2024-2025 IFD Fellows
Aashima Bhatia
International Finance Corporation
Aashima Bhatia is an LL.M. candidate in Corporation Law at NYU School of Law, where her coursework includes Corporations, Restructuring, Cross-Border M&A, Information Privacy Law, and Environmental Transactional Law. She serves as a Staff Editor of the NYU Environmental Law Journal and as the LL.M. Representative for the Law & Business Association.
Prior to NYU, Aashima spent four years practicing corporate law at premier Indian law firms consistently ranked among the top by global legal directories. She advised on high-value private equity, M&A, and venture capital transactions across sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, electric mobility, and education. Her experience spans the full transaction lifecycle—from structuring and strategy to due diligence, negotiation, and execution.
Aashima earned her B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, one of India’s leading law schools. During her time there, she held leadership positions and received multiple accolades in national and international moot court and Model UN competitions. She also gained early exposure to corporate transactional work through internships at top-ranked Indian commercial law firms.
She is admitted to practice law in India and plans to sit for the New York Bar in July 2025. As an International Finance and Development Fellow, she will work with the International Finance Corporation in Fall 2025.
Abhishree Manikantan
International Institute of Sustainable Development
Abhishree earned her BBA-LLB (Hons.) degree from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, where she was awarded the semester topper scholarship for the examination season of April 2022. An avid mooter and oralist, she led her team to finish runners up at the world rounds of the Stetson International Environment Law Moot Court Competition 2021. She also served as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Constitutional Law Review, where she oversaw the publication of three editions of the journal.
Qualified to practice law in India, Abhishree worked with the disputes team of a law firm in New Delhi for two years before her LL.M. She represented corporations in the infrastructure sector in high-stakes civil litigations and commercial arbitrations before the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts. Side by side, she volunteered with a Delhi-based environmental rights and advocacy NGO and assisted them in a research capacity.
At NYU, she has pursued the LL.M. in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration, while focusing on building her interest at the intersection of international trade and sustainable development. Her coursework has included Investment Treaty Arbitration, International Trade Law, International Environmental Law, and a seminar on the Challenge of Changing Energy Markets. She also served as a Graduate Editor with the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics.
Gabriela Sanchez
International Finance Corporation
Gabriela Sanchez is a Colombian attorney with robust experience in infrastructure, public procurement, and government contracts. She is pursuing an LL.M. at New York University School of Law, where she has been awarded the Dean's Graduate Award in recognition of her academic excellence. At NYU, she is deepening her expertise in corporate law and finance, with coursework in cross-border M&A, investment banking, capital markets, and secured transactions.
Before moving to New York, Gabriela worked as an Associate at Duran & Osorio in Bogotá, Colombia, where she advised public entities, private companies, and multilateral organizations on complex infrastructure projects. Her role involved legal due diligence, the design of transaction structures, negotiation of concession and PPP contracts, and coordination with technical and financial teams. She played a central role in high-stakes transportation, healthcare, and environmental projects, including the structuring of Colombia’s first railway public-private partnership and several multimillion-dollar toll roads and hospitals.
Gabriela’s professional background also includes legal internships at Microsoft Colombia, where she focused on regulatory issues in technology, and at the National Agency of State Legal Defense, where her research contributed to Colombia’s successful defense in a $320 million international arbitration case.
She holds a Law degree from Universidad de los Andes and a specialization in Corporate Finance from Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración (CESA), where she conducted a valuation of a private company as her graduation project. Gabriela is admitted to practice law in Colombia and plans to sit for the New York State Bar Exam.
Gabriela is fluent in English and Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys tennis, swimming, and running.
Shreya Dutt
International Monetary Fund
Shreya Dutt earned her B.A.LL.B. (Hons.) from Symbiosis Law School, Pune, India, in 2019, graduating with notable academic and extracurricular achievements. During law school, she was offered a position at a leading disputes and litigation firm in New Delhi, where she began her legal career under the mentorship of the Senior Partner—whom she later followed into private practice.
Over the past five years, Shreya has gained experience on both sides of the courtroom, in prosecution and defense, shaping a balanced perspective on the enforcement of financial crimes that is grounded in practical realities. She has worked closely with federal investigative agencies in India, assisting in the prosecution of several high-profile cases of national significance. These matters involved complex, multi-jurisdictional offenses—including corruption, money laundering, and serious fraud—implicating senior public officials and large corporations across borders. In recognition of her prosecutorial work, she received a Letter of Appreciation from the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2023.
On the defense side, Shreya has advised and represented corporations and high-net-worth individuals in white-collar and commercial litigation matters. She has also acted pro bono in cases involving serious criminal charges such as murder, assault, sexual offenses, domestic violence, cheating, and forgery. Her courtroom practice spans from trial courts to the Supreme Court of India. She has also contributed to legal reform by drafting investigative manuals and training modules for government investigative and enforcement agencies in India.
At NYU School of Law, Shreya pursued her LL.M. with a focus on corporate crime, compliance and criminal law. During this time, she interned with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, where she gained experience in the prosecution of a wide range of felony and misdemeanour cases, and assisted in their investigation and criminal trials. She also served as a Research Assistant and Associate Blog Editor for the Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement, NYU.
As an IFD Fellow with the IMF’s Anti-Corruption and Financial Integrity Unit, Shreya endeavours to contribute to the evolving global framework on anti-corruption and anti-money laundering, and to help strengthen international cooperation in the fight against financial crime.
Elena Hernández
International Energy Agency
Elena Hernández is an LL.M. candidate in Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law at NYU School of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City and is admitted to practice law in Mexico.
Before joining NYU, Elena practiced energy law at Cacheaux, Cavazos & Newton, LLP in Mexico City for eight years, where she advised international and domestic clients on regulatory compliance, permitting, and contractual matters related to the electricity sector. Her work focused on the development of utility-scale and on-site renewable energy projects and included participation in administrative litigation and arbitration concerning energy regulation.
