PROLAW Graduates : PROLAW , Loyola University Chicago

PROLAW Graduates

Please click on the student's name below to read their profiles.

VICTORIA AITKEN

New Zealand/Ireland

Education: LLB, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

Experience: Consultant legislative drafter and policy adviser on rule of law and governance development programs in Africa and the Pacific since 2004.

Personal Statement: "I am seeking to diversify and extend my qualifications, and reinforce my practical experience by theoretical study, so that I may increase and improve my skills and knowledge for participating in the development context as a rule of law adviser. I believe that the described content of Loyola University's LLM program on Rule of Law for development offers appropriate and comprehensive instruction to enable me to do so."

BEKHZOD ALIEV

Uzbekistan

Education: University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Uzbekistan; LLM in International Trade Law, University of Arizona.

Experience: Attorney, private practice; ABA CEELI, American Bar Association's technical assistance project; and UNDP's project developing national human rights institutions.

Personal Statement: "I chose PROLAW because of its unique focus and practice-oriented curriculum, which I feel will provide me with fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and the knowledge and skills necessary to continue my important work in rule of law for development."

BRENDA ANUGWOM

Nigeria

Education: LLB, Imo State University and a Barrister at Law (BL); certification, Nigerian Law School

Experience: Team assistant, World Bank in Bangui, Central African Republic; employment with small not-for-profit organizations.

Personal Statement: "I chose the PROLAW program to develop an expertise in human rights, and to become involved in projects that work with governments in good governance reforms."

EKATERINA BAKSANOVA

Bulgaria

Education: Master of Laws, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridsky, Bulgaria; legal training, World Justice Forum; International Visitors Leadership Program

Experience: Researcher and project coordinator, Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives (a legacy organization of the American Bar Association Central and Eastern European Law Initiative (ABA/ CEELI)); Judicial Mentoring Initiative, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, (DOJ/OPDAT).

Personal Statement: "I chose PROLAW for its unique curriculum that supports my desire to continue my education in the field of rule of law advising, which I have chosen as a professional path. I strive to become a highly qualified and dedicated rule of law expert who will participate in and contribute to various national and international initiatives in the sector."

BANDINI CHHICHHIA

Australia

Education: Bachelor of Commerce and Law, University of New South Wales, Australia

Experience: Experience: Legal researcher, New South Wales Court of Appeal, Sydney; banking and finance lawyer in a top-tier commercial law firm, Sydney; worked on a pro bono basis at the Redfern Legal Centre and undertook a project with the International Development of Law Organization (IDLO) to create a training program for lawyers who do pro bono work in developing countries.

Personal Statement: "I was drawn to PROLAW as the course content was unique and I believe that it will equip me with the necessary skills required to work in developing and emerging countries. Upon completing PROLAW, my goal is work within an organization that facilitates positive change in developing countries by providing technical assistance to achieve development goals. And maybe one day become a lecturer!"

EMILY DE YOE

United States

Education: JD, Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Experience: Adjunct Professor at Loyola University teaching Life After Innocence, a class which provides services to those wrongfully convicted upon their release from prison; assistant legal counsel to the Speaker of the House, Illinois House of Representatives.

Personal Statement: "Ideally I would like to work with victims of the criminal justice system. I believe that the PROLAW program will help me further define my career goals and that I will leave Rome with an understanding of where I want my career to go, and more importantly, how to get there."

PETER FLANAGAN

United States

Education: BA, Loyola University, Chicago; JD, Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Experience: Has practiced law for 30 years, helping individuals and smalls businesses make their way through state and federal legal systems to achieve their goals.

Personal Statement: "More recently I have become interested in the economic development and in particular the legal aspects of economic development in countries where the laws are unclear and frustrate rather than foster development. I chose the PROLAW program because I feel it will prepare me to use the legal skills I have learned during my career to help people get through their systems to achieve their legitimate goals."

