Class of 2025

Ms. Atuhaire earned her degree in law from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. She also earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in Uganda. In 2021, Ms. Atuhaire founded Mazungumuzo Limited, an organization dedicated to empowering youth and raising awareness on legal rights, civil liberties, and conflict resolution.

Mr. Bai is an attorney in training for the Beijing Daoquan Law Firm specializing in criminal complaints, defense, and corporate law. He earned his Bachelor of Laws from Renmin University of China where he served as the alternate captain of the university’s ice hockey team. He aspires to deepen his understanding of the American legal system and aims to utilize English as a working language.

Ms. Bao earned her Bachelor of Laws from Minzu University in Beijing, China. She has also earned a Bachelor of Arts in language and literature. Ms. Bao interned at the Judicial Bureau in China to where she participated in community engagement in rural communities. With her LL.M., Ms. Bao aims to provide free legal services and legal publicity in undeveloped areas lacking those resources.

Mr. Büyükay earned his law degree in Istanbul, Turkey from Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Law. He is particularly interested in pursuing a career in Energy & Environmental Law, with a special focus on potential sources of alternative energy. Mr. Büyükay has experience working with multiple firms and is an accomplished competitive swimmer. 

Mr. Chen earned his Bachelor of Laws from Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan. During his time at Soochow, Mr. Chen focused on researching emerging tech legal issues. He also completed an internship in Boise, Idaho with Hawley Troxell. Since then, Mr. Chen has worked in the legal department for Evershine CPAs on international business transactions.

Ms. Chen completed her Bachelor of Laws degree from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. She started to work as a legal executive for Chancery Law Corporation and most recently as a senior legal counsel for a private credit fund, where she is mainly involved in capital and credit markets and helped different enterprises find financial support for their businesses. She is a PRC practicing lawyer with almost 12 years experience.

Ms. Colville earned her J.D. from the Capital Institute of Humanities in Moscow, Russia. She also earned a Master’s degree in environmental design from Moscow Architectural Institute, which she applied to her career in interior design. She has a strong interest in business and immigration law, human rights, and international studies. She plans to use her LL.M. degree and personal experiences to advocate for others through volunteering, resolving conflicts, and assisting families in integrating into a new country.

Mr. de Vignier-Awad is a degree seeking exchange student from Lyon, France. He earned his B.A. in Political Science & French from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, as well as a M.A. in International Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C. Mr. de Vignier-Awad has experience interning in international law at a firm as well as at the National Democratic Institute. He also spent time working as a French teacher. 

Ms. Ding earned her law degree from Tunghai University in Taiwan and completed an exchange program in law at Xiamen University in China. She has completed an array of internships in varying fields of law, as well as an internship as a journalist for Shaoxing Daily. Upon graduation, Ms. Ding endeavors to take the bar exam and work as a criminal lawyer in China. 

Mr. Gao completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at Dalian Maritime University, specializing in Maritime Law. He has also earned a Master of Laws degree in criminal procedure from Chengdu University of Technology. With his LL.M., he plans to pursue a career in human rights law, paying special attention to issues regarding the LGBTQ+ community, racial and ethnic minorities, and other underrepresented groups. He is an accomplished researcher with multiple published papers. 

Mr. Globig completed his law degree with a specialization in criminal law at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He has a particular interest in environmental law, as this field is developing rapidly and of great practical relevance. Mr. Globig has experience working in environmental law in Germany, and is aiming to understand the intricacies of environmental law in the United States.

Ms. Ibrahim completed her LL.B. from the University of Khartoum Law School with Honors. Her areas of expertise include corporate and commercial law, corporate governance, criminal law, and family law. Upon graduation, Ms. Ibrahim participated in Human Rights issues in Sudan. She is committed to using her past experiences to fight for social justice on a global scale.