At NYU, Elena is focusing her studies on the energy transition and the regulatory and policy frameworks needed to promote sustainable energy development. Her academic work centers on the role of critical minerals in the energy transition and their significance for energy security — the subject of her current thesis research. To complement her legal background, she completed a course on energy technologies and policy at the School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, which provided technical context for the energy transition.
In addition to her academic and professional interests, Elena is committed to promoting gender equality in the legal profession and the energy sector. She is an active member of Abogadas MX, a Mexican association that supports the professional development of women lawyers and participates in NYU Law Women’s Development Committee.
Mamadou Saidou Bah
World Bank Legal Vice Presidency
Mamadou Saidou Bah completed his Bachelor of Laws (Honors) in May 2017 at the Faculty of Law, University of The Gambia, graduating in the top four percent of his class. During the 2016-2017 academic year, he served as the Research Minister of the Law Students’ Association at the university. After completing his undergraduate studies, he enrolled at the Gambia Law School in October 2017 where he earned his Barrister -At- Law Certificate. He was called to The Gambia Bar in February 2019 and because of his distinguished performance at the Gambia Law School, he received the award for the best student in Company Law and Commercial Practices.
From October 2018 to February 2019, Mamadou worked as a legal officer at Semega Chambers, a private law firm. In this role, he was responsible for preparing court pleadings, interviewing clients, attending courts’ proceedings, preparing contracts and assisting in the administration of the chambers.
In February 2019, Mamadou moved to the Judiciary of The Gambia where he works as a Senior Legal Researcher at the Court of Appeal of The Gambia. His responsibilities include drafting legal opinions, conducting extensive research for judges of the courts, proofreading court judgments and rulings and doing subject matter indexing of the judgments of the court. Prior to his promotion to the Court of Appeal in February 2023, he was a Legal Researcher at the High Court of The Gambia where he drafted court rulings, judgments and opinions and conducted extensive legal research under the supervision of a judge. He was also instrumental in the day-to-day administration of the court’s chambers and the Judiciary at large. Fundamentally, he contributed to the organization of training and workshops for Judges, Magistrates and judicial support staff including courts Clerks and Registrars. He was enrolled as a Legal Practitioner in The Gambia in November 2020.
Currently, Mamadou is pursuing an LL.M. in International Legal Studies at NYU School of Law, where is the recipient of the Podell Global Graduate Legal Scholarship, which is given annually to one student who has accumulated a record of superior academic achievement. His coursework included International Law; International Trade Law; International Humanitarian Law; Commercial Sales Law: National and International; Law Business and Human Rights; and Transitional Justice. He is also a Transitional Justice Scholar, and his Transitional Justice seminar paper was on the ‘Participation of Victims as civil parties in the prosecution of human rights abuses.’ The paper explored the rise of support for victims’ participation and critiqued the inadequacies of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other international tribunals to provide for victims' participation.
Notably, Mamadou was among four LLM students accepted in the United National Diplomacy Clinic. Students in the Clinic were sent to the Permanent Missions of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) at the United Nations (UN) to serve as Legal Advisors. He served as a Legal Advisor to the Mission of Solomon Islands, representing the Mission in various UN Committees, drafting diplomatic statements, conducting thorough research and submitting a paper to the International Law Commission regarding the state practices in relation to sea level rise (SLR). Additionally, he analyzed the voting patterns of the Solomon Islands across the different UN Committees over the past twenty-five (25) years and authored a paper on countries which unilateral coercive measures are being applied/ imposed on.
Mamadou eagerly anticipates starting his Fellowship at the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency, where he hopes to use his experience to immensely contribute towards the advancement of research in international development and leverage his experience to significantly contribute to the Bank’s mission and vision.
Reeneth Santos
World Bank’s Legal Operations Policy Group
Reeneth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication degree (cum laude) from the University of the Philippines and a Juris Doctor degree (with honors) from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, where, as a consistent scholar, her study focus was on international human rights law and the intersection of business and human rights.
She is set to complete her Master of Laws in Competition, Innovation and Information Law in NYU Law as a Dean’s Graduate Award scholar, specializing in data law and the regulation of digital corporations. She is also a Student Fellow at the Information Law Institute in NYU.
Before joining NYU, Reeneth has been practising law in the Philippines. She clerked in the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and has worked as an associate in prominent Philippine law firms for which she was acknowledged as a standout and well-regarded associate in the technology, media and telecommunications practice and a key lawyer in the corporate and M&A practices by a globally recognized legal directory and rankings firm. She also spent some time in an adtech startup as its legal counsel and data protection officer and as a researcher for the Center for AI and Digital Policy. Reeneth has research work in the areas of women’s rights and labor and employment, which she believes are critical components of digital and tech regulation.
As an IFD Fellow, she will be joining the World Bank’s Legal Operations Policy Group, Technology & Innovation.
Katharina Graf
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Katharina Graf is an LL.M. candidate in Public International Law at NYU School of Law, where she is a Salzburg Global Cutler Fellow and a research assistant to Professor José Alvarez. A fully qualified lawyer in Germany, she is pursuing a doctorate at Bucerius Law School on the attribution of state responsibility in international law. Her professional experience includes roles at the German Federal Chancellery and the Foreign Office’s Human Rights Division, where she worked on bilateral agreements, humanitarian law, and the German response to the Afghanistan evacuation. She also trained in international arbitration and public international law at Latham & Watkins and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Passionate about legal advocacy and education, Katharina participated in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court and later continued to support the team at Bucerius. She currently serves as Legal Counsel to the Climate Clinic e.V. and intends to sit for the New York Bar in 2025.
Yujia Wu
World Bank, Legal Vice Presidency
Yujia Wu graduated as valedictorian from Xiamen University in China, where she earned dual Bachelor’s degrees in Law (LL.B.) and Mathematical Finance. She was awarded the National Scholarship twice for academic excellence. She also holds a Master of Laws degree from Renmin University of China, with a focus on the intersection of technology and international financial law. She is qualified to practice law in China.
During law school, Yujia represented Xiamen University in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, advancing to the international rounds. She also studied as an exchange student at Maastricht University with a full scholarship awarded by the China Scholarship Council.
