law from January to June 2009. Shingi passed the New York Bar in 2009 and was admitted to practice in 2010. From October 2009 through July 2012, she worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in New York City, where she completed a Capital Markets rotation and was subsequently assigned to the Mergers & Acquisitions practice group.
Shingi speaks fluent English and Shona and conversational French. At NYU, Shingi is pursuing her LLM in International Legal Studies. Her studies are supported in part by an International Peace Scholarship from P.E.O. (Philanthropic Education Organization).
Rivana Mezaya
Indonesia
Rivana Mezaya ("Meza") is a passionate young legal scholar who graduated number one in her class from the University of Indonesia in 2009 with a major in public international law. A very active and committed student, she was involved in the Asian Law Student's Association as well as moot court competitions while maintaining the highest GPA in her class and her position in the Dean's List for three consecutive years. She represented her country in the 2007 International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot Competition where her team clinched the championship in Melbourne, Australia as the first civil-law country to ever win such competition. Continuing her passion in international law, she participated in the 2008 Jessup International Moot Court Competition in Washington DC, USA, where she was ranked 3rd in the Top 100 World's Best Oralist and her team was also ranked 3rd in the Top 50 Teams.
After graduating as the valedictorian of her class, she worked in an international NGO, the Asia Foundation, in a parliamentary project for the law unit. She went on to work in one of the biggest firms in Indonesia, ABNR Counselors at Law, where she gained most of her practical experience dealing with international and domestic business transactions. Out of love for her country, and as a believer in linking promises to policy through law, Meza then opted to work as an Associate Director at the Indonesian President's Delivery Unit for Development Monitoring and Oversight (UKP4), a special, small unit led by a senior minister established by the President to conduct monitoring and de-bottlenecking of national priority programs. Her role included serving as a legal adviser and policy analyst in programs relating to law and security, investment, climate, energy and mining. She was heavily involved in the formation and monitoring of the 2011 and 2012 action plans against corruption as well as the revision of the National Strategy for Prevention and Eradication of Corruption. Her main encounter with international law in this post occurred when she was assigned to assist the international asset recovery efforts of a major corruption and money laundering case in Indonesia.
Meza is currently enrolled in the International Legal Studies program where she will focus on the interaction between law and policy in international law. She also comes to NYU as a Fulbright scholar.
Akila Ramalingam Sudha
India
Akila graduated from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore in 2006 earning BA,LL.B (Hons.) degree. She was awarded three gold medals including the K. B. Jhunjhunwala Medal in Constitutional Law and A. R. Udayasankar Medal in Public Law. At NLSIU, she was also the Editor of the University's flagship journal, the Student Bar Review.
She completed the BCL degree from University of Oxford in 2007, focusing on international law and public law. She was also an Associate Editor of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal. Her professional experience includes litigation at the Madras High Court where she practiced family and public interest law. Notably, she was involved in public interest litigation pertaining to extra-judicial encounter killings by the police in Tamil Nadu.
Akila also worked as a faculty member at the National Judicial Academy, India for a year and was involved in conceptualization, structuring and delivery of programs such as workshops, conferences and seminars for judges in a variety of subject areas including environmental law, intellectual property and constitutional law.
Akila then joined National Law School of India University as a Visiting Faculty member in 2010 and taught undergraduate courses on Legal Methods, Jurisprudence (legal philosophy) and Free Speech. Her academic interests include constitutional law, human rights and legal theory. She will be pursuing the Traditional LL.M program at NYU.
2011-2012 Academic Year
Mr. Vladimir Andric
Bosnia-Herzegovina
In 2005, Vladimir Andric graduated from the School of Law of the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina with the degree of Bachelor of Laws; he graduated in the top one percent of his class. During his studies at the Sarajevo School of Law, Vladimir was awarded the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Scholarship for exceptional social activity. He also served as a property law teaching assistant for two years.
His work experience includes work at the Human Rights Commission within the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, War Crimes and Organized Crime Chambers of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crimes and Corruption of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Vladimir is one of the founders and a member of the Board of Directors of NGO Young Lawyers Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as a member and research associate for criminal law and intellectual property law with the Law Institute in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He considers himself an unwavering idealist.
At NYU School of Law, Vladimir will pursue an LLM in Competition, Innovation and Information Law.
Ms. Tessa Bromwich
New Zealand
Tessa Bromwich graduated from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, in 2007, with a Bachelor of Laws degree (with first class Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in English Literature and History).
After graduating, Tessa clerked for Dame Sian Elias, the Chief Justice of New Zealand, in the Supreme Court of New Zealand for eighteen months. Since 2009, Tessa has worked at the Crown Law Office of New Zealand, where she is now an Associate Crown Counsel. This role entails advising and representing the executive government in civil litigation.
Tessa’s interest in the law centers on the tension between individual and societal freedom and responsibility. At NYU, she will pursue a Traditional LLM focussing on constitutional law and legal theory. Tessa also comes to NYU as a Fulbright Fellow.
Mr. Michael Dafel
South Africa
Michael Dafel earned a Bachelors of Commerce: Specialization in Law (cum laude) in 2007 from the University of Pretoria (UP), South Africa. Thereafter, he obtained a Bachelors of Law (LLB) (Cum Laude) in 2009 also from the University of Pretoria, graduating among the top five of his class. He has also earned a Bachelors of Commerce (Honours) in Financial Management in 2010. Michael was awarded numerous academic awards during the completion of his studies and was placed on the Dean’s Merit List.
Michael was an active member of the student body at UP during his tertiary education. He was appointed into the executive structures of UP’s Constitutional Tribunal. The Tribunal is a student governance structure which sits as a member of the Student’s Disciplinary Committee, is responsible for the organization of the student representative elections and sits as an arbiter in certain student body disputes. He was also an executive member of the Moot and Debating Society. Michael was part of the winning UP team at the inaugural International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition in The Hague in 2007. He participated in this Moot Court Competition again in 2009 where UP placed seventh.
In the second year of his LLB studies, Michael was appointed a tutor, and tutored students in legal skills and other mercantile law subjects until the completion of his LLB. He was also appointed a legal research assistant to Professor Frans Viljoen (Director for the Centre for Human Rights) and Professor Duard Kleyn (former Dean of the Faculty). After the completion of his LLB, Michael was employed as a junior lecturer in the Faculty of Law at UP and clerked for Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng at the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
Michael is enrolled in the International Legal Studies program and will focus on globalization and human rights. Michael is also studying with the support of a grant by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.
Ms. Luciana Garcia
Peru
Luciana Garcia graduated summa cum laude and first in her class from the Universidad de Lima in Peru in 2008. In recognition of her academic performance, she received the 2008 Award for Academic Excellence in Laws by Peru’s Public Registry Office. Luciana was admitted to the Peruvian bar in 2009.
While attending law school, she received a full tuition scholarship for the best GPA in the school for three consecutive semesters, was a founding member of Universidad de Lima’s United Nations Studies Circle, and represented Peru as part of Universidad de Lima’s first delegation to the Harvard National Model of the United Nations in Massachusetts. Luciana also worked in the Competition Area of Muniz, Ramirez, Perez-Taiman & Olaya Abogados Law Firm, the largest law firm in Peru and interned in the legal department of Peru LNG S.R.L., a project launched by an international consortium and a resource to the Peruvian government's energy strategy. She then moved to the public sector to assist with the implementation of the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement at the Principal’s Advisor’s Office of the External Commerce and Tourism Ministry of Peru and later joined the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) where she worked at the Defense of Competition Chamber of the Tribunal in proceedings relating to the defense of competition and consumer protection.
Upon graduation, Luciana worked at the Legal Division of the Inter-American Investment Corporation in Washington D.C., where she primarily drafted and revised loan and security agreements to fund financial institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises in Latin America and the Caribbean. She then joined the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Integration and Trade Sector. Among other tasks, Luciana assisted with the management of IDB’s Regional Public Goods Initiative, launched to promote regional public policy solutions to integration challenges through collaboration of countries from Latin America and the Caribbean and helped with the new IDB Strategy on Competitive Regional and Global Integration.
Luciana speaks fluently Spanish, French, and English and is currently learning Portuguese. At NYU, she will pursue an LLM in Competition, Information and Innovation Law.
Ms. Serafima (Sima) Ostrovsky
South Africa
Sima Ostrovsky graduated from the University of Cape Town Law School in 2006. She obtained the Bachelor of Laws degree cum laude, ranking first in her class. Prior to undertaking a law degree, Sima obtained a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours in Finance) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She was awarded this degree summa cum laude.
On completion of her legal studies, Sima worked as a law clerk at the Constitutional Court of South Africa. She maintained her connection to the Court by serving, until her departure for New York, on the management committee of the Constitutional Court Clerks’ Alumni Association. The Alumni Association organises events and seminars aimed at the development of constitutional law and the ethos of a democratic society.
After spending a year at the Constitutional Court, Sima completed her articles of clerkship at a leading South African law firm, Webber Wentzel. In 2010, she was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa and was appointed as an associate at Webber Wentzel. Sima’s practice focuses on competition law, including cartel-related litigation, advising on prohibited practices and merger notifications in South Africa and Africa. She has been involved in a number of high profile matters, including the recent acquisition by Walmart Stores Inc. of Massmart Holdings Limited.
Aside from competition law, Sima is passionate about education. She tutored for a number of courses while completing her undergraduate and graduate degrees and has continuously been involved in education initiatives in South Africa. Sima acted as a Finance Director of, and a tutor for, the Sithembele Matiso Social Development Project which provides academic support to High School students at the Khayelitsha Township, Cape Town. Before leaving for New York, Sima was involved in the Alexandra Education Committee initiative, which provides financial, academic and mentoring support to scholars from the Alexandra Township, Johannesburg.
At NYU, Sima will pursue an LLM degree specializing in competition, innovation and information law.
Ms. Rosa Raffaelli
Italy
Dr. Rosa Raffaelli received her law degree summa cum laude from the University of Pisa (Italy) in October 2006. During her years at law school, she was also a student at Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa, a prestigious and highly selective public university which admits a small number of students, offering them a full scholarship. Rosa obtained her PhD in Criminal Law summa cum laude from Scuola Sant'Anna in November 2010. During her years as a PhD Student, she obtained merit-based scholarships from Scuola Sant'Anna and from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Office), which financed her research period at the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.
Rosa has worked at the International Criminal Court for more over a year, first as an intern and later as a legal assistant. She is also a qualified lawyer in Italy. Her primary areas of interest are international and domestic criminal law, immigration law, and corporate responsibility. She has published a number of articles and book chapters and presented at international conferences on these topics.
Rosa speaks Italian, English, French and German.
Ms. Qian Su
China
Qian Su obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2002 from Lanzhou University School of Law where she ranked at the top of her class and was awarded scholarships and honors for academic excellence.