Mr. Jideobi earned his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Nigeria. He also earned an LL.M. in International Law from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Mr. Jideobi founded JOHNMARY C. JIDEOBI & CO, a law firm engaged in legal consultancy, arbitration and core litigation in Abuja, Nigeria. His interests include constitutional law, criminal defense, human rights, and public interest litigation.

Ms. Kao completed her law degree from Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan. Ms. Kao’s primary interests include intellectual property, trademark, and patent law. She worked on various Intellectual Property matters during her internship with the legal department of Nextlink Technology Co., Ltd. Ms. Kao also worked as a tutor for the Guan Xin School in Taipei. She is particularly interested in learning about and understanding the U.S. common law system.

Mr. Konan is a Fulbright Scholar who completed an LL.B. and two LL.M. degrees from Belarusian State University in Minsk, Belarus. During his time there, Mr. Konan focused on jurisprudence and the problems with implementation of the European Union. While earning his LL.M. degree, Mr. Konan plans to specialize in criminal law with specific focus on crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes. 

Mr. Lei, with a Juris Master degree from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, is an esteemed IP lawyer at Huawei Technologies, a globally renowned company. Mr. Lei serves as an adjunct Professor at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and holds important positions in IP protection of China and the UHD World Association. Currently, as Senior Vice President at a leading Chinese multinational technology company, he actively pursues further studies to enhance global legal affairs management.

Mr. Leila earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Mansoura University in Egypt. He also completed a Master’s degree in International Trade at Ajou University in South Korea. Mr. Leila is an Egyptian judge and Deputy President of a Court of First Instance, and he aims to gain a better understanding of environment and energy law, but also of the economic and societal factors relevant to environmental law. He hopes to take the knowledge gained from his LL.M. degree and use it to deliver training programs to Egyptian judges and administrators.

Mr. Li earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Heilongjiang University in Harbin, China. Mr. Li has acted as attorney in approximately fifty civil cases involving construction law, trademarks, and billing. Upon graduation, Mr. Li intends to return to China to continue practicing civil law and commercial litigation while providing much-needed resources to the area such as alternative dispute resolution. 

Mr. Li earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Beijing University of Technology. He has done extensive work with the China Red Cross Foundation where he was responsible for reviewing various contracts and publicizing any legal risks posed to the Foundation. Through his work at the Red Cross, Mr. Li has experience working with international organizations and foreign companies. Mr. Li aims to one day work to resolve inter-agency disputes.

Ms. Ltaief is a degree seeking exchange student from Lyon, France. She earned her first degree in law from University Jean Moulin, Lyon 3, and is currently in the process of completing her Master’s degree. Ms. Ntaief aims to one day work for the United Nations, and as such, she plans to take courses in human rights law, women’s human rights, and international law. She has experience as a volunteer at Aider Son Prochain, which helps sick and disabled children and their families.

Mr. Luo earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Chongqing University. He has extensive experience working for law firms, such as Beijing W&H Law Firm, where he resolved over one hundred cases relating to contracts, business disputes, and corporation law. Mr. Luo looks forward to advancing his legal career by taking courses in business law and international law, taking specific interest in international business transactions and international trade law. 

Mr. Mendy earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of The Gambia and is a member of the Gambia Bar Association. He has experience working as State Counsel for the Ministry of Justice of The Gambia, as well as litigation experience in criminal and civil law. Mr. Mendy also has experience prosecuting serious and violent crimes in Gambia. 

Ms. Ogbue completed her Bachelor of Laws from Imo State University and subsequently passed the Nigerian Bar Examination. She has experience working as a legal secretary representing clients in board meetings and leading complex negotiations related to transactions and commerce. Along with her interests in business law, Ms. Ogbue is committed to ensuring equal access to legal representation, driven by a profound sense of social responsibility.

Mr. Saka completed his law degree at MEF University in Maslak, Turkey, where he focused on human rights law and philosophy. Mr. Saka has varied experiences in one of Turkey’s Legal 500 firms, the Dutch Consulate of Istanbul, and at an IT company as a legal advisor. He aims to take the New York bar exam upon completion of his LL.M.