Prior to her studies at NYU, Yujia practiced law for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organizing Committee. In this role, she advised on complex cross-border legal issues related to international law, data compliance, commercial law, and ethics. She earned the Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) certification in 2022. Yujia also served as in-house legal counsel at a major commercial bank, where she focused on financial regulations, banking operations, and secured transactions. In her spare time, she had experience acting as a judge in the Jessup national and global rounds.
At NYU, Yujia specialized in International Legal Studies as a recipient of the Dean’s Graduate Award, focusing on international organizations, law and development, banking and technology law. She was awarded a position as a Research Assistant for the Transformative Justice Project. She was also one of five students chosen for the Guarini Externship program, through which she worked with a leading NGO contributing to global technology governance and international development. In addition, Yujia served as a Graduate Editor for the NYU Journal of Law and Business, a student fellow with the Privacy Research Group, and an LL.M. representative for Financial Regulation Society.
Yujia truly looks forward to commencing her fellowship at the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency, eager to pursue her passion in international development and leverage her experience to meaningfully contribute to the organization’s mission.
Eliecer Lu
International Development Law Organization
Eliecer Lu earned his LL.B., magna cum laude, from Universidad Santa María La Antigua in Panama City in 2021, graduating in the top 10 of his class. A seasoned oralist, he represented Panama at the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, ranking among the Top 100 Oralists globally and placing 9th in the European Friendly Rounds. At NYU, where he is a Dean’s Graduate Award Scholar, Eliecer is pursuing an LL.M. in International Legal Studies, focusing on economic development and its intersection with human rights, environmental governance and financing mechanisms.
Before NYU, Eliecer worked at the British Embassy in Panama City as its Environment and Economic Policy Officer and Acting Head of Sustainable Development. In this role, he led the Embassy’s lobbying agenda on transparency, climate, and economic policy, drafted legal and policy briefs, and advised the Ambassador on engagements with ministers and senior officials. He supported the UK’s priorities at multilateral forums including Latin American and Caribbean Climate Week, and the Conferences of Parties to the UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCAC. He helped negotiate and implement UK-funded initiatives on climate and ocean protection in Panama, including the Global Plastic Action Partnership and the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR).
Eliecer previously served as Chief Legal Officer at Fundación Iguales, where he drafted motions and prepared litigation strategies to push for LGBTQ+ rights in Panama and collaborated with regional networks to advance equality across Latin America. He also contributed to anti-corruption research for Transparency International Panama, presenting findings before the Organization of American States on Panama’s compliance with the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption.
As an IFD Fellow at the International Development Law Organization in Rome, Eliecer will advise on a broad range of legal issues involving internal governance, contracts, international agreements, and privileges and immunities. He is passionate about using international law and multilateralism to build just, inclusive societies and fostering sustainable economic development.
Daniella Ferrari
World Bank, Legal Operations Policy Group
Daniella earned a Bachelor and Master of Laws from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), where she was the recipient of a Brazilian federal government scholarship and a researcher at the Human Rights Center. After several years in private practice as in-house counsel for the Coca-Cola Institute Brazil and associate attorney at renowned Brazilian law firms, she specialized her practice in law and technology. Daniella worked at the Wikimedia Foundation as a Privacy Fellow specializing in the Latin American region, where she contributed to data protection compliance projects, global product counseling and advocacy work regarding online platform regulation.
At NYU, Daniella received the Dean's Graduate Award and pursued a traditional LL.M. with a focus on Technology Law and Compliance. She was a Research Assistant to Professor Sunoo Park and a member of the Digital Trust and Information Law Lab, where she collaborated on several projects with Computer Science PhD students and co-wrote an article on the regulation of Artificial Intelligence models. At the World Bank, she will join the Operations Policy Group to work on efforts related to technology and innovation.
Khaled Elbeih
World Bank Legal Vice Presidency
Khaled Elbeih holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Cairo University, where he graduated among the top of his class (Very Good with Honors), and a Master’s degree in Public Law from Ain Shams University. He is qualified to practice law in Egypt. Khaled began his legal career at a leading Cairo-based law firm, focusing on dispute resolution and project finance for major infrastructure projects involving multinational corporations.
Following a highly competitive selection process, Khaled joined the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as one of the youngest diplomats in his cohort. As a legal advisor, he has advised on Public International Law issues, particularly in relation to host country and headquarters agreements for international and regional organizations operating in Egypt, including their privileges and immunities. He also reviewed bilateral and multilateral funding agreements prior to their signature and advised on Egypt’s obligations under international human rights mechanisms.
At NYU School of Law, Khaled is an LL.M. candidate in the International Legal Studies Program and a Dean’s Graduate Award Scholar. His coursework has included Public International Law, International Humanitarian Law, Investment Treaty Arbitration, International Trade Law, the History and Theory of International Law, and Legal Imagination and International History. He looks forward to commencing his fellowship at the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency, where he hopes to contribute his legal and diplomatic experience while gaining deeper insight into the legal and institutional dynamics of international development finance.
Kenneth Paa Kwesi (K.P.K.) Agyir
International Monetary Fund
Kenneth earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School, and a Qualifying Certificate in Law (QCL) from the Ghana School of Law (GSL), culminating in his admission to the Ghana Bar in 2020. At GIMPA Law School, Kenneth was a Research Assistant in International Law, and served in leadership and extracurricular roles with the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Students’ Representative Council General Assembly, among others. Pursuant to his professional law training at GSL, Kenneth clerked at the Supreme Court of Ghana.
As an Arthur T. Vanderbilt Scholar and a Starr Foundation Global Law Scholar at NYU, Kenneth’s LLM studies explored Development Finance, Compliance and Risk Management, Banking and Modern Finance, Law and Development, Energy and Environmental Law, and Business and Human Rights. He also served as Staff Editor for the NYU Environmental Law Journal; and an Executive of the Public Interest Law Students Association.