She later pursued her Master of Laws degree at Peking University Law School. In 2004 she participated in a research project on discrimination against Hepatitis B Virus carriers in China sponsored by Oslo University Human Rights Center, in which she interviewed with Hepatitis B carriers in various cities to gather information on the employment status of Hepatitis B carriers. The research findings contributed to enactment of legislation in 2007 forbidding discrimination against Hepatitis B carriers in recruitment. During her graduate studies, Qian also participated in a summer training program on Swedish labor law for Chinese scholars sponsored by the Swedish International Development Agency in 2004. Qian was responsible for translating the English course materials into Chinese; the work was published by Peking University Press in 2008 in a book entitled Critical Introduction to Swedish Labor Law. Qian served as a teaching assistant to Professor Ronald C. Brown (a Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer from William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii) when he was a guest lecturer at Peking University Law School in 2004-2005.
Qian has worked as an associate at King & Wood (one of the leading law firms in China) in Beijing for 6 years, specializing in the areas of foreign investment in China, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. She has extensive experience representing multinational companies, private equity firms and venture capitalists in their investments in China. She has worked on many high-profile projects in a wide range of industries including transportation, entertainment and media, financial, forestry, high-tech, machinery, mining, power and real property.
Qian passed the Chinese national bar examination in 2004. At NYU School of Law she is pursuing an LLM in Corporation Law.
Ms. Tiantian Zhuang
China
Tiantian Zhuang obtained her LL.B and LL.M degree, magna cum laude, from Peking University Law School, and also obtained a Bachelor of Economics degree from China Center for Economic Research of Peking University. She was an editor of the Peking University International and Comparative Law Review and received a number of merit based scholarships and honors throughout her studies in Peking University. Tiantian was active in moot court activities and represented Peking University in PHILIP C. JESSUP International Law Moot Court Competition in 2007 and WILLEM C. VIS International Commercial Arbitration Moot in 2008. She was also devoted to promoting the legal and culture communications among Asian law students. She was one of the founding members of the International Law Student Association of PKU and took part in organizing many significant activities on campus.
After graduation in 2008, Tiantian joined Clifford Chance LLP and primarily worked on the areas of banking & finance, derivatives and regulatory. Before that, she also interned with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd., Tax & Business Advisory Department and Junhe Law Offices, a leading law firm in China.
2010-2011 Academic Year
Ms. Juana Acosta
Colombia
Juana Acosta graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Bogotá, Colombia, in 2005. She obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree placing first in her graduating class. She got the ninth best score of the country on the ECAES test on Law (State’s undergraduate test of Knowledge of Law). In 2009, she obtained a Master’s in Human Rights and Democratization from the Externado University and Carlos III de Madrid University.
While attending law school, she received a number of scholarships and academic awards. She was selected to represent her Law School at the Models OAS in Mexico and Argentina, and was elected as President of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs by the participants of one of the Models. She won second place in the Inter-American moot court competition in Washington D.C. She was also selected for the Colombian fellow in Leadership for the Americas Congress in Fort Worth Texas.
As an undergraduate she worked as a District Adviser in the process of design and editing of the Police Code Law project; as a Legal Adviser in the International Organization for Migration and the Social Solidarity Network, and as an Adviser in the International Law Department at the Vice Presidency of Colombia. She also spent the summer of 2003 interning at the Center for Justice and International Law in Washington D.C. She also served as a research assistant to several professors.
Following graduation, Juana worked as a Junior Associate at Brigard & Urrutia Abogados Law Firm, one of the largest law firms in Colombia. She then returned to the public sector, first as an adviser for gender issues in the Presidency of Colombia at the Office for Women’s Human Rights, and then in the Ministry of Defense and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At these Ministries she managed the 15-lawyer Human Rights Litigation Group; designed and proposed international litigation strategies; managed the State’s written briefs and submissions and institutional technical and political meetings to prepare strategies; appeared on behalf of the State of Colombia in the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights hearings in Washington, D.C.; and acted as an agent on behalf of the State in the last case before the Inter-American Human Rights Court.
Her most recent work was as Consultant to the United Nations Population Fund, proposing a legal text for the regulation of the latest Gender-Based Violence Law in Colombia, regarding access to justice; and as Head of the International Law Department, at alumbra asesores Law Firm. She has been teaching at several Law Schools in Colombia, in International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law courses. Currently, Juana is a Substitute Board of Directors member of the Colombian International Law Academy.
Juana is the coauthor of three books, and the author of several papers in indexed journals, in international law and human rights law issues.
At NYU, Juana will pursue an LLM in International Legal Studies.
Ms. Janice Bleazard
South Africa
Janice Bleazard, who is also a Fulbright Scholar, obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2008, graduating magna cum laude and first in her law class. Prior to attending law school, Janice obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History, and an Honours degree in Historical Studies with a focus on African history, also from UCT. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, Janice has been a top academic achiever, earning several academic awards. In 2007, Janice represented her university and country at the Jean-Pictet Competition in International Humanitarian Law, where her team reached the final round. The same year, she received an award from the Cape Bar Association for mooting at her university.
While at University, Janice worked for the Student HIV/AIDS Resistance Program, facilitating HIV/AIDS information workshops for schools and community groups; she served on the UCT Student Leaders’ Transformation Forum and chaired and co-founded the UCT History & Current Affairs Society. She also worked as a student advisor in the law school’s Legal Aid Clinic; and in 2008 she served as an executive committee member of Students for Social Justice, a student movement aimed at promoting constitutionalism and social justice in South Africa.
After completing her LLB degree, Janice worked as a research assistant to Professor Hugh Corder at UCT, and assisted in editing Global Administrative Law: Innovation and Development (2009) – a joint project between the law schools of UCT and NYU. She also interned at the Legal Resources Centre, a leading public interest legal practice in South Africa. From 2009 to 2010, she worked as a law clerk to Justice Thembile Skweyiya at the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
At NYU Janice will undertake an LLM in International Legal Studies, with a focus on Global Administrative Law.
Mr. Kojiro Fujii
Japan
Kojiro Fujii is an LLM candidate in Trade Regulation. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with high marks in 2004. He earned top grades in all the main subjects related to Trade Regulation and he also acted as chairperson of Professor Kazunori Ishiguro’s seminar, “Globalized Economy and Law,” completing two theses related to the seminar. While he was an undergraduate student in 2003, he passed the national bar exam of Japan in the top 0.2% for the thesis exam with top grades in all of the subjects. Besides his studies at the University of Tokyo, he was elected to the Executive Committee of the Japan-America Student Conference and acted as one of the leaders in this historical international conference.
After serving as legal apprentice in the Legal Training and Research Institute of the Supreme Court of Japan, he joined Nishimura & Asahi, the largest law firm in Japan, in 2005. He has handled many significant cases, both domestic and international, in areas such as competition law, international trade law, intellectual property law, international litigation, and compliance and regulatory defense. In the area of competition law in particular, he has handled numerous domestic and international cartels-related files, including leniency filings and criminal cases. He has been involved in large and innovative merger files including four cases that were selected as the most significant merger cases of 2008 and 2009 by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. He also handled an international high profile case where he opposed the merger of major mining companies on the grounds that such merger would impede future competition in the global supply of certain natural resources. In addition, he has advised the Japanese government with regard to the Intellectual Property laws of China, Brazil and Ukraine as well as U.S. and EU based on his joint research with local lawyers specialized in intellectual property laws.
As for academic contributions, he has been a member of the Study Group on Competition Law at the University of Tokyo and a member of the Study Group on International Investment in Energy at the Nishimura Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. He has also served as a committee member for the Study Group of International Investment Arbitration of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2008-2009. In addition, he has contributed to the first and second editions of a global publication on competition law and policy entitled “Public Competition Enforcement Review,” and has also co-authored several books and published dozens of academic and professional papers in major Japanese legal journals and governmental project reports that discuss recent developments in the areas of competition law, intellectual property law, financial regulation and international investment law.
Ms. Gabriela Kletzel
Argentina
Gabriela graduated summa cum laude from the University of Buenos Aires Law School. She received a number of academic awards and fellowships, including the Fulbright Scholarship.
After completing her first year as a law student, Gabriela started working for the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), one of Argentina’s leading human rights organizations. All through her eight years at CELS, she gained very meaningful experience in the application of international human rights standards by domestic courts, as well as on the litigation of precedent-setting human rights cases before international tribunals. Furthermore, she played a key role in the litigation of structural reform cases involving Economic, Social and Cultural rights and Civil and Political rights. Moreover, Gabriela set forth specific research on the development of adequate and effective remedies for the reparation of human rights violations.
In addition to direct litigation, she was responsible for the submission of amicus curiae briefs on cases before both national and international courts. She was also involved in the preparation of shadow reports to be presented before different United NationsTreaty Bodies. In this regard, for the past three years, one of her main lines of work was the coordination of CELS activities within the United Nations System for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights. Because of this involvement, Gabriela had the opportunity to participate in several sessions of the UN´s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, including the chance to participate in the UNHRC’s first Universal Periodic Review of the human rights situation in Argentina. Moreover, in March 2010, she participated in the sessions of the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), in New York.
Another very relevant experience for her was serving as the main researcher on the project “International standards on Access to Justice”, which provided her with the opportunity to work with members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in the investigation “Access to justice as a guarantee of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A review of the standards adopted by the InterAmerican System of Human Rights”, which was then published as an official document by the IACHR.
In the academic arena, Gabriela has worked as an assistant professor in a regular course on International Human Rights Law at the University of Buenos Aires Law School. She has also had the opportunity to be part of the team of professors within the Human Rights Clinic that is jointly run by the University of Buenos AiresLaw School and CELS. Gabriela has published several papers in the field of human rights law.
Ms. Valérie Scott
Canada
Valérie Scott completed her civil law degree at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in 2008, after graduating in International Relations and International law at the same university. She ranked first of her class in both degrees, and received the Montreal Bar Distinction as well as numerous highest standing awards for various courses.
Valérie discovered law and litigation while participating in the Charles-Rousseau Public International Law Moot court in 2004-2005, where her team won the Henri-Rolin and Charles-Rousseau awards, for the best memorial and best team. She won individual distinction as best oralist during the preliminary rounds (Jacques-Yvan Morin award), as well as during the championship round (best oralist award). In 2009-2010, she coached the Université du Québec à Montréal team for the same moot court, preparing and leading revision sessions on public international law, and assisting students in the drafting of facta and oral pleadings. Previously, she had also been involved, during three years, as a coach for the National Model of United Nations with Collège André-Grasset.
During her studies, she was involved in ProBono Students Canada and acted as senior editor for the Quebec Journal of International Law. After graduating from law school, in 2008-2009, Valérie did a clerkship at the Supreme Court of Canada with the Honourable Justice Marie Deschamps.
Valérie published articles in the fields of administrative law, human rights law, consumer law and private international law, including one for which she received the first prize of the Université de Montréal Notarial Chair Writing Contest and the Matthieu-Bernard Prize from the Québec Society of International Law.
She has a variety of interests, from sports to travels. Valérie’s mother-tongue is French, she is fluent in English and speaks Spanish at an intermediary level. Had not gone to law school, Valérie would have opened a café on the beach.
