Impact Scholarship
The Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship annually awards one merit-based scholarship to a rising 3L law student or an incoming LLM student with a demonstrated interest and/or achievement in using the law to create innovative solutions in emerging markets through social entrepreneurship, impact investing, and/or sustainable development. This scholarship provides $10,000 in partial tuition support for the full-time JD or master’s degree programs.
Current Scholar
Laura Salazar Alvarez LLM ’25
Laura was awarded her law degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Law School (Bogotá), graduating with multiple honors, including the Order of Academic Merit, the exemption from the Law School’s comprehensive exams required for graduation, and an honorary mention for the monograph “WTO Law & Environmental Policies: Consistency of Eco-labels, Carbon Taxes and Green Subsidies Under WTO Provisions". She also completed a specialization in Financial and Capital Markets Law at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá). To pursue both degrees, Laura was granted partial merit-based scholarships.
Before attending NYU, Laura worked in the Finance and Capital Markets practice area of Cuatrecasas (Colombia). In this role, Laura focused on designing project finance structures for key infrastructure projects in Colombia, including utilities and public services. Notably, Laura participated in structuring the first international issuance of sustainable bonds by a Colombian company, the financing for six solar power plants, two key transmission lines, and two thermoelectric power stations, as well as financing oil and gas exploration and production projects for domestic gas extraction.
In addition to the Impact Scholarship, Laura received the Dean’s Graduate Award.
Former Impact Scholars
Odunugaoluwa (Tumi) Odunuga LLM ’24
Prior to commencing his LLM at NYU, Oluwatumininu attended Osun State University, Nigeria, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 2016, and graduated as the third best law student. During his time at Osun State University, Oluwatumininu offered Energy and Environmental Law and explored various topical issues, including the environmental rights of oil-producing communities, Nigeria’s reliance on fossil fuels and the means of tackling climate change.
Following his degree completion, Oluwatumininu proceeded to the Nigerian Law School in 2017, where he graduated with First Class honors in 2017 in the top 0.1% of his class and received the Director General’s Prize for First Class Students. Upon graduating from the Nigerian Law School, he joined the Oil & Gas team of Olaniwun Ajayi LP – Nigeria’s foremost and largest commercial law firm, where he advised both local and international clients on several landmark transactions across the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He has also continued to garner experience advising on renewable energy transactions in Nigeria.
Visit LinkedIn to learn where Tumi is now.
Natalia Paola Guillen LLM ’22
Natalia received her law degree at Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC) Law School and was awarded an Honors Diploma and the UNC Law School Outstanding Graduate Award. Natalia holds a Master in Law and Economics from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella Law School and a Diploma in Arbitration from Universidad Austral Law School. To pursue these two graduate degrees, she was granted partial academic scholarships.
Before attending NYU, Natalia worked at the Treasury Attorney General’s Office of the Argentine Republic. First, she served as legal advisor to the Treasury Attorney General, head of the highest advisory body of the Executive Branch and all Ministries. As a member of his team, she provided strategic policy and legal advice in diverse portfolio areas focusing on public, regulatory, and international matters and high-profile controversies and international investment arbitrations. Afterward, she joined the Directorate of International Affairs and Controversies at the Treasury Attorney General’s Office. She focused her practice on international investment arbitrations and controversies pending before foreign courts. Before joining the public sector, Natalia worked at a leading law firm in Argentina, Bomchil, as an associate attorney in its Litigation, International Arbitration, and Economic Regulation Departments. She counseled and represented private parties across a variety of fora.
Natalia also served as Assistant Professor of Contract Law at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella Law School. She coached the students’ teams representing Universidad Austral Law School in international arbitration moot competitions, including the William C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot.
In addition to the Impact Scholarship, Natalia received the Dean Scholarship and the Fulbright Scholarship with the Ministry of Education of the Argentine Republic. Natalia completed her LLM in International Legal Studies in May 2022. Natalia is now an associate at Foley Hoag LLP focused on international arbitration and litigation.
Visit LinkedIn to learn where Natalia is now.
Abiodun M. Rufai LLM ’21
Before joining NYU for his LLM program, Abiodun attended Osun State University, Nigeria and the Nigerian law school. At Osun State University where he obtained his LL.B degree in 2016, he graduated as the best law student with First Class honors and received many awards. At the Nigerian law school, he also graduated with First Class honors in 2017.
During his undergraduate years, Abiodun devoted substantial time to the study of Energy Law. Specifically, he focused on the rights of indigenous people over natural resources and how natural resources in Nigeria could be optimally managed and commercialized for the benefits of all Nigerians.
Following his successful study at the Nigerian Law School and upon being called to the Nigerian bar, Abiodun joined one of Africa’s leading law firms, Olaniwun Ajayi LP, as an associate. He advised on many transactions, significantly those related to foreign investment in the Nigerian energy industry and concessions of mining assets by the Nigerian government. Abiodun also worked with private sector initiatives set up to assist the Nigerian government and people in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Abiodun is now an associate at Gunderson Dettmer.
Visit LinkedIn to learn where Abiodun is now.
Viola Echebima LLM ’20
Viola received her LL.B. degree with First Class Honors from the University of Nigeria in 2016. She received the prize of the Best Graduating Student of the Faculty of Law, as well as other academic and leadership excellence awards. In 2017, she received a First Class Honors from the Nigerian Law School and was the second recipient of the Stephenson Harwood LLP award for the Best Graduating Student of the Nigerian Law School.
Prior to commencing her LLM at NYU, Viola was an associate in the Energy and Natural Resources practice group of Banwo & Ighodalo, a tier one commercial law firm in Nigeria, where she advised a wide array of public and private sector clients on a broad range of legal transactions relating to the structuring of investments and transactions in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. She has also done considerable work in the development of renewable energy in Nigeria. Also, Viola had a brief stint at the London offices of the prestigious Stephenson Harwood LLP. In her spare time, Viola mentors law students.
As the inaugural Grunin Impact scholar, Viola pursued an LLM in Energy and Environmental Law at NYU. Viola is now the Principal Legal Counsel at C2 Energy Capital in New York.
Visit LinkedIn to learn where Viola is now.