Before NYU Law, Kenneth was an Associate Attorney in a leading Ghanaian law firm, where he gained experience in Dispute Resolution, and Transactional and Compliance Advisory. Notably, he was part of a legal team that represented a multinational firm in a cross-border competition matter at the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) Regional Competition Authority (ERCA). He has undertaken Fellowships with the African Center of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ), and the Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability (CTEA). He was a Speaker at the 2023 Africa Development Conference at Harvard University, and is affiliated with the American Branch of the International Law Association, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
His interests lie at the intersection of Law, Sovereign Finance, Natural Resources Governance, and Sustainable Development, in the Global South.
2023-2024 IFD Fellows
Sadhika Gulati
International Energy Agency
Sadhika earned her law degree from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, India, where she was the top graduating student in her class and was awarded several gold medals for her academic and extracurricular accomplishments. At NALSAR, Sadhika served as an editor for the university’s flagship law review and participated in various international moot court competitions.
Before commencing the LL.M., Sadhika spent several years in private practice with a leading law firm in New Delhi, where she represented international and domestic clients in high-stakes civil litigation and international commercial arbitration before the Supreme Court of India, High Courts, and various tribunals.
At NYU, Sadhika completed her LL.M. in International Legal Studies as a recipient of the Arthur T. Vanderbilt Scholarship and the Dean’s Graduate Award. She was also honored with the Jerome Lipper Award for distinction in the International Legal Studies program. While at NYU, Sadhika worked as a research fellow for the Centre for Business and Human Rights, focusing on issues related to climate change and labor rights. She also served as the LL.M. representative for the Public Interest Law Students Association and Environmental Law Society and volunteered for the NYU Chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project.
Sadhika looks forward to her fellowship with the International Energy Agency in Paris.
Michal Elbaz
International Monetary Fund
Michal Elbaz earned her LL.B. magna cum laude from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2013, where she served on the editorial board of the "Mishpatim" Law Review. She later completed her Master of Laws in 2019. Before pursuing her studies at NYU, Michal served at the Israeli Ministry of Justice within the Counseling and Legislation Division's Economic Law Department. There, she provided legal counsel to various government ministries and agencies, focusing on debt collection law and bankruptcy. Her contributions included drafting several bills, most notably the Israeli Bankruptcy Bill, enacted in 2016. Michal also represented the Ministry at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Subsequently, Michal worked as an Assistant District Attorney at the Israel Securities Authority, where she litigated high-profile cases involving securities fraud and other violations of securities law. As a Dean’s Graduate Scholar at NYU, Michal pursued a traditional LLM with a focus on technology law and its intersection with financial law.
Akshata Kumta
International Monetary Fund
Akshata graduated from Gujarat National Law University with a first class B.A.LLB.(Hons.) in 2020. In law school, she served as the editor of the GNLU Law Review and coordinator of GNLU’s Academic Support Programme. After graduating, she worked with Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., one of India’s top law firms, at their Mumbai office in the white collar litigation and investigations division. Here, she was a part of the team representing several public-sector banks that were victim to some of India’s biggest cross-border banking frauds. She also handled matters related to corporate governance issues, investigations into whistleblower concerns, and litigation related to asset forfeiture and recovery.
As a Dean’s Graduate Scholar at NYU, Akshata has been pursuing a general LLM. Her key areas of interest are complex litigation, business crimes, and regulatory enforcement. During this time, she has also interned with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office at their Major Economic Crimes Bureau, where she assisted in investigations concerning the prosecution of Ponzi schemes, illegal tying arrangements and theft-related offenses under New York Penal law. At the IMF, Akshata will be assigned to the Financial Integrity Group, where her major focus will be on the comparative assessment of global anti-money laundering measures.
Boru Gollo
World Bank, Legal Operations Policy Group
Boru graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from Riara University, Law School in 2018 as a Katiba Scholar. 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 where he practiced for more than 4 years.
Boru also graduated with Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Competition, Innovation, and Information Law from NYU Law as a Hauser Global Scholar. During his time at NYU, he was a Research Assistant at the Guarini Institute for Global Law and Tech and a Graduate Editor at the NYU Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law.
Boru has a huge interest in the topic of Artificial Intelligence governance, and he will be joining the World Bank as an IFD Fellow in the Bank’s Legal Operations Policy Group, Technology & Innovation. He will be working on a range of interesting technology law issues including Artificial Intelligence and Data governance. He has also taken up a part-time research opportunity with the Institute of Law and AI where he will be researching on the topic of AI Safety Institutes.
Fernanda Assalin
International Finance Corporation
Fernanda received her law degree, summa cum laude, from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo Law School (PUC) in 2013, where her thesis explored the labor after-effects of corporate transactions. She earned a postgraduate law degree from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation Law School in 2017, focusing on Brazil’s Anti-Corruption Law's effectiveness. In 2019, she obtained a Master of Laws from PUC, analyzing how banking legislation impacts labor practices, a thesis recommended for publication.
Prior to her studies at NYU, Fernanda worked as a senior lawyer with over ten years of experience in top-tier Brazilian firms. For the past eight years, she has been at Machado Meyer Advogados in São Paulo. As a Senior Associate, she led a team managing compliance, labor, and ESG issues. Her role included overseeing complex litigation, developing risk management strategies, and drafting sustainability policies. She also joined Thomson Reuters in London as a permanent collaborator and authored over ten articles for Brazilian publications.
As a member of the ESG Committee, Crisis Committee, and Pro Bono and Social Responsibility Committee at Machado Meyer, Fernanda significantly contributed to ESG risk management, crisis management, and social and education-oriented projects. She was recognized with the Mentor Award in 2016 for her guidance to junior associates and trainees.
During her LL.M. at NYU, Fernanda took courses in Cross-Border M&A, Capital Markets, Banking, Finance, Secured Transactions, Employment Law, and Negotiating Complex Transactions with Executives and Lawyers (at Stern). During this time, she served as the Pro-Bono Officer at the Brazilian Legal Society at NYU.
Fernanda was awarded the Vogelstein Scholarship for the Summer of 2024 for the Advanced Certificate in Law & Business (ACLB), which recognizes and supports outstanding law students who demonstrate promise for a career in business transactions. Fernanda is deeply committed to guiding corporate transactions toward sustainable success, and she is eager to leverage her broad skill set and background in a mission-driven international organization.