At NYU, Valérie will pursue a Traditional LLM focusing on private international law and legal theory.
Ms. Maria Cecilia Sicangco
Philippines
Maria Cecilia Sicangco obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines (UP) in 2007, graduating cum laude and salutatorian of her class. She was the recipient of the UP Class of 1971 Scholarship from 2004 to 2007, and, upon graduating, was likewise given the UP Class of 1972 Academic Excellence Award and the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. Prior to law school, Cecille obtained a Bachelor of Science double degree in Applied Economics and Accountancy, cum laude, from De La Salle University (DLSU). In recognition of her outstanding academic performance, she received the SyCip, Gorres, Velayo Award for Academic Excellence and the Joaquin Cunanan Gold Medal for Best Thesis from the College of Business and Economics of DLSU.
Cecille participated extensively in academic and co-curricular activities during her law studies. Notably, she represented UP in the 2005 Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition, the 2006 Jean-Pictet Competition on International Humanitarian Law, and the 2007 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Furthermore, as a research assistant in the Institute of Judicial Administration of the UP Law Center, she worked with respected legal luminaries – such as retired Justices of the Philippine Supreme Court – in producing literature for members of the Bar and the Bench. She then interned with the Office of Legal Aid (OLA), where, under the supervision of the OLA Director and the designated lawyer, she represented indigent clients in administrative, civil and criminal cases. In April 2007, she received a Citation for Distinguished Performance as a Law Intern from the OLA Director and the Dean of the UP College of Law.
Upon graduation, Cecille joined SyCip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan, the largest full-service law firm in the Philippines. She assisted domestic and international clients in matters involving (i) arbitration and litigation, (ii) taxation, (iii) corporate restructuring, (iv) banking, finance and securities, (v) investments, mergers and acquisitions, and (vi) mining and natural resources law. Subsequently, Cecille took the opportunity to clerk for Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. After the latter’s retirement in May 2010, she then clerked for the succeeding Chief Justice, Renato C. Corona.
Cecille was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2008, and is also a member of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants. At NYU, she will pursue an LLM in International Legal Studies.
Ms. Jane Standage
New Zealand
Jane Standage, who is also a Fulbright Fellow, graduated from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, in 2007. She obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree (with Honours first class) and was awarded the Victoria University Gold Medal for Academic Excellence for the top graduating law honours student. Jane also obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in French and European Studies. During her time at university, Jane undertook an exchange to the Netherlands and studied international contract law at the Rijksuniversiteit in Groningen. She also spent the summer of 2003-2004 clerking at a large New Zealand law firm, Chapman Tripp.
Following graduation Jane took up a two year clerkship at the New Zealand Court of Appeal which is the penultimate appellate court. As clerk to the Hon Justice Susan Glazebrook she researched and wrote legal opinions, assisted in seminar paper research and had the opportunity to engage in frequent debate with Justice Glazebrook and other members of the Court. From 2009 Jane has worked as a barrister for one of New Zealand’s leading commercial and competition lawyers, David Goddard QC at Thorndon Chambers in Wellington. During this time Jane gained valuable practical experience in litigation.
While a judge’s clerk she co-founded the New Zealand Law in Schools Project which is a not-for-profit organization designed to teach underprivileged high school students about practical legal issues. Jane also has a strong interest in classical music as a keen violin player and has been a member of the Wellington Youth Orchestra and Board in New Zealand. Jane’s interest in the law is wide and she will pursue a traditional LL.M with an interest in competition law and water regulation.
Mr. Ulugbek Tadjiev
Uzbekistan
Ulugbek Tadjiev graduated from Tashkent State Institute of Law in 2002 with highest honors. Prior to obtaining his law degree he got Bachelor's degree in Political Science from University of World Economy and Diplomacy. During his years at school he showed outstanding academic achievment and published several articles in local legal journals.
Upon completition of his study Ulugbek clerked for the High Economic Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and at the same time remained at the Tashkent State Institute of Law to pursue Ph.D degree in law.
After the clerkship, he joined the Office of Prosecutor of Tashkent city starting his job as an investigator. There, he successfully investigated several high profile cases including white collar crimes and tax embezzlement. In 2003 Ulugbek was elevated to the International Legal Department of the Office of Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Uzbekistan where he was in charge of extradition of foreign and domestic criminals, negotiating bilateral and multilateral treaties with foreign countries on mutual legal aid, extradition and other legal issues.
In 2008 Ulugbek assumed senior position at the Center for the ensuing independence of Judiciary under the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan which is a newly created government body responsible for the liberalization of judicial legislature, improving it's quality and ensuring independence.
At the same time he succesfully defended his PhD dissertation, and also lectures at the Tashkent State Institute of Law. Currently, Ulugbek works on doctorate dissertation devoted to the problems of legal aid in emerging democracies.
2009-2010 Academic Year
Ms. Farah Mohammad Al-Nabulsi
Jordan
Farah Al-Nabulsi graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Jordan School of Law in 2008. She ranked 3rd among law students in Jordan for the first academic term of the year 2008 in the Universities’ Achievement Examination in Jordan scoring in the top 1% in the nation.
While attending law school, she participated in several moot court competitions. Most notably, she pleaded before a panel of Jordan’s Supreme court judges in the First Annual Jordanian Commercial moot court competition held by the American Bar Association in Jordan- rule of law initiative- where she won individual distinction as Best Respondent Argument and Best Petitioner Argument and was presented a trophy from the Jordanian Ministry of Justice.
She also was nominated by the American Bar Association to coach law students in the Second Annual Jordanian Commercial moot court competition and successfully assisted them throughout the preparation period to present sound arguments. Further, Farah was engaged in a Public Legal Awareness Program, street law project, held by the ABA in Jordan which aimed at introducing school kids to their rights pursuant to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Farah was awarded a merit based scholarship in the year 2007 to be part of the First Specialized Diploma in Real Estate in Jordan that was organized by the University of Jordan.
Immediately after graduation, Farah Joined SANAD Law Group, a member of KSLG and a leading regional law firm in Jordan. She was mainly involved in Sustainable Achievement of Business Expansion and Quality “SABEQ”, a USAID funded project in Jordan as a member of the policy and regulatory affair team at SANAD Law Group, the main legal subcontractor for this project. Farah’s duties as a member in the policy team entailed drafting, reviewing and conducting research papers in relation to the first draft of the Credit Information Bureau law in Jordan, the Labor and Residency Instructions for a newly formed major economic public authority, reviewing the compliance of the domestic regulations in Jordan pursuant to article VI:4 of the GATS, preparing documents for the proposed entrance of Jordan into the GPA, conducting a thorough survey of Jordanian legislation and precedents in relation to the medical malpractice in Jordan and reviewing the environmental licensing requirement in Jordan within different industrial sectors.
At NYU, Farah will pursue General Legal studies focusing on international commercial courses.
Mr. Niran Anketell
Sri Lanka
Niran Anketell, who is also a Fulbright Scholar, earned his Bachelor of Laws with Honors from the University of Colombo (UoC) where he graduated second in his class in 2007. While he was an undergraduate, he represented UoC at domestic and international competitions/events in parliamentary debate, theatre, moot court and rugby. In recognition of his achievements in academics, sports and other extracurricular activities, the university awarded him the Gold Medal for the ‘Best Student- 2007’. After graduating, Niran has taught courses in Public International Law at UoC and the Open University of Sri Lanka. Since late 2008, he has worked in the chambers of Mr. M.A. Sumanthiran, one of the top human rights and constitutional lawyers in Sri Lanka. Niran appeared for an amicus petitioner in the successful constitutional challenge before the Sri Lankan Supreme Court of a statute designed to vest significant powers over local government authorities with the central government, and has also assisted as junior counsel in a number of human rights and constitutional cases before appellate courts in Sri Lanka. In early 2009, he presented a paper critiquing the restrictions on free speech in Sri Lanka, imposed under the pretext of national security, at the academic sessions of the Law Faculty of the UoC.
Niran will be pursuing an LLM in International Legal Studies at NYU.
Ms. Sarah Cahill
New Zealand
Sarah Cahill graduated from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2007. She obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree (with Honours) placing first in her graduating class, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Political Studies. While an undergraduate Sarah tutored extensively, both in the Political Studies department and in the Law Faculty. She received a number of scholarships and academic awards, excelling especially in restitution, equity and conflict of laws. Sarah was actively involved in university life, serving on the Auckland University Law Students’ Society Executive, co-editing the Society’s quarterly publication Verbatim and reaching the final of the Greg Everard Memorial Moot in 2006. She spent the summer of 2005-2006 clerking in a large New Zealand law firm, Russell McVeagh.
Following graduation Sarah moved to Wellington in order to take up a two year clerkship at New Zealand’s Court of Appeal. As clerk to the Hon Justice Terence Arnold she enjoyed frequent discussion and debate with Justice Arnold and other members of the Court and was involved in significant cases in the areas of discrimination law, competition law and judicial review. While a judge’s clerk she tutored Land Law at Victoria University of Wellington and volunteered at the Wellington Community Law Centre. She was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in September 2007. In the lead-up to her departure for NYU Law, Sarah worked as an Associate at Gilbert Walker, a specialist litigation and arbitration firm in Auckland, where she was able to gain valuable practical experience in litigation.
Sarah’s interest in the law is broad. At NYU she will pursue an LLM in General Studies.
Ms. Megan Donaldson
Australia
Megan studied law and arts at the University of Melbourne. After completing an honours thesis in 2006 on aspects of the French Revolution, she spent a year in a commercial firm, was admitted to practice, and in 2008-2009 undertook an associateship with the Honarable Justice K M Hayne of the High Court of Australia.
While at university, Megan was a member, assistant editor and ultimately co-editor of the Melbourne Journal of International Law. She was the editorial assistant for the Public Law Review, and for Anne Orford (ed), International Law and Its Others. She undertook research work in international and constitutional law, and has recently co-authored a chapter on “Values in Australian Constitutionalism” for a collected work exploring the possibilities and limitations of reference to values in comparative constitutionalism.
At NYU she will undertake an LLM in Legal Theory, with a focus on history and international law.
Mr. Fillippo Fontanelli
Italy
Filippo Fontanelli received his LLB degree in 2006 from the Pisa University, summa cum laude. In 2008, he was admitted as a PhD candidate at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. He worked as stagiaire at the Rome office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, where he practiced in litigation and international investment arbitration. His research focuses on the interplay among connected legal orders, from the perspective of the judges. He wrote various essays on the Italian Constitutional Court, the European Court of Justice and the WTO Appellate Body, all of them relating to issues of judicial competence and to the identification of deferential - interferential behaviors vis-à-vis other judicial and institutional players. He is co-editor of two volumes concerning, respectively, the role of the European Court of Justice and the possible application of comity among courts in the fragmented international legal order. He is member of the Society of International Economic Law and of the editorial board of the STALS project (www.stals.sssup.it).