Ms. Salihi earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Pristina in Kosovo. She has experience working as a law officer for ProCredit Bank SH.A. drafting and reviewing contracts and providing legal opinions related to finance and banking law. Ms. Salihi is a recipient of the Kosovo American Education Fund who also participated in the Harvard National Model United Nations doing legal research and advocacy related to public affairs. Ms. Salihi aims to make big picture changes to corporation law in Kosovo. 

Mr. Shokri has served as a judge and human rights legal advisor for various governmental entities for ten years. He earned a bachelor's degree from Beni-Suif University, along with diplomas in public and international trade law, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in international law at Cairo University. Passionate about human rights, he contributed to Egypt's first human rights strategy. His interests include enhancing climate litigation by improving access to justice in Egypt's climate courts.

Ms. Sungkharat completed her Bachelor of Laws degree from Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, where she specialized in business law. She has also completed an LL.M. degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Ms. Sungkharat is particularly interested in the history of the U.S. and its profound impact on the legal framework in other countries. She has experience working as a paralegal for Horn & Johnsen SC, an estate planning law firm. 

Mr. Taghiyev completed his law degree at IE University in Madrid, Spain. He has taken a keen interest in intellectual property law and how legal frameworks can promote innovation. Mr. Taghiyev is interested in exploring the cross section between emerging artificial intelligence technology and the accompanying ethical concerns. Mr. Taghiyev worked as an intern at EKVITA Consulting, working directly with patent attorneys to file patents and handle IP disputes. 

Mr. Villarreal Cambizaca completed his first law degree at Cuenca University in Cuenca, Ecuador. He also completed a master’s degree in constitutional law and a specialization in criminal law at Andean University Simon Bolivar. Mr. Villarreal Cambizaca has extensive political experience serving as mayor of his hometown, a provincial prosecutor, and legal director of the city of Morona. He aims to take his LL.M. degree and use it to make a positive impact on Ecuadorian society; he also strives to become a university professor.

Ms. Wongwatjanakul completed her Bachelor of Laws degree at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. Her primary legal interests include business law and intellectual property. Ms. Wongwatjanakul worked as a junior intellectual property lawyer for over two years, where she gained experience in business law and helping clients protect their intellectual property rights. She endeavors to be an assertive lawyer who provides expert advice at her own law firm. 

Mr. Yang completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at Ocean University of China in cooperation with the University of Arizona. During his education, Mr. Yang focused on corporate law and the civil legal issues that often arise in corporations. He has experience interning for corporate firms involved in litigation, as well as interning with the courts to gain a judicial perspective. Mr. Yang aims to serve as in-house counsel one day for a multinational corporation.

Ms. Zhang completed her Bachelor of Laws degree at North China Electric Power University. During her time at university, Ms. Zhang participated in the university drama club and as the first female referee in the university’s football association history; she also competed in moot court. Ms. Zhang interned at Dentons, one of China’s largest law firms, where she worked on bankruptcy cases. She is primarily interested in the differences between the U.S. adversarial system and the Chinese inquisitorial system. 

Ms. Zhang earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from Hohai University in China. While completing her degree, Ms. Zhang excelled in classes such as private and public international law and international organization law. She is a well-established lawyer at Beijing He Guan Law Firm, where she honed her research, analytical and organization skills. Ms. Zhang looks forward to learning about the global perspective on legal education at Minnesota Law.

Ms. Zhao completed her Bachelor of Laws degree at Ocean University of China, in cooperation with the University of Arizona. She also completed a Master of Law degree at East China University of Political Science and Law. Ms. Zhao aims to become an international lawyer working for a multinational corporation where she can contribute to solving global issues. She looks forward to participating in campus life by joining clubs such as the International Law Society. She has experience volunteering for charity and participating in the law school’s moot court team.