Mansi Srivastava
World Bank Legal Vice Presidency
Mansi Srivastava earned her dual degree of B.A., LL.B. (Hons.), from National Law University, Jodhpur, in 2019, with a Gold Medal for Excellence in Mooting. She represented India at several international moot courts like the Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition, 2019, winning accolades like the Octo-Finalists Award, Best Memorial, and Best Speaker Awards. At NYU, as a Dean’s Graduate Scholar and a Transitional Justice Scholar, she specialized in International Legal Studies, focusing on making international law more representative of the Global South, especially at the intersection of financing, climate change, and conflict. She is also the LL.M. recipient of the White & Case Award in Law and Social Entrepreneurship for 2024.
Mansi practiced as an attorney for 4 years, initially at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices’ Project Finance practice, an IFLR 1000: Top Tier firm, advising the Government of India, multilateral development banks like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and foreign investors on financing clean energy and infrastructure projects and on legislative amendments to India’s Electricity Act to align it with international renewable energy obligations. Subsequently, as a judicial clerk with Honorable Justice Prathiba Singh, she applied her international and comparative law perspective in drafting key judgments in civil, constitutional, commercial, and patent laws. She was also selected to assist a Retd. Supreme Court judge in drafting regulations for the India International Arbitration Centre, India’s first statutorily-established international arbitration centre.
Since 2023, Mansi has aided the mandate of the International Criminal Court’s Special Advisor on Knowledge Transfer, Dr. Morten Bergsmo, as a Fellow, by publishing and editing treatises and ensuring open access to the ICC Legal Tools database.
At NYU, as one of 4 students selected to act as a Legal Advisor to the Permanent Mission of a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Palau, Mansi aided in treaty negotiations, research, and drafting of diplomatic statements on issues of climate finance, environmental law, plastics pollution, and private sector investment in SIDS. She was also a Research Assistant for Professor Alston’s project on human rights and privatization. Her Transitional Justice paper proposed improving the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) to systemically address the concessional financing needs of both SIDS and conflict-affected countries. This has led to her currently advising the Guernica 37 Centre, on strategic litigation before the ICJ.
As an IFD Fellow at the World Bank’s Business Ready Project, she will work on international development and enhancing private sector financing in emerging economies. Ultimately, she hopes to continue marrying her passion for international law, innovative financing for climate-change resilient projects, and systemic transition of conflict-affected areas.
Punyavee Soontawnkrut
International Finance Corporation
Punyavee earned a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) (with honors) in 2016 from Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand, with a concentration in international laws and business laws. During his undergraduate studies, he competed on behalf of Chulalongkorn University in the 23rd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. He also served as the Director of Marketing and Promotion for the Asian Law Students' Association (ALSA), International Board 2014/2015. Additionally, he was selected to work as a research assistant to Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, where he assisted the professor with tasks related to his position as the first United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), as well as other projects involving his expertise in human rights law.
Prior to his LL.M., Punyavee completed a 1-year internship program at the Bangkok office of Allen & Overy (currently A&O Shearman), where he worked across all practice groups. Later on, he worked as an associate at Rajah & Tann Asia (RTA), Bangkok office, for over 5 years in various corporate sub-practices, including banking and finance, real estate and project development, mergers & acquisitions (M&A), data protection, and technology, media & telecommunications (TMT). During his time at RTA, he advised a Thai government agency on one of Thailand’s most notable and complex transactions, the "Eastern Airport City" located in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), which is a THB 270 billion mega public-private partnership (PPP) project aiming to design, build, finance and operate a new ASEAN aviation hub. He was also seconded to RTA’s Singapore office, where he gained experience on recent ASEAN developments in sustainable financing and ESG & sustainability matters.
At NYU, Punyavee earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) with a concentration in banking & financial laws. As a legal practitioner with expertise and a passionate interest in both banking and sustainable development, he took courses such as Financing Development Seminar, Banking and Modern Finance, Law and Business of Human Rights, and Cross Border M&A. He is extremely excited to commence the fellowship program at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he can leverage his experience to contribute to IFC’s mission of improving the lives of people in developing economies through financing projects in emerging markets, while being able to pursue his passion at the same time.
Jessie Zhang
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Jessie graduated from UNSW Sydney in 2019 with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B., First Class Honors) and a Bachelor of International Studies (International Relations and Mandarin Chinese). She was admitted as an attorney in 2019 and practised as an associate in litigation and dispute resolution at King & Wood Mallesons, a leading international law firm in Australia. In 2022, she worked as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Justice Melissa Perry at the Federal Court of Australia, assisting with both trial and appellate matters in the areas of public law and civil litigation.
During her LL.B., Jessie was a Scientia Scholar and a research assistant in the areas of international maritime dispute settlement, international investment law, and comparative constitutional law and policy. She also completed a year-long exchange program in France at Sciences Po, Paris. She has co-authored publications in Australia on dispute resolution, competition law, and reports on policies for educational reform and gender equality.
Jessie completed her LL.M. in International Legal Studies as the recipient of the Dean’s Graduate Award. At NYU, Jessie was a Salzburg Cutler Fellow, Research Assistant to Professor José Alvarez, and a Graduate Editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics. She worked as a student legal advisor to the Permanent Mission to the UN of a small island developing State and the Alliance of Small Island States through NYU’s UN Diplomacy Clinic.
Neeta Maria Stephen
International Development and Law Organization
Neeta holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts degree (with honors) from Jindal Global Law School, India and is qualified to practice law in India. Prior to her LLM, Neeta was a judicial intern at the Supreme Court of India and the Supreme Court of the State of Hawaiʻi where she assisted with legal research on matters of constitutional law and criminal law. She was a research associate at the Centre for Justice, Law and Society and worked on projects on caste atrocities and reproductive rights in India. Neeta has interned with the data protection team of a boutique law firm where she assisted in advisory work with respect to privacy and data protection measures.
At NYU, Neeta is a Dean’s Graduate Award Scholar and a Privacy Research Student Fellow at the NYU Information Law Institute. She took courses on global data law, technology law, and regulation of digital currencies. Neeta is interested in the legal regulation of new technologies and is keen on exploring the role of international organizations in digital governance and promoting human rights.