Ms. Delphine Lourtau
Canada
Delphine Lourtau graduated from McGill University with the David L. Johnston Medal in 2007 with bachelors in both common law and civil law. Prior to attending law school, she completed degrees at the Sorbonne-Nouvelle University (Paris III) and Sciences Po in Paris.
As a law student, Delphine's interests focused on international criminal law and refugee law. She has worked for the Trial Chambers of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Tanzania, and is a former member of McGill's Special Court for Sierra Leone Clinic. She has represented asylum-seekers in Cairo, Egypt with African and Middle East Refugee Assistance (AMERA), and is a long-standing volunteer with Action Réfugiés Montréal.
After graduating from McGill, Delphine clerked for Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin at the Supreme Court of Canada. She was admitted to the practice of law in Ontario in 2008.
At NYU, Delphine will pursue an LLM in Legal Theory, with a focus on criminal evidence.
Ms. Valeriane Michel
France, Switzerland
Valériane Michel graduated summa cum laude with law degrees from the universities of Fribourg (Switzerland) and of Paris II-Assas (France) in 2005. She specialized in European law, as well as in international law, and wrote her theses on ‘A Challenge for the European Union: Complying with Human Rights while Countering Terrorism’ and on ‘Non-State Armed Groups in International Humanitarian Law, in the Light of the Statutes and Case Law of the International Criminal Courts’.
Before beginning university, Valériane worked during one year in Lebanon for a non-governmental organisation dedicated to supporting destitute children. While attending law school, she continued volunteering with homeless people, as well as with AIDS patients.
In 2001 and 2002, Valériane interned at the United Nations (UN), notably with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Over the two following years, she represented the Government of Switzerland at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly and at the UN Commission on Human Rights. Then, from 2006 to 2009, Valériane worked as a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross and was sent on one-year missions to Eritrea, the Middle East and Colombia.
Valériane speaks Arabic, English, French, German and Spanish. She is also a Fulbright scholar. While at NYU, she will undertake an LLM in International Legal Studies.
Ms. Natalia van der Laat Garcia
Costa Rica
Natalia van der Laat graduated from University of Costa Rica, School of Law with highest honors in 2008. Back in 2007, she was awarded with the best grade point average of all the undergraduate students at the University of Costa Rica (35,000 students at national level). Also, she was awarded with a merit based scholarship during all her years at law school.
While attending law school, Natalia joined one of Costa Rica’s leading law firms, BLP Abogados, where she worked as Senior Legal Assistant and later, as Associate Attorney. During her years at BLP Abogados, Natalia advised both international and Costa Rican companies on a broad spectrum of areas including corporate matters, financial transactions, aviation operations, enforcement of intellectual property rights and development of real estate projects. Also, she participated in the Pro Bono division of the firm as part of the Advisor Committee in charge of drafting laws in three different subjects: Maritime Navigation, Maritime Trade and a general Maritime Law.
From July 2005 to June 2006, Natalia worked as Judicial Assistant in the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes section of the District Attorney’s Office, where she performed legal research on various legal issues, analyzed evidence and prepared reports for criminal cases related to corruption of public employees, frauds against financial institutions and important cases of money laundering. Also, she participated in the Community Service Project for Small- And Medium- Sized Companies of the University of Costa Rica, where she served as counsel to the company Bioproyectos Costa Rica S.A. in the preparation of franchising and distribution contracts, registration of trademarks, compliance with customs procedures and general corporate matters.
Natalia is the coauthor of the Graduation Thesis “Study on the System of Secured Transactions proposed by the Organization of American States and its Adjustment to the Costa Rican Legal System”, which was approved with highest honors in 2008. Furthermore, Natalia has been working with the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade (NATLAW), located in Tucson, Arizona, in order to enact a law on Secured Transactions in Costa Rica, based on the OAS Model Law on Secured Transactions and her research work.
Her concentration at NYU Law will be Corporation Law.
Ms. Catherine Mutava
Kenya
Catherine Mutava graduated first in her class of the University of Nairobi Law School in 2007. She was included in the Dean's Honor List for each year of study and received a number of awards for her academic accomplishments. While attending law school she was a research assistant to Dr Ben Sihanya in the field of Intellectual Property Law.
Upon graduation she joined Anjarwalla & Khanna one of Kenya’s leading law firms. She then joined KPMG where she worked for two years as a tax consultant where she advised domestic and international clients on tax implications of various commercial transactions, analyzed and made recommendations for the national budget and conducted various due diligences.
At NYU she will undertake an LLM in International Taxation.
Ms. Rebecca Van Es
South Africa
Rebecca Van Es graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Psychology from the University of Cape Town in 2000. She was on the Dean’s Merit List throughout the three years of the degree and received a distinction in English on graduation. During this time she also actively participated in the Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation’s tutoring project. For two years following completion of the degree, Rebecca worked in Wales and London, including working on a project initiated by the London Youth Justice Board. She travelled extensively in South America before returning to the University of Cape Town to start a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2003. During her law studies she was a student advisor at the law school’s Legal Aid Clinic, where she consulted with asylum seekers and refugee clients. Rebecca was also a member of the Treatment Action Campaign’s Paralegals Sub-Committee, which involved training and organising law students to educate and inform underprivileged communities about legal rights pertaining to HIV status. She received awards based on academic merit – including the Manuel & Luby Washkansky Scholarship Award, the Faculty of Law Scholarship Award and the LexisNexis-Butterworths Prize for Intermediate Year Best Student – and graduated cum laude in 2005.
Following graduation Rebecca completed the two years of practical legal work required to qualify as an attorney. She did this at Bowman Gilfillan Inc., a firm generally regarded as one of South Africa’s premier corporate law firms and which offers a range of diverse legal services. She worked both in litigation and corporate/commercial departments, and assisted with pro bono matters when possible. In the last six months she focused on competition law and was involved in matters that included the submission of filings by high-profile clients to the Competition Commission. Outside of the firm, Rebecca was actively involved in the formation of the Western Cape chapter of the South African Women Lawyers’ Association. She qualified as an attorney in 2008. Rebecca subsequently spent one year as a legal researcher to Chief Justice Pius Langa at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, working on matters of national constitutional importance. Following that, she moved to Bochum, Germany for six months, where she devised and taught a course introducing German law students at Ruhr-Universität Bochum to aspects of the common law system.
Rebecca will commence an LL.M in International Legal Studies at NYU.
Mr. Amir Weizenbluth
Israel
Amir Weizenbluth received his LLB degree in 2005 from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, summa cum laude. He was included in the Dean's Honor List for each year of study and received a number of scholarships for his academic accomplishments. While attending law school he was a research assistant to Professor Mordechai Kremnitzer in the field of Constitutional Law and Criminal Law and a member of the editorial board of the Hebrew University Law Review. Upon graduation he clerked for the Honorable Justice Miriam Naor of the Supreme Court of Israel. After being admitted to the Israeli Bar, he joined the litigation group of one of Israel's leading law firms, S. Horowitz & Co., where he worked for two and a half years as an associate.
2008-2009 Academic Year
Ms. Davinia Aziz
Singapore
Davinia Aziz graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2002, and a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford in 2005. At NUS, she ranked first in the Fourth Year LLB Examination, and received a number of other academic prizes, including the Koh Han Kok Book Prize for Public International Law. She was an Associate Editor of the Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law, an editor of the Singapore Law Review, and a member of the NUS team that won the International Rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in 2001. After graduation, she continued to maintain close links with NUS as a part-time tutor in Constitutional and Administrative Law.
Between 2002 and 2004, she clerked for the Honourable Chief Justice Yong Pung How at the Supreme Court of Singapore. Upon her return from the University of Oxford, she was appointed a Deputy Registrar and Magistrate of the Subordinate Courts of Singapore, where she remained until she took up her current post as State Counsel at the International Affairs Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers in October 2007.
She is the author of "The Utility of an International Legal Approach to the Jerusalem Question: Camera Obscura or Camera Lucida?" (2003) 7 Sing. Y.B. Int'l L. 511 and "Punishment As Response to Harm: Why the Attempt Warrants Lesser Punishment Than the Competed Crime" [2002] Sing. J.L.S. 604.
Davinia is enrolled in the LLM in International Legal Studies at NYU.
Ms. Aikerim Kaziyeva
Kazakhstan
Aikerim Kaziyeva graduated with Qualification as a lawyer from Kazakh University of the Humanities and the Law (Kazakhstan) with distinction in 2005, and a degree in English from Aktobe State University in the name of K. Zhubanov (Kazakhstan) with distinction in 2002. In 2000-2002, she was one of the three University students awarded the most prestigious Kazakh government award - Presidential scholarship - granted to students for academic excellence, research and social activities. She also received numerous awards in Kazakhstani national language competitions. After graduation from the law school, she practiced as an in-house legal counsel for the Kazakh oil industry, including, notably, her experience in Karazhanbasmunai (KBM), one of the leading oil companies in Kazakhstan, where she initially joined as Executive Assistant to First Vice President. She was a significant contributor to the solution of tremendous difficulties encountered in reshaping an old Soviet enterprise into a successful private business during a rapidly changing business environment in Kazakhstan.
She was awarded the Gold Medal for extraordinary success in studies, being one of the 56 recipients in Kazakhstan and the only recipient from Mangistau oblast in 1998.
Aikerim’s concentration at NYU Law is in International Taxation.
Mr. Alamo Laiman
Indonesia
Alamo D. Laiman obtained his law degree from Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR) - Bandung, Indonesia in 2003, where he graduated as the Valedictorian. During his academic tenure, he was awarded a merit-based scholarship called the Dharma Siswa award in 2001 and won the second runner up place in the National Legal Writing competition during his sophomore's year.
Since the year 2000, he has been taking active roles either as participant, coach or judge in many international law moot court competitions. He participated in ILSA's Jessup, the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asia Cup, the IISL's Manfred Lachs Space Law and lastly the ICRC's Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition. Alamo received several awards in these competitions, but most notably he won the Best Oralist title and the Outstanding Achievement Award for the Memorials of the Respondent in the Asia Cup 2003 in Tokyo. He also successfully coached the Atma Jaya University’s Jessup Team to win the National Championship in 2007.
Alamo started his legal career as an intern at Baker & McKenzie's Jakarta office before he joined a boutique firm Christian Teo & Associates and worked there for four years. He then joined a consulting firm called PT Principia Management Group, which is the investment executioner for a private equity firm which manages funds from Sovereign Wealth Funds institutions and US Ivy League Universities’ endowments in South East Asia.
Alamo is a practicing licensed-advocate admitted in all courts of Indonesia and was acknowledged as a Specialist in Employment Law by the 2007-2008 Asia Pacific Legal 500.
He also co-authored the Indonesian section of "Getting The Deal Through", in the (i) Telecoms and Media 2007 edition and the (ii) e-Commerce 2008 edition. These are International Bar Association's (IBA) joint publication series with the American Bar Association (ABA) that had won the prestigious United Kingdom’s Queen’s Awards.