PAMELA GONZALES

Mexico

Education: Law Degree, School of Law of Escuela Libre de Derecho; School of Law of Universidad Pontificia de Mexico

Experience: Public Health sector of Mexican Government; law enforcement for Attorney General's Office in Mexico City where she developed training strategies for the implementation of the adversarial criminal justice system.

Personal Statement: "In my opinion, PROLAW will provide me with essential tools needed to promote changes within the Attorney General's Office through the construction of clear strategies, objectives and effective training."

CHARLES KEAR HARRIS

Liberia

Education: LLB, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia

Experience: Legal adviser, Legal and Judicial System Support Division (LJSSD) of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

Personal Statement: "I enrolled in PROLAW because I believe that the program structure will increase my capacity and put me in a new position to further practice rule of law advising. I plan to add my skills to the community of rule of law colleagues in Liberia and around the globe who are involved with legal reform initiatives for development."

DAVID HOFISI

Zimbabwe

Education: LLB, University of Zimbabwe

Experience: Legal practitioner, Law Society Zimbabwe; Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR); project lawyer, Human Rights Defenders and Public Interest Litigation departments; researcher, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).

Personal Statement: "I chose to apply to PROLAW because I felt that it presented me with a unique opportunity to learn about and specialize in a subject which is constantly at the center of my organization's lobby and advocacy initiatives whose relevance to the political and economic transition of Zimbabwe cannot be overemphasized."

VAKHTANG JANEZASHVILI

Georgia

Education: Tbilisi State University; LLM, Erasmus University Rotterdam

Experience: Criminal justice, government of Georgia.

Personal Statement: "I chose PROLAW because my theoretical background coupled with hands-on experience made me realize how important it is to put knowledge from law school into the service of justice at home or around the world. I believe PROLAW will prepare me to use my capacities for development and democratic reform anywhere."

LESLE JANSEN

South Africa

Education: University of the Western Cape, South Africa; Masters in Indigenous Peoples in International Law, University of Arizona, United States

Experience: Project lawyer/ legal consultant, Legal Assistance Centre, Namibia.

Personal Statement: "I will undertake a new position in Cape Town South Africa with an organization called Natural Justice upon the completion of the course. I saw the value that PROLAW could add to my personal perspective as an attorney, who will be expected to work in different African countries."

PATIENCE KABIIJE

Uganda

Education: LLB, University of Dar-es-Salaam

Experience: State's Attorney, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the Directorate of Legal Advisory Services since 2004

Personal Statement: "I chose PROLAW because of the diversity of the course content and it is my hope that the knowledge and skills that I will acquire will improve my skills as an advisor to the government."

ARAYA KEBEDE

Ethiopia

Education: LLB, Addis Ababa University, School of Law; Masters in International Politics, Jilin University, China

Experience: Lecturer/ Researcher, Mekelle University, College of Law and Governance, Ethiopia; Trains judges and public prosecutors on various legal issues.

Personal Statement: "I'm attracted to PROLAW because I expect that through the program I will acquire the required skills, knowledge, attitude and experience related to the rule of law to be able to provide advice to the relevant authorities and institutions to design, implement and evaluate development projects on alleviating poverty, injustice and insecurity."

ELIM LUVIANO

Mexico

Education: LLB, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico

Experience: collaborated with the Secretary of the Interior (SEGOB) in the Technical Secretariat of the Coordinating Council for the Implementation of the Criminal Justice System.

Personal Statement: "I chose the PROLAW program because I saw an opportunity to acquire knowledge and abilities that will allow me to work to build the rule of law and continue to contribute to the implementation of the Mexican criminal justice reform and create quantitative and qualitative evaluation systems."

REGINALD MAKOKO

Tanzania

Education: LLB, Open University of Tanzania

Experience: Human rights legal officer, Tanzania Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG).

Personal Statement: "I decided to enroll in PROLAW because I felt that by applying the knowledge, which I will acquire, I will be able to contribute to the reform of the legal system in my country. Furthermore, I aim to use the skills and experience gained during the course to help solve society's problems, especially those that relate to poverty, injustice and insecurity."