Angel Risha
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Angel graduated from Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia (“UI”) in 2019. During her undergraduate studies, she served as the Director of Asian Law Students Association (“ALSA”) Local Chapter UI Board of 2018; she was awarded as the Best Director of ALSA Indonesia Period 2018-2019, under the supervision of Prof. Hikmahanto Juwana, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D. She also interned at Dentons HPRP. Upon graduation, Angel worked at William Soerjonegoro & Partners and later joined as a litigation lawyer at Risma Situmorang & Partners Law Office, under the supervision of Indonesia’s First Medical Law Doctorate, Dr. Dra. Risma Situmorang, S.H., M.H. Angel also worked as a certified Mediator clerk to Judges at the District Court of Central Jakarta; she was awarded as the Youngest Successful Mediator of Year 2022 and Year 2023. Angel has also been admitted to the Indonesian Bar in 2023. At NYU, Angel is pursuing an LL.M. in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration as an Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Scholarship Awardee. She is extremely fortunate to be taught by Prof. John Fellas, Prof. Robert Howse, Prof. Philip Alston, Prof. Pedro Martinez-Fraga, Prof. Winston Ma, Prof. James Goldston, Prof. Susan Chung, Prof. Arthur J. Gonzalez, Prof. Peter K. Newman, Prof. Arthur Miller, Prof. Tyler Maulsby, Prof. Richard Brooks, Prof. Efraim Chalamish, and Prof. Franco Ferrari. Angel is also serving as the LLM Representative for the Christian Law Students Association. Angel truly looks forward to commencing her Fellowship at the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
Tumi Odunuga
World Bank B-Ready
Tumi holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from Osun State University, where he graduated as the Third Best Law Student of the 2016 graduation year. Thereafter, he attended the Nigerian Law School in 2017, and graduated in the top 0.1% of his set with a First-Class Honors. He is qualified to practice law in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and is in the process of getting qualified to practice in New York.
Prior to commencing his LL.M. programme at NYU School of Law, Tumi spent several years at the Project Finance 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 also had a brief stint advising B54 on their debt financing of credit providers in Africa and has continued to garner experience advising on renewable and non-renewable energy transactions both within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
As a Dean’s Graduate Award Scholar at NYU, Tumi specialized in Corporations Law and took courses on Sovereign Finance, Capital Markets and Global Regulatory Challenges, Cross-Border Insolvency, Project Finance, and M&A. He looks forward to commencing his fellowship at the World Bank Business Ready Project Group and hopes to bring his experience to bear at the World Bank fellowship.
Sudarshana Basu
European Bank For Reconstruction and Development
Sudarshana Basu holds a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws dual degree from Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University, India and is qualified to practice law in India. She was awarded the prestigious DSNLU Gold Medal for graduating at the top of her class and received various certificates of excellence for her academic performance. She was part of a legislation drafting project for the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for governing fisheries and aquaculture activity in the region.
Prior to her LL.M., she was a Senior Associate at Finsec Law Advisors, a top-ranked Indian law firm in financial services regulatory and fintech practice, where she advised public companies, banks, market intermediaries and fintech firms on regulatory compliances, securities laws and foreign exchange laws. She also has extensive experience working on market reform proposals in collaboration with domestic and international industry bodies, the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Ministry of Finance. She co-drafted the framework for establishing the first international bullion exchange in India’s GIFT-City, to promote bullion trading and put India on the global map.
During her LL.M. at NYU, she took courses focused on U.S. securities laws, digital currency, and corporate governance. She is a research assistant with the Securities Enforcement Empirical Database at the NYU Pollack Center for Law and Business. She is interested in leveraging her experience in law and finance to facilitate global investments in emerging markets.
2022-23 IFD Fellows
Sofie Ulrix
International Energy Agency
Sofie Ulrix earned a BA in Law and Economics and a MA in Law from KU Leuven, Belgium (First Class Honors). She completed one year of her MA in Law on exchange at King’s College London, United Kingdom.
During her law studies, Sofie worked as a Research Fellow on biodiversity loss at the Leuven Institute for the Future in partnership with the Royal Museum for Central Africa. She interned at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Jones Day in Brussels and served as a delegate to the World Intellectual Property Organization for ELSA International in Geneva.
Sofie completed a LL.M. at NYU School of Law with a focus on energy transition, natural resources and complex litigation. This fall, she will start at the International Energy Agency’s Office of Legal Counsel in Paris.
Sarah Bandini
International Monetary Fund
Sarah received her law degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Bologna. She was among the top graduating students in her class and was awarded several merit-based scholarships during her studies.
Following graduation, she collaborated with one of the most renowned Italian boutique law firms, specializing in the criminal defense of banks and publicly-held companies that took part in some of the most important cases connected to the largest financial scandals that occurred in Italy in the last two decades (e.g., Parmalat, Cirio, and Carim Banca). As an associate attorney at the firm, she further developed her expertise in business crime, tax evasion, and corporate compliance. She 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. in Legal Studies at the University of Bologna. 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 Compliance. In particular, she is developing a study on Global Compliance to implement programs and risk-assessment strategies 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.
At NYU, Sarah was awarded the Hauser Global Scholarship and named Student Fellow for the NYU Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement. She is pursuing an LL.M. in Corporation Law, with a focus on financial regulation, corporate compliance, and cross-border transactions. 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.
Eve Bain
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
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) in 2017. Eve was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the New Zealand High Court in 2018. During her studies Eve tutored public law and competed in various international mooting competitions. She also worked for a Member of Parliament and as a law clerk at the New Zealand Law Commission. Eve volunteered for United Nations Youth New Zealand, leading the organisation of the national conference as well as international delegations.
Eve spent her final year studying at Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Colombia as an inaugural recipient of the New Zealand Prime Minister's Scholarship for Latin America. After graduating, Eve worked in the public law team of a leading national firm before joining Stout Street Chambers as a junior barrister in 2020, where she appeared 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.