Ms. Bastiana Locurscio
Argentina
Bastiana Locurscio graduated first in her class of the University of Buenos Aires Law School in 2005, out of 2,819 students. She obtained a law degree (abogada) with a concentration on Taxation and was awarded the Gold Medal of the University of Buenos Aires.
She has also been awarded other distinctions such as an Honors Diploma of the University of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Supreme Court of Justice Award, the Buenos Aires Bar Association Academic Excellence Distinction and the Lexis Nexis Award.
Bastiana has also received scholarships and fellowships from distinguished institutions such as Fundación Carolina, Delta Kappa Gamma Society, University of Buenos Aires and Fulbright Commission.
She has completed graduate studies in the Executive Program for the Updating and Modernization of the Judiciary organized by the University Carlos III (Spain) and the University of Buenos Aires, and has attended a Master in Taxation in Argentina.
Mr. Mwaisaka Davidson Mghanga
Kenya
Davidson Mwaisaka obtained a first class honors Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, Kenya is 2006. This was a great achievement since the last first class honors was earned eight years ago. This has been one of the highest academic records in history of the faculty of law. Upon graduation, he was awarded with the Kaplan and Stratton and Hamilton, Harrison and Mathews awards for academic excellence.
In October 2006, he joined Kaplan and Stratton advocates, the largest and leading firm in east and central Africa, where he advised several domestic and international clients on corporate commercial transactions, specialized in corporate finance, joint ventures and conducted various legal due diligences. He also participated in various commercial litigations.
He was the president of the law students association and an editor for the University of Nairobi's law journal. He also participated extensively in legal aid programs while at the University of Nairobi. He has published several academic papers in well known Kenyan legal journals. He has been a research assistant of various professors on international trade, intellectual property and commercial law at the University of Nairobi. He has also worked as a research assistant with the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC).
He holds a higher degree in computer science and is a certified company secretary.
Ms. Alicja Nilsson
Sweden
Alicja Nilsson received her L.L.B degree from Uppsala University (Sweden) in January 2007, with the highest possible GDP average. She has also studied European law at Salzburg University (Austria) in 2005 and international law at University of New South Wales (Australia) in 2003. At UNSW, her comparative research paper on transitional justice in Poland and East Germany was awarded the Judge G. Federico Mancini Prize in European Law for the 'Best research essay in the field of European Law in any degree or diploma program at University of New South Wales'. Prior to commencing her studies at NYU, Alicja clerked at the Stockholm District Court, at a department specialized in international criminal proceedings. Her work included giving assistance to judges as well as acting as a judge herself in both criminal and civil proceedings. In 2005, Alicja worked as an assisting lawyer at Marsh AB in Sweden. At Marsh, her work focused on legal compliance issues, including international anti-money laundering legislation. During her studies, Alicja worked pro bono as a Witness Support at the Uppsala District Court.
In addition to the Hauser Global Scholarship Alicja also received the Fulbright Scholarship.
At NYU, Alicja will pursue an L.L.M in International Legal Studies.
Mr. Demian Stauber
Switzerland
Demian Stauber graduated summa cum laude from the University of Zurich School of Law in Switzerland, in December 2003. After graduating, he joined Homburger, a top Swiss law firm, as a junior associate. From 2005 to 2008 he worked as a clerk at the Commercial Court of Aargau. In 2006, he was admitted to the Bar. He has published articles on intellectual property as well as on debt enforcement and tort law.
In September 2008, Demian obtained his Doctorate of Law from the University of Berne, summa cum laude, for a doctoral thesis on the legal consequences of creditor’s delay under the supervision of former Swiss Chief Justice Prof. Dr. h.c. Hans Peter Walter.
His concentration at NYU Law will be Trade Regulation, especially intellectual property law.
Mr. Guy Wertheim
Israel
Guy Wertheim received his LLB degree in 2005 from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, summa cum laude. He was included in the Dean's Honor List for each year of study. While attending law school he was a research assistant to Professor Mordechai Kremnitzer in the field of Criminal Law and a member of the editorial board of the Hebrew University Law Review, "Mishpatim". Upon graduation he clerked for Honorable Justice Edna Arbel of the Supreme Court of Israel. After being admitted to the Israeli Bar, he joined the litigation group of one of Israel's leading law firms, S. Horowitz & Co., and worked there for a year and a half as an associate. He is also a co-author of a book on the offense of breach of trust by public officers (publication forthcoming, December 2008, in Hebrew).
Ms. Na Yang
China
Na Yang earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in law at the Renmin University of China, where she graduated first in her class and received a number of scholarships and honors for her academic accomplishments. She has published several research papers and co-authored two published books on Chinese corporate and commercial laws. In addition, some of her research papers and essays were awarded distinguished honors. Her research paper on corporate structural reform in China won first place prize in the 2001 Beijing "Challenge Cup" Academic Research Competition held by Beijing Municipal Education Commission. Another essay she wrote on corporate social responsibility won the International Students’ Committee Competition hosted by University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. During her studies at Renmin University of China, she was involved in a wide range of extracurricular activities. She served as the editor-in-chief of Renmin University Law Journal and participated in various legal aid activities at Renmin University Legal Aid Center and Legal Clinic. Additionally, she founded and acted as the president of a youth volunteer organization to help deaf-mute children and elderly people. She assisted the project officer of Ford Foundation to initiate and promote clinical legal education at major Chinese law schools.
Immediately after her graduation at Renmin University of China, she went to the University of Cambridge in England and obtained an LLM degree. Subsequently, she pursued an internship at the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs in New York, where she prepared the publications on the Charter of the United Nations and assisted the International Law Commission on the legal research project involving Chinese legislations. Afterwards, she returned to China and worked with the Beijing office of an international law firm, Hogan & Hartson LLP, where she advised both international and Chinese clients on a broad spectrum of areas including initial public offering of securities, foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, international trade and regulatory compliance. During her work at Hogan & Hartson LLP, she actively participated in the firm’s pro bono program providing service to international non-profit organizations.
Her concentration at NYU Law is in Corporation Law.
2007-2008 Academic Year
Festus Akunobera
Uganda
Festus Akunobera obtained a First Class Honors Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University Kampala in Uganda in 2005, with the highest academic record in the history of the Faculty of Law. Upon graduation, he was granted the Chief Justice's Prize for graduating first in his class. He was also awarded the prize of Outstanding Academician of the Year 2005 for academic excellence by the Makerere Law Society.
As a student, he was a winner of a Moot Court Competition sponsored by Makerere University, and was selected to represent Uganda in the 14th All-Africa Human Rights Moot Court Competition held in Johannesburg, South Africa (2005), where he emerged as the 10th best oralist.
Mr. Akunobera was the best participant, with distinction, at the East African Uongozi Leadership Training Program sponsored by Makerere University Kampala, The University of Nairobi and The University of Dar-es-salaam (Summer 2004), for which he was selected for a legal internship for three months at the National Environment Management Authority of Uganda.
Mr. Akunobera also served as the Speaker, Livingstone Hall, Makerere University (2004/5), as Editor, Makerere Law Journal (2004/5) ) and as Guild Representative Councilor of the Makerere Students Guild (2003/4).
Mr. Akunobera went on to pursue a postgraduate diploma in legal practice at the Law Development Centre, Kampala, where he emerged as the best in the Uganda bar examination. He was awarded the Chief Justice’s Award and the Denton Wilde Sapte/Kampala Associated Advocates Prize for the overall best student at the Bar Course. As a student, he served as the Law Development Centre Students' Guild Legal Advisor.
Mr. Akunobera was a part-time lecturer in tax law at the Uganda Pentecostal University during the 2005/6 academic year. He worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers Uganda as a Tax Consultant from September 2006 to July 2007. He is a Research Associate with the preeminent Shonubi, Musoke & Co. Advocates in Uganda.
In August 2007, Mr. Akunobera will start his LL.M in International Taxation at NYU School of Law as a Hauser Global Scholar, after which he intends to pursue a career in the International Tax area.
Jan Bischoff
Germany
Jan Asmus Bischoff has studied law at Hamburg University with a focus on international public law and received his first law degree with distinction in 2005.
After his graduation, he worked as a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Hamburg. He is writing his Doctoral Thesis on "The European Community and the Uniform Private Law Conventions" under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Jurgen Basedow. He has published articles on community law as well as on public international law. He also taught courses on German constitutional law. During his studies, he has been working on public international law issues at the German Federal Ministry of Defense, Bonn.
In August 2007, Jan began his studies in the LLM in International Legal program.
Patricia Brandstetter
Austria
Patricia Brandstetter graduated in the top 1 per cent of her class from the University of Vienna Law School with a Magistra iuris (JD equivalent) in 2004. She received an additional Diploma in International Economic Law and International Relations with distinction and was awarded a Merit Scholarship from the University of Vienna. She also received numerous awards in English language competitions and has done translation work for several Vienna-based law firms. From 2004 to 2007, she worked as a Professor's Assistant at the Institute for Austrian and International Tax Law of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, where she gained wide experience as a lecturer of domestic and international tax law and focused her interest on tax treaty law. She will be pursuing the LLM program in International Taxation.
Petr Briza
Czech Republic
In 2003 Mr. Petr Briza graduated summa cum laude from the Law Faculty of Charles University, Prague. His master thesis was awarded a Randa Foundation Prize (given to the best master thesis in commercial and affiliated branches of law) and was also recognized as a Juris Doctor thesis, which resulted in his Juris Doctor degree in 2004. In 2007 Mr. Briza finished a Diploma in English and European Union Law at the University of Cambridge. He is also a PhD candidate at Prague's Law Faculty where his PhD thesis and related research are on European private international law.
Since 2004, Mr. Briza has been working for the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic, where he became head of the EU Coordination Unit and later acting director of the European Union Department until his leave of absence for NYU.
He has both published and has forthcoming articles on European Law and Private International Law, which are his main areas of interest. On these subjects he also gives occasional lectures at the Judicial Academy of the Czech Republic and Prague's Law Faculty. Mr. Briza is an expert member of the "European Research Network in the fields of private international law, civil law and civil procedure" and currently he is co-founding the Czech Society for European and Comparative Law.
In addition to the Hauser Global Scholarship Mr. Briza also received a Fulbright Student Scholarship.
At NYU he will pursue his LLM in General Studies.
Tianyi Chen
China
Tianyi Chen obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Laws from Peking University Law School, where he graduated first in his class. He has worked as Editor-in-chief of Peking University International and Comparative Law Review and Editor of Peking University Law Review. He received a number of scholarships and honors throughout his studies for his academic accomplishments. Among other things, he won the first prize of O'Melveny & Myers Beijing Legal Scholarship and was honored as an Excellent Graduate of Beijing City. During his studies, Tianyi worked as an intern in Clifford Chance, Paul Hastings and Legal Department of Siemens Ltd., China, dealing primarily with corporate and commercial law issues. In addition, he has published several academic papers in well-known Chinese legal journals.
In August 2007, Tianyi will start his LLM studies in Corporation Law.
Kabir Duggal
India
Kabir Ashok Nina Duggal has completed his Bachelor in Commerce (Honors); LLB from Government Law College (Mumbai University); Post graduate diploma in Human Rights from Department of Civics and Politics (Mumbai University); Post graduate diploma in International Humanitarian Law (NALSAR University) and the BCL (Masters in Law) from the University of Oxford, in international law and human rights.
Kabir was the University topper at the LLB Course (from about 1500 students), and secured the First rank in the Diploma in Human Rights (from 54 students) and Diploma in International Humanitarian Law (from 34 students). He received 5 scholarship awards from the Mumbai University for his performance on the LLB examination. He was also awarded the 'Ranganath Rao Trophy' by the Government Law College for securing the highest marks for all three years of the LLB course. He was the Senior Editor for the Government Law College Law Review.
Kabir has worked as a full time consultant for UNICEF in India for two years. He has been involved in several projects relating to child policy and legal reform with the Government of India and Maharashtra. As a programming professional, his expertise lies in the field of child protection which includes child exploitation for commercial sex, child labour and juvenile justice administration and reform. He has also worked as a research assistant to Hon'ble Justice Sujata Manohar (retired Supreme Court Judge and Member of National Human Rights Commission, India) for a year.
Kabir is currently pursuing the LLM course in International Legal Studies at NYU and hopes to augment his interests in international organization reform and human rights. In addition, Kabir has also been admitted to NYU as a "Transitional Justice Scholar".
Gautam Gandotra
India
Gautam graduated in 2004 with a BSL, LLB degree from the University of Pune, Indian Law Society’s Law College, India. For his academic distinction and excellence in co-curricular activities, he has received 20 awards and achievements, including a Gold Medal for scoring First Rank, Best Student Award and Governor's Award for academic excellence. Gautam also scored First Rank in the one year diploma course on Corporate Laws in 2003 from Law College, Pune, India.
After his graduation, Gautam joined the Mumbai office of DSK Legal (erstwhile Anderson India), a leading corporate law firm in India, as an associate. Based on his performance during two years of practice and his ability to handle negotiations single-handedly in various private placement transactions, he was designated as a Senior Associate of the firm in 2006. He has advised several domestic and international clients on commercial transactions, especially conducting legal due diligence in relation to foreign investments/acquisitions, private placements, drafting share purchase, share subscription and shareholders agreements, drafting de-mergers schemes, joint ventures and various transactions relating to corporate finance. Gautam has advised various venture capital and private equity investors in their investments in companies carrying on business in India in the fields of manufacturing, retail trading, insurance, print media, Fast Moving Consumer Goods and real estate development.
Beginning August 2007, he will attend the LLM program in Corporation Law at NYU School of Law.
Claire Inder
Australia
Claire Inder graduated from the University of New South Wales (Australia) in 2005 with a LL.B, and was awarded the University Medal in Law. Claire also earned a BA in Politics and International Relations with a High Distinction average. Claire studied at Harvard University, as a recipient of the UNSW Harvard Travel Scholarship (2005), and at the University of Aix-Marseille III (2003). She was a student editor of the UNSW Law Journal, the Australian Indigenous Law Reporter and the Australian Human Rights Journal. Prior to commencing her LL.M at NYU, Claire worked as a Consultant with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. Her work focused on many aspects of international law relating to the asylum-migration nexus, and included the drafting of a legal and policy handbook on this subject intended for operational use world-wide by States and the UNHCR. From 2005-2007, Claire was Research Officer (Legal/Political) at the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C., where she provided advice on a range of U.S. legal and political issues: notably, the laws of war and international humanitarian law, public international law, terrorism and Iraq. Claire has also worked for the Australian Law Reform Commission and the law firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques in Sydney, and interned with the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva.
Kenneth Lim
Singapore
Kenneth Lim received his LLB with First Class Honors from the National University of Singapore in 2004. He received the Law Society of Singapore Prize as the top student in the LLB third-year examination, the Leow Chia Heng Prize as one of the top students in the LLB final examination and the Koh Han Kok Prize as the top student in Public International Law. He also received the Shook Lin & Bok Scholarship and the Kwa Geok Choo Scholarship. Kenneth was associate editor of the Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law. He represented NUS at the 2003 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington D.C., the 2003 Asia Cup Moot Court Competition in Tokyo, Japan, and was on the NUS team that won the 2004 Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition in Hong Kong SAR.
After graduation, Kenneth clerked for the Hon. Chief Justice Yong Pung How at the Supreme Court of Singapore. In 2005, he was legal counsel at the Competition Commission of Singapore. Kenneth was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2006, having received the Justice Tah Ah Tah Prize as the top student in Professional Responsibility in the Singapore bar examinations. He then joined Allen & Gledhill LLP, a leading law firm in Singapore, as an associate. His areas of practice included civil and criminal litigation, commercial arbitration, antitrust law and corporate insolvency. Kenneth also serves as a member of the Legal Commission of the Singapore Red Cross.
Enrique Veramendi
Argentina
Enrique Valentin Veramendi graduated with honors from the University of Buenos Aires Law School in December 2001. He ranked in the top 1% in a class of over 2,500 students. In May 2006 he earned a Master's degree in Administrative Law from the Austral University, with an award winning thesis.
Enrique's professional experience has been in both the public and the private sector. While studying law, he worked in the Argentine National Congress. In 2002 he joined Marval, O'Farrell & Mairal, the largest and one of the leading law firms in Argentina, where he worked for the last five years. His main areas of practice have been Litigation, Administrative Law and Oil & Gas.
He has carried out extensive research on subjects related to Administrative and Constitutional Law and published several articles in various Argentine Law Journals.
In August 2007, Enrique will begin the LLM program in General Studies, focusing on Administrative Law and Government Economic Regulation.
2006-2007 Academic Year
Amanda Arcaya
Venezuela
Amanda Arcaya graduated summa cum laude from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello ("UCAB") in Venezuela. Upon graduation Amanda was granted the Caracciolo Parra Leon Prize for graduating first in her class. She was also awarded the Juris Vitols Prize for Excellence, selected from among the entire graduating UCAB community (students from all the faculties of the UCAB, not just Law School) for her superb academic record and identification with UCAB's values. Amanda was a member of UCAB's Honor Society and also participated in one of the oldest United Nations competitions in the United States, where she received the Best Delegate Prize in the Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Committee.
After graduation Amanda worked as an Associate in Despacho de Abogados miembros de Macleod Dixon, S.C. in the Corporate Department.
Amanda is currently pursuing her LL.M in International Legal Studies.
Niamh Dunne
Ireland
Niamh Dunne holds a BA in Law from the University of Cambridge. Whilst reading for her degree, she came top of both the Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure & Evidence papers, was made an academic Scholar of Girton College, and was involved in student governance. Niamh has worked as a researcher for the Free Legal Advice Centres, a leading Irish legal charity. She has also undertaken internships with Dublin law firm Matherson Ormsby Prentice, and City firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Slaughter and May.
After completing the LLM in International Legal Studies as a Hauser Global Scholar, Niamh hopes to work within the diplomatic service or the international criminal law arena.
Tiago Fidalgo de Freitas
Portugal
Tiago Fidalgo de Freitas holds a licenciatura law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Lisbon School of Law, where he graduated first in his class in 2004. For his academic distinction he received several prizes and scholarships both awarded by the University of Lisbon and by the Institute of Political-Juridical Sciences. During his law degree, he was particularly engaged in academic activities and participated in several mooting competitions and international programs. He holds the Diploma of the Academy of European Public Law, for having participated in its 10th and 11th Sessions, held in Legraina, Greece, in 2004 and 2005, and for having discussed a thesis in the field of fundamental rights with an international jury. He also attended the Masters course in Juridical-Political Sciences in the University of Lisbon School of Law in 2006.
Since he graduated, he has been a lawyer in Sérvulo Correia & Associados, the leading Portuguese law firm in Public Law. He has published an article in constitutional law and has participated in national and international conferences as a guest speaker mainly in the field of administrative law. His main areas of interest are constitutional and administrative law, fundamental rights, European Union law and legal theory. He will be taking his Master of Laws in General Studies as a Hauser Global Scholar.
Ben Gauntlett
Australia
Ben Gauntlett graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia (UWA). He received a number of prizes throughout his studies, was an editor of the UWA Law Review and a member of the moot team that finished runner-up in the world finals of the Philip C. Jessup International Mooting Competition. He graduated as top overall student in 2002 and was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford in 2003. At Oxford, he is completing a D.Phil. in Competition Law, has taught company law and was an editor of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal.
In August 2006, Ben will begin his studies in the LLM in Trade Regulation program.
Lara Granville
South Africa
Lara Granville obtained both her BA (in Philosophy and Law) and her LLB from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lara was active in various university committees such as the Law Students Council, the South African Union of Jewish Students and the Law School Teaching and Learning Committee. She graduated from the LLB as best student in 2004. After her graduation, she clerked at the Constitutional Court of South Africa for Justice Yvonne Mokgoro. She also taught Constitutional Law part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand. Lara has started her articles at the commercial law firm, Deneys Reitz Attorneys, where she has been working in the Competition Law department.
In August 2006, Lara will begin her studies in the LLM in General Studies program.
Nadja Jaisli
Switzerland
Nadja Jaisli graduated summa cum laude from the University of Zurich School of Law, Switzerland, in July 2003. She also studied in Geneva (in the French part of Switzerland) for one year where she broadened her knowledge in the field of international law. Two of her term papers were awarded with a special prize by the extended University Faculty of the University of Zurich. During her studies, Ms. Jaisli worked as an undergraduate assistant to Professor Hans Caspar von der Crone, Professor for Private, Commercial and Corporate Law. She further attended a Summer Clerkship Program at Lenz & Staehelin, one of Switzerland's leading law firms, and an internship at a local newspaper in Zurich.
After graduating, Ms. Jaisli worked as a clerk to the Judge at the District Court of Horgen, Zurich. In 2005, she was admitted to the Bar of the Canton of Zurich and then joined Bär & Karrer, a top law firm in Switzerland, as an associate. Her main areas of practice include commercial litigation, international arbitration and commercial law.
In 2006-2007, Ms. Jaisli will attend the LLM program at NYU School of Law, after which she will continue to advance her career as an international business lawyer.
Winta Tesfai Menghis
Eritrea
Winta Tesfai Menghis obtained her LLB degree, graduating with Great Distinction from the University of Asmara in Eritrea in 2004. For her academic excellence, she received the Outstanding Student of the Year Award, a Gold Medal for academic excellence on the occasion of the 34th commencement of the University of Asmara. For exemplary achievements, she also received an award from the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW).