Eve completed her LL.M. in International Legal Studies at NYU as a Hauser Global Scholar. During her time at NYU Eve was a research assistant, a Transitional Justice Scholar, and worked for a small island state's permanent mission to the United Nations as part of NYU's Diplomacy Clinic. Eve is very excited to pursue her interest in the practice of public international at the Secretariat of the OECD.
Liam Faught
International Development Law Organization
Liam Faught holds a J.D. from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he served as Associate Editor of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Review and completed a semester abroad at the University of Amsterdam, focusing on public international law and European Union law. He is qualified to practice law in New York State and British Columbia, Canada.
Prior to commencing his L.L.M. at NYU School of Law, Liam spent several years in private practice with major law firms in Canada and New York representing clients in commercial litigation as well as secured financing transactions. He currently works with Guernica 37 Chambers and Centre, where he represents victims of human rights abuses in U.S. and international litigation and prepares civil society reports on a range of human rights issues.
Liam is pursuing an L.L.M in International Legal Studies with a focus on public international law, human rights, and development. He is particularly interested in the role of international organizations in furthering development and upholding human rights. During his time at NYU, Liam was a Transitional Justice Scholar and participated in NYU’s International Organizations Clinic, advising the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and multilateral development banks on human rights risks and governance issues relating to digital development projects.
Florencia Garcia
International Finance Corporation
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. She represented the UBA 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 UBA at the 2017/2018 edition of the Willem C. Vis Moot, where the team received an honorable mention for Best Memorandum for Respondent.
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.
She has contributed to the pilot clinic organized by TradeLab and the UBA, 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.
Florencia completed her LL.M. at NYU as a Hauser Global Scholar. During her time at NYU, she was a research assistant for Professor José Alvarez, she served at NYU Law Women Development Committee, and worked for a small island state's permanent mission to the United Nations as part of NYU’s Diplomacy Clinic.
Ojonugwa “Nugwa” Ichaba
International Monetary Fund
Ojonugwa "Nugwa" is a Nigerian law qualified, UK- trained lawyer with several years’ experience in finance, projects, and M&A practice. She obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of York UK and is called to the Nigerian Bar, graduating in the top 8% of her class.
Nugwa commenced legal practice with Templars- one of West-Africa’s largest commercial law firms, where she was a Senior Associate in the Finance and Projects practice, advising sponsors, development finance institutions (DFIs), banks and other financial institutions on a variety of finance and infrastructure development transactions in Nigeria, including the development and circa US$1.3 billion financing of Nigeria’s largest deep seaport project granted on a 45-year concession from the Nigerian Ports Authority; and the US$150 million financing from a leading DFI (and a syndicate of other lenders) for the development of a second feed conditioning unit for a strategic fertilizer plant project. For her work, she has been recognized by the IFLR1000 as a “Rising Star” in Banking and Finance.
Nugwa graduated from NYU with an LLM in Corporations (focusing on Banking, Finance, M&A and Development). She is interested in the intersection between law, finance and economics and its impact on social development, particularly in emerging countries. At NYU she was a Research Assistant with Prof. Ohlrogge as well as the LLM representative for the Black and Allied Law Students Association.
Gustavo Jacomassi
World Bank
Gustavo Chimure Jacomassi holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Fundação Getulio Vargas Law School (FGV Law School) in São Paulo, Brazil. He was admitted to the Brazilian Bar in 2017.
At FGV Law School, he earned a Postgraduate Degree in Economic Criminal Law, received a complementary undergraduate degree in International Relations on the Contemporary World, and provided legal advice to refugees and migrants in partnership with the ADUS Refugee Reintegration Institute. He also participated at the prestigious Bucerius Law School’s Academic Exchange Program in Germany. Gustavo was elected keynote speaker for his graduation ceremony.
Before commencing his Master of Laws (LL.M.) at NYU School of Law, Gustavo practiced for five years as an anti-corruption and compliance attorney in leading law firms in Brazil, where he led independent investigations into suspected corporate misconduct within the Car Wash Operation (Operação Lava Jato) and other major anti-corruption probes. He also participated in the negotiations of leniency agreements with government authorities and implemented integrity programs into publicly listed companies. During this period, he engaged in pro bono consulting and taught courses at the Brazilian-based community Legal, Ethics and Compliance.
At NYU, Gustavo pursued an LL.M. in International Legal Studies, focusing on law and development, global governance, and international law. During this time, he was selected as a Transitional Justice Scholar for the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice and was awarded a position as a research assistant for the Institute for International Law and Justice’s Megaregulation Project under the supervision of Professor Thomas Streinz. Through the Government Anti-Corruption Externship, he was also hired as an intern for the United Nations’ Office of Internal Oversight Services, Investigations Division, and served as LL.M. Representative for the International Law Society and Secretary-General for the Brazilian Legal Society. Gustavo was selected as a recipient of the Public Interest Prize for LL.M.s and presented his paper on transitional justice in Brazil at the 20th Annual ILHR Emerging Scholarship Conference.
Gustavo looks forward to commencing his fellowship with the World Bank’s Operational Policy Practice Group.
Ananya Khandelwal
World Bank
Ananya Khandelwal holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) degree from Tamil Nadu National Law University, India. She is qualified to practice law in India.
Prior to pursuing her LLM at NYU, Ananya practiced at the Supreme Court of India where she handled cases related to environmental laws, civil and criminal procedural laws. She has also represented clients in mediation proceedings involving matrimonial disputes and property disputes before the Supreme Court Mediation Centre. Additionally, she worked with a leading trade law firm, where she assisted in the drafting and filing of appeals on behalf of domestic industries against non-imposition of anti-dumping duties on subject countries. Ananya has also volunteered to work on the Global Health and Human Rights Database, which was being developed by an organisation that focuses on human rights advocacy.
During her LLM year, Ananya undertook courses with a focus on Technology laws and Digital governance. She was also selected as a Human Rights Scholar with the Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice, where she worked on federated digital ID systems for the Digital Welfare State Project. Furthermore, she worked on the BigScience Project for Allen Institute for AI, examining the regulatory frameworks as well as proposals for algorithmic accountability.