As a student, she was a winner of a Moot Court Competition sponsored by the University of Asmara, and was selected to represent Eritrea in the 11th African Human Rights Moot Court Competition held in Egypt (2002). Thanks to her scholastic achievements and her demonstrated aptitude for independent legal research, she secured a teaching and research assistantship post in the University of Asmara. Law teaching, being one of the most challenging and highly sought after careers in the Eritrean legal profession, has only been available to the most outstanding graduates. Her work in the law school began in September 2003 when she was assigned to do her national service as an intern. Among other things, her job in the law school included classroom teaching with the approval of the professors, developing supplementary teaching materials and facilitating student projects. Her job in the law school gave her the opportunity to work with the Dean as her mentor and with other excellent professors of the faculty. She identified her area of scholarly interest and expertise, providing her with a head start in the single most difficult task for any person involved in pursuing a career. She watched the law professors teach and discussed teaching techniques with them. She also participated in a rich mixture of scholarly symposia, lectures, and seminars for the University's faculty. On top of these, she had the responsibility to conduct researches and to actively participate in the Law School's Academic Commission meetings. In August 2006, she will begin her studies as a Hauser Global Scholar for the LLM in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law, after which she aspires to pursue a non-academic career in international law.
Nicholas Sage
New Zealand
Nicholas Sage graduated with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland. He received Senior Prizes in Law and Political Studies, and was Editor-in-Chief of the Auckland University Law Review. Since graduating he has worked as Judge's Clerk to the Rt. Hon. Justice Gault and then the Hon. Justice Anderson at the Supreme Court of New Zealand. He was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2005. He has published and forthcoming journal articles on contract law, constitutional law, and torts. In his LLM study he will focus on private law theory and jurisprudence.
Umakanth Varottil
India
Umakanth Varottil graduated with a BA, LLB (Hons.) degree from the National Law School of India University Bangalore in 1995. He received 8 gold medals from the National Law School, among others for the First Rank, Best Outgoing Student and for highest marks in Corporate and Business Laws. At the National Law School, he was President of the Student Bar Association, which is the representative body of students.
After his graduation, Umakanth joined Amarchand Mangaldas, a leading corporate law firm in India, as an associate. In 2000, he became a partner of the firm and was the partner-in-charge of the Bangalore office of the firm leading a team of 15 lawyers. He has advised several domestic and international clients on cutting-edge transactions in all areas of corporate and commercial law, including foreign investment, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, securities law, corporate finance, structured finance and information technology. In 2006, he was ranked as an up and coming leading corporate/mergers & acquisitions lawyer in India by the Chambers Global Guide.
Umakanth has always had a keen interest in academia. He has authored several articles and presented papers on areas of corporate sector regulation. For the last three years, he has been involved in teaching a seminar course on mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring at his alma mater, the National Law School of India University. Beginning August 2006, he will attend the LLM program in Corporation Law at NYU, after which he intends to pursue a career in academics in the area of corporate and business laws.
Tomer Weissman
Israel
Tomer Weissman received his LLB degree in 2004 from Tel-Aviv University, where he graduated first in his class. While attending law school, Mr. Weissman was a research assistant of Prof. Daniel Friedmann in the area of Contract law and a member of the editorial staff of Tel Aviv University Law Review. Also, during his studies, Mr. Weissman worked as an intern in a boutique law firm dealing mostly with Tort law and Litigation. Upon graduation, Mr. Weissman began clerking for Justice Dorit Beinisch of the Supreme Court of Israel. A year later, after being admitted to the Israeli Bar, Mr. Weissman became Justice Beinisch senior legal advisor, a position he held until July 2006. Among other things, Mr. Weissman assisted Justice Beinisch in her tenure as the chairwoman of the General Election Committee in Israel's 2006 elections. In August 2006 Mr. Weissman will join the LLM program at NYU Law School as a Hauser Global Scholar.
2005-2006 Academic Year
Dara Acusar
Philippines
Dara C. Acusar received her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in the Philippines. She graduated Valedictorian with the Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. She later ranked 2nd in the 1999 Philippine Bar Examinations, and went on to work with Quisumbing Torres Law Offices (an affiliate of Baker & McKenzie). Ms. Acusar served as Assistant Secretary to the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel of the Philippine President, and later as Consultant to the Mayor of Cebu City, Philippines.
Ms. Acusar will be taking her Masters of Law in General Studies (Corporate and International Economic Law) as a Hauser Global Scholar.
Adrian Friedman
South Africa
Adrian Friedman obtained his LLB degree, graduating as best student, from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2003. Mr. Friedman was an assistant editor of the South African Law Journal, South Africa's premier journal on general legal issues and was editor of the Annual Survey of South African Law, in which leading South African academics discuss legal developments each year. He has also co-authored a chapter in the Annual Survey on the Criminal Law in 2002 and has since taken over sole responsibility of the chapter in 2003 and 2004 (forthcoming). Mr. Friedman has also co-authored a chapter in Children's Rights in the Constitutional Law of South Africa, the leading text on constitutional law in the country. In 2003 he was best oralist in the South African national rounds of the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Mr. Friedman's most recent activities include clerking at the Constitutional Court first for Justice Yvonne Mokgoro and then for Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson and teaching part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Benjamin Leyendecker
Germany
Benjamin Leyendecker graduated first in his law class from the University of Constance and first of all Universities in the state Baden-Württemberg. For his academic distinction he received several prizes and scholarships including an award by the German National Academic Merit Foundation. After his graduation he served at the Institute of German and European Corporate and Business Law of the University of Heidelberg as a Research Assistant. At the University of Heidelberg he also enrolled in a research project concerning international corporate law. Later on he started with his German PhD (doctorate in law), which he will finish after his LLM course at NYU School of Law. Besides his studies at the Universities of Constance and Heidelberg he was also enrolled for several weeks at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, as part of a summer law school program and recently as a research scholar at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States. In August 2005 Mr. Leyendecker will begin his studies for the LLM in Corporation Law at NYU School of Law, after which he will apply for admission to the New York State Bar Association and continue to further advance a career in corporate law.
Doreen Lustig
Israel
Doreen Lustig is a Hauser Global Scholar and an Institute for International Law and Justice (IILJ) Graduate Scholar enrolled in the IILJ’s LLM-J.S.D. program in International Law. Ms. Lustig holds an LLB, cum laude, from Tel-Aviv University as well as a Bachelor's degree, cum laude, in Social Sciences. She has recently clerked for Justice E. Rivlin of the Israeli Supreme Court. Ms. Lustig held several research assistant and teaching assistant positions in Tel-Aviv University and other academic institutions in the fields of international law, legal history, feminist legal theories, transitional justice and political trials. Ms. Lustig was the chief student editor of the Tel Aviv University Law Review and actively participated in clinical legal counseling. She initiated, within an Israeli NGO, a unique program providing legal counseling and assistance for the mentally challenged in their own community.
Anh Luu
Vietnam
Anh Luu received her Bachelor of Law in 2001 from the Hanoi Law University, Vietnam, where she ranked first in the entry examination and graduated in the top 1% of the class. She was awarded a full scholarship of the University and a scholarship of the Association of Francophone Universities (AUF) for her participation in a special bilingual law program in French. She worked for the Vietnam Red Cross and several law firms before she joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the leading business law firm in Vietnam, in 2003. She has been a member of the Hanoi Bar Association since 2004.
In August 2005, Anh Luu will begin her studies in the LLM in Corporation Law program at NYU School of Law, after which she will continue pursuing her career in corporate law and international investment transactions.
Syed Shahab Qutub
Pakistan
Syed Qutub received his LLB degree from the Pakistan College of Law in 2003 where he had the distinction of ranking first in the graduating class. He read for his BA degree at Government College Lahore in 2000 where he received the G.D. Sondhi Gold Medal for best overall academic performance in the academic session. He was also awarded the Roll of Honor for debating at Government College Lahore. Later the same year he received a Presidential Award, the highest student award of the Government of Pakistan ('Tamgha-e-Sabqat') that was awarded to him by the President of Pakistan for excellence in co-curricular activities.
During his LLB, Mr. Qutub was particularly active in moot court activities and participated in the Jean Pictet International Humanitarian Law Moot Competition in Greece in 2003 as member of the Pakistan team. Pursuing his interest in International Law, he worked briefly as a research associate for the Research Society of International Law in Pakistan in 2003. Mr. Qutub was admitted to the Punjab Bar in 2003, then he joined Zafar, Iqbal and Raja, a leading law firm in Lahore, where his practice primarily included litigation in the areas of tax, banking and intellectual property law. He has also had the opportunity of working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and has been involved in the review/impact assessment of judicial and legal reforms in Pakistan conducted by the ADB. Additionally he has co-authored a report published by the IUCN (World Conservation Union) on the "Environmental Laws of the Northern Areas of Pakistan."
In August 2005, he will begin his studies in the LLM in General Studies program at NYU School of Law, after which he plans to pursue a career in international and commercial law and to contribute to the reform of legal education in Pakistan.
Stephan Schill
Germany
Stephan Schill studied law, philosophy and political science at the University of Augsburg, Germany, Université Jean-Moulin Lyon III, France, and the German University of Administrative Science in Speyer. He holds a French degree in History of Political Thinking and Doctrine (Diplôme Européen de l'Histoire des Idées et des Doctrines Politiques) and two German law degrees (First and Second State Exam). After graduation from law school he obtained an LLM in International Economic Law from the University of Augsburg and worked as a Junior Assistant at the law school’s Department for Public Law under Prof. Thomas Vesting. Subsequently, he interned over a two-year period with several international law firms in Germany, Belgium and Argentina and clerked at the German Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Last year he started ongoing training in order to qualify as a civil law notary in Bavaria. Simultaneous to pursuing the LLM in International Legal Studies, he is continuing his research as a PhD candidate at the Max Planck Institute of International Law at Heidelberg, Germany, under the supervision of Prof. Armin von Bogdandy on property protection in international law. His project is an amalgam of international economic law, international human rights and property theory. Mr. Schill is the author of several articles on international investment protection and legal issues of reproductive medicine. Inter alia, he will publish an article on the ICSID-proceedings concerning Argentina's currency reform in the German Arbitration Journal. His main areas of interest are international economic law, bioethics and legal theory.
Ronli Sifris
Australia
Ronli Sifris received her LLB in 2003 from Monash University, Australia, where she graduated first in her class. She also received a BA from Monash University. Whilst at university, Ms. Sifris was awarded the prizes for the best result in: Torts, Equity, Constitutional Law, Legal Issues in Medicine, International Law and International Human Rights. She was also the editor of the Monash University Law Review. Ms. Sifris has published a feature article in the Melbourne Journal of International Law and has another article pending publication in the Alternative Law Journal. In 2003, she interned with the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Whilst completing her Articles of Clerkship at Baker & McKenzie's Melbourne office in 2004, she chaired the Young Lawyers' Community Issues Committee for the Law Institute of Victoria. In August 2005, Ms. Sifris will begin her studies in the LLM program in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law, after which she plans to either work with an international organization or pursue an academic career in international law.