Ananya's main interests are at the intersection of technology laws and human rights laws, especially in the areas of data rights, digital governance, and related regulations.
Jeremy Ng
World Bank Technology & Innovation Group
Jeremy earned a BA in Law in 2018 from the University of Cambridge (First Class Honors, De Hume Prize). Prior to NYU, Jeremy was an associate in Allen & Overy’s (A&O) London Derivatives and Structured Finance practice. As the first junior lawyer chosen for secondment to Fuse (A&O’s internal tech innovation hub), he worked with senior stakeholders on various LegalTech and RegTech policy issues. He was also involved in a range of pro bono initiatives, including the drafting of a communication to the UN CEDAW Committee.
At NYU, Jeremy was a Human Rights Scholar (Digital Welfare State project), a Research Assistant at Guarini Global Law & Tech, a Graduate Editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics, and a Salzburg Cutler Fellow.
Ruth Ng
United Nations Development Programme
Ruth Ng hails from the island-city of Singapore and obtained her law degree from the University of Oxford. Being awarded the Singapore Public Service Commission Scholarship enabled her to embark on the BA (Jurisprudence) at Oxford and LLM (International Legal Studies) at NYU.
Prior to attending NYU, Ruth worked as a State Counsel in the Civil Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore, providing legal advice to ministries and representing the Government. She has been seconded to the Crime Division, Legal Aid Bureau, and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. At the Attorney-General’s Chambers, she was actively involved in the Futures Thinking Group tracking future trends and the Technology Law Cluster exploring legal issues related to new technologies.
Ruth is interested in governance and community development. The LLM program at NYU has equipped her to better approach the interfaces between law, technology, the international system, finance, and development. Ruth seeks to contribute to a world where young people feel confident about their future, and families and friends everywhere can share good food together.
Kafui Quashigah
International Finance Corporation
Kafui completed his LL.B. degree at the University of Ghana School of Law in 2017, where he graduated as the Best Student in Law. He was called to the Ghana Bar in 2019, and received several awards upon graduating from the Ghana School of Law.
Prior to NYU, Kafui was a Senior Associate in a leading Ghanaian law firm where he gained a wealth of experience working on cross-border transactions, conducting extensive legal due diligence in respect of projects and asset acquisitions, and advising on complex financing and corporate structures. Notably, he advised a global tech company on the construction of a 12-fibre pair submarine cable system connecting South Africa and Portugal to enhance their services offered within the African region. He was also part of a team that advised one of Ghana’s sovereign investment funds on the assignment of debt provided by a Canadian asset manager to a Ghanaian mining company.
As a Dean’s Graduate Award Scholar at NYU, Kafui specialized in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration and took courses on Sovereign Finance, Law and Business of Corporate Transactions, Securitization, and Cross-Border Insolvency. His interests revolve around the convergence of sovereign wealth funds and financing development, with a particular focus on Africa.
Rashmi Ramanath
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Rashmi Ramanath obtained a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts (B.A., LL.B (Hons.)) degree from OP Jindal Global University, India in 2018 and is qualified to practice law in India. Rashmi has worked as a corporate lawyer with two leading law firms in India, advising both domestic and international clients on private equity and M&A transactions. She has also advised clients across varied industry sectors on legal and regulatory matters. In addition to her corporate career, Rashmi has a strong passion for social impact and development. She has served as a research fellow with a prominent Indian university on projects at the intersection of law and policy in the area of educational reforms and election laws in India.
At NYU, Rashmi earned her LL.M. in Corporations Law with a focus on the interaction between law, business, and finance. Her areas of interest include development finance and business ethics and compliance. While at NYU, she was also a staff editor for the NYU Review of Law and Social Change.
Akshobhya Reddy
United Nations Development Programme
Akshobhya holds a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts double degree (with honors) from The National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, India. She is qualified to practice in India. Prior to her LLM, Akshobhya was working as a Law Clerk at the Supreme Court of India under Justice Subhash. She assisted the judge with his cases on Constitutional law, Criminal law, and Civil Procedure. After her clerkship, Akshobhya was working at a boutique law firm where she advised Big Tech companies and tech startups with their privacy and data protection matters like content regulation, privacy policy, and legal enforcement.
During her LLM, Akshobhya had taken courses on data law, regulating digital corporations, and human rights. Akshobhya was also a Research Assistant with the Guarini Global Law and Tech, where she worked on the evolving data law in India and the Facebook Oversight Board. Her main interest lies in the intersection of law and technology. She is particularly interested in data law, digital governance, and human rights. After the fellowship, she will be interning with the UN Envoy on Tech, where she will be assisting them with their work on the Global Digital Compact.
Efren II Resurreccion
World Bank
Efren has over five years of experience as a project finance, corporate transactions, and employment lawyer from the Philippines. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law (“UP Law”) where he was awarded the Irene Cortes prize for best paper in Constitutional Law. He graduated cum laude as a Bachelor of Science in Management, major in Legal Management, minor in Philosophy, from the Ateneo de Manila University.
Efren began his legal career at a leading Philippine law firm and honed his craft by handling transactions for domestic and multinational clients, including one of the largest project finance transactions in Philippine history. He was recognized by the Firm as a top performing Junior Associate before his promotion to Senior Associate. He was a senior lecturer of labor and employment law at UP Law. To further pursue a career in public service, Efren clerked for a Commissioner of the National Labor Relations Commission and assisted in the resolution of appellate-level employment disputes.
At NYU, Efren is specializing in International Legal Studies to build expertise in the field of International Development. He has taken courses on Financing Development, International Human Rights Law, and European Union Law. He is currently working with Professor Margaret L. Satterthwaite, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, on research projects for the Legal Empowerment and Judicial Independence Clinic. Efren is also a Graduate Senior Researcher for Professor Natasha Iskander of the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service in a project that aims to protect workers’ health rights. He keeps up to date with developments in comparative and international law as a Graduate Editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics .He looks forward to utilizing the skills he gained in his practice coupled with his passion for public service and International Development through his Fellowship at the World Bank Legal Operations Policy Group.