2004-2005 Academic Year
Natasha Bakht
Canada
Ms. Natasha Bakht received her LLB, cum laude, from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law in 2002. She obtained her BA with distinction, in Politics and Drama from the University of Toronto in 1996, and also holds an M.A. in Political Studies from Queen's University. After graduation, she was a Law Clerk to the Honorable Madam Justice Louise Arbour, Supreme Court of Canada. Ms. Bakht is a member of the women of colour caucus of Canada's National Association of Women and the Law, and also serves as an advisor on various policy papers including her special research interest, the impact of the Canadian national security agenda on racialized women. Ms. Bakht is admitted as an attorney of the Law Society of Upper Canada (Ontario). She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa where she teaches criminal law. In August 2004, Ms. Bakht will begin her studies in the LLM program in General Studies at NYU School of Law, after which she plans to return to Canada to further advance her career as a law professor.
Nehal Bhuta
Australia
Mr. Nehal Bhuta received his LLB with Honors in 1999 from the University of Melbourne where he graduated first in his class. He is currently studying to obtain an M.A. in Political Science from the New School for Social Research in New York. In 2003 he served as a Consultant on Iraq to the International Centre for Transitional Justice, during which he co-led a field mission to Iraq to interview hundreds of Iraqis in order to gauge their interests in transitional justice. In 2001-2002, as an Articled Clerk, Mr. Bhuta advised Oxfam Australia and two East Timor human rights non-governmental organizations about international justice mechanisms for East Timor. Mr. Bhuta has published numerous articles in the area of human rights and is a recipient of a wide range of academic prizes and awards including a Fulbright Postgraduate Student Award from the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, and the World Championship Cup in the Philip C. Jessup International Mooting Competition, Washington, D.C. In August 2003, Mr. Bhuta will begin his studies in the LLM program in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law, after which he plans to either obtain an academic position combined with policy and advocacy work, or to engage in full-time research and fieldwork with a non-governmental organization or international organization.
Andrea Carcano
Italy
Mr. Andrea Carcano received his LLB in 1997 from the Faculty of Law of the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan , graduating in the top 4% of his class. In 2000, Mr. Carcano obtained a certificate of Post-Graduate Studies in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to studying law, Mr. Carcano served as a Navy Officer in the Italian Navy where he was commissioned with the rank of Lieutenant. He is currently a Legal Officer in the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, in The Hague, where he formerly held positions as Associate Legal Officer and Law Clerk to the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Theodor Meron. In August 2004, Mr. Carcano will begin his studies in the LLM program in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law, after which he plans to pursue an academic career in international law.
Katrina Gustafson
Canada
Ms. Gustafson received her LLB in 2001 from the University of British Columbia where she graduated first in her class. She also holds a BA with honors, in Philosophy, from the University of British Columbia. Upon graduating from law school, Ms. Gustafson served as a Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada for the Honourable Mr. Justice Iacobucci. She then interned with the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. In 2003 Ms. Gustafson was admitted to the New York State Bar and she is currently a corporate law associate at the New York law firm of Sherman and Sterling, where she also engages in pro bono work for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In August 2004, Ms. Gustafson will begin her studies in the LLM program in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law, after which she will continue to pursue a career in international public service.
Ronald Lengkong
Indonesia
Mr. Ronald Lengkong will enter NYU School of Law as the first Indonesian to be appointed as a Hauser Scholar in the 10 year history of the Hauser Program. He obtained his LLB in 2003 from the University of Indonesia Faculty of Law, where he graduated first in his class. He received his BA, summa cum laude, in 1996 from the Drijarkara School of Philosophy. In 2003 he obtained bar membership from the Indonesian Advocates Association and is currently an associate at the Law Office of Lontoh & Kailimang. He is also a lecturer at the University of Tarumanagara Faculty of Law in Jarkarta. In August 2004, Mr. Lengkong will begin his studies in the LLM program in Corporation Law at NYU School of Law after which he plans to return to Indonesia to continue pursuing his career in corporate law.
Xiaoxu Luo
China
In 2002, Ms. Xiaoxu Luo received her BA in International Economic Law from Fudan University and her LLB from Fudan Law School, where she graduated first in her class. She was awarded numerous scholarships while at Fudan, including the People's Scholarship of Fudan University and the Ten Academic Stars of Fudan University. Ms. Luo passed the Chinese Bar Examination with distinction, obtaining a score among the top ten of over four thousand candidates. Since 2001, Ms. Luo has worked as a corporate law attorney in Fangda Partners, PRC Lawyers, a leading law firm in Shanghai. She is also devoted to her volunteer work in a legal aid program sponsored by the Shanghai Justice Bureau, and with the public welfare organization, Loving Our Homeland. In August 2004, Ms. Luo will begin her studies in the LLM program in Corporation Law at NYU School of Law after which she plans to return to China to continue pursuing her career corporate law.
Ramya Seetharaman
India
Ms. Ramya Seetharaman obtained her BA and LLB with honors in 2002 from the National Law School of India University, where she was the recipient of a Merit Award during all five years of attendance. Ms. Seetharaman was also awarded the University Gold Medal for University Third Rank, and was the recipient of a Hague Academy of International Law Scholarship. During law school, she excelled in Moot Court, winning the Prize for Best Team in the South Asian Regional Selections and the Prize for Best Memorial in the Justice P.N. Bhagwati All India Constituitional Law Moot Court Competition. She has published several articles in leading India law journals, including Sebi & Corporate laws, Supreme Court cases and All India Reporter. In 2003, Ms. Seetharaman obtained bar membership from Maharashtra & Goa, India and is currently an associate at Udwadia & Udeshi, a leading law firm in Mumbai, and works in the area of corporate and commercial law. In August 2004, Ms. Seetharaman will begin her studies in the LLM program in Corporation Law at NYU School of Law, after which she plans to return to India to continue to pursue her career in corporate law and to contribute to commercial and financial law reform in India.
Alessandra Tebaldi Castelli
Peru
Coming from Lima, Peru, Ms. Tebaldi Castelli obtained her LLB in 2002 from the University of Lima School of Law where she was the valedictorian and graduated first in her class. She recently passed the Lima Bar Exam summa cum laude with the highest grade. She also holds a UVDH Diploma from the Universite d' Ete Des Droits de l'Homme et du Droit a l'Education in Geneva, Switzerland. She is the recipient of the Academic Excellence in Law Award, presented by the Peruvian Public Registry and Ministry of Justice. From October 2002 to April 2004, Ms. Tebaldi Castelli served as the Legal Consultant to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in the United Nations Headquarters Office of Legal Affairs in New York. In this capacity, she examined policy issues relating to economic and social affairs and human rights based on decisions from U.N. principal organs. She also researched and wrote numerous studies included in the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs. In August 2004, Ms. Tebaldi Castelli will begin her studies in the LLM program in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law after which she plans to continue to pursue her career in international law and public service.
2003-2004 Academic Year
Yulia Andreeva
Russia
Yulia Andreeva graduated with an LLM degree in Public International Law from Leiden University, The Netherlands, in 2000 and Specialist in Law cum laude from the Urals State Law Academy, Russia in 1999. She is a Gold Medal winner of three All-Russian legal competitions in private and public international law and several regional competitions in legal studies. In 1999, she received the National Award of the President of the Russian Federation for exceptional academic and professional achievements in law. Over the past two years she has served as Legal Assistant to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. She has also provided legal advice to the Commonwealth of Independent States drafting committees on the Model Labor Code and the Law on Securities, and legal assistance at the negotiations between the Russian Federation and the Hague Conference on Private International Law. She has published extensively in Russian law journals. Every year Yulia participates in international moot courts as a judge or jury member. She also serves as a senior editor of the Leiden Journal of International Law. She is interested in public international law, legal theory, and dispute resolution.
Matej Avbelj
Slovenia
Matej Avbelj graduated first in his law class from University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 2003 and was awarded Faculty's Grade Point Average Acknowledgment. Simultaneously, he has been studying history at Ljubljana Faculty of Arts. He was a student editor on the Ljubljana University Student Law Review, where he founded a special rubric Ius Constitutionalis dedicated to constitutionality, legality and human rights. He has published several articles in the leading Slovenian professional law and political reviews predominantly covering issues of constitutional law, freedom of speech, law of democracy and international law. He has been working as a co-author on a case-book about freedom of speech in Slovenia, Europe and in the USA. Matej worked briefly in a bank and as a practitioner in a law firm, but in the last two years he worked for the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia where he conducted research in comparative constitutional law. He has been organizing and attending seminars on constitutional and EU law and actively taking part in the Slovenian civil society. He is interested in Constitutional Law, Law of EU, International Law and Philosophy of Law.
Steven Budlender
South Africa
Steven Budlender obtained his BA and LLB degrees, both cum laude, from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, in 2000 and 2002 respectively. He ranked in the top 2% of his law class. He was the student editor of the South African Journal on Human Rights, the country's leading human rights journal, and President of the Law Students Council. In 1999, he was the best individual oralist at the All-Africa Human Rights Moot Court Competition and in 2002, was a member of the team that won the World Championship round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Steven has conducted first-hand research into the litigation strategies of marginalized communities in South Africa and has also been extensively involved in development work amongst historically disadvantaged South African youth. Most recently he served as a law clerk to Justice Arthur Chaskalson, President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He has also lectured part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand and is currently authoring two chapters for inclusion in South Africa's leading work on constitutional law.
James Cockayne
Australia
James Cockayne graduated from the University of Sydney, Australia, with First Class Honours in his LLB (2002) and First Class Honours and the University Medal in his BA (2000) in Government and Public Administration. He has also studied at the Universiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands. From April 2002 until July 2003, James was Senior Legal Officer and then Director in the International Crime Branch of the Australian Attorney-General's Department. In this role he managed the provision of legal policy advice to the Australian government on issues including Iraq, responses to terrorism and extradition. He has interned in the Chambers of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, worked in international arbitration at Coudert Frères in Paris, and in 2002 won the Prix Gilbert-Apollis for the Best Orator in the Concours Jean Pictet in Geneva, an humanitarian law pleading and negotiation competition. James has published in a wide range of legal journals and edited volumes on international law and Australian indigenous and immigration issues. He has served as a Councilor of the Australian Institute of International Affairs for 2 years, served as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in the 1999 National Youth Parliament and stood for election to Federal Parliament in 1998. James is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
Georg Kofler
Austria
Georg Kofler graduated at the top of his law class from Johannes Kepler University of Linz in 2000, receiving several prizes and scholarships for academic distinction. Simultaneously, he was enrolled in a business administration program at the University of Linz, which he finished in 2002. He has earned a doctorate in law with an award winning thesis as well as a doctorate in business administration in 2002 and 2003 respectively, both with highest distinction. During the last two years of his diploma studies in law he worked at the law school's Department of Tax Law as a Junior Assistant, and was appointed Acting Assistant Professor to this department in 2001. He serves as a member of the academic staff of ecolex , a faculty-edited Austrian journal on business law, and has authored and co-authored on various aspects of Austrian and international tax law, including 3 monographs, 1 anthology as an editor, and about 80 articles and reviews of court decisions in academic journals and anthologies. In 2002 and 2003 he practiced tax law with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance and clerked at the Federal Court of Appeals in Austria. He is interested in international taxation law.