Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started placing our students in internships with the World Bank and NGOs and in 2018 we began offering mentoring to our winners. Launched with funding from the International Bar Association Foundation, Lex:lead is a partner to the World Bank-supported Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development.
Sixteen new winners bring Lex:lead to 147 awards -- see our 2023 Winners page
Eligible students are invited to register by 31 October 2023 with essays due 31 December 2023
Lex:lead President/Founder Anne Bodley with scholarship winners in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 2014 (L-R Hilina Berhanu Degefa, Rediet Zegeye Yigezu, Anne, Lemlem Fiseha Minale, Redeat Kassahun Seifu).
Lex:lead in Zambia: Co-founder Rudy Ezeani with Advisory Board Member Sabine Midderhoff and winners in Lusaka Zambia September 2018 (Back L-R: Milan Dipakkumar Desai; Paul Moono; Lumela Lumela; Front L-R: Muchinda Muma; Nsofwa Puta; Chileke Sakala; Nkandu Kunda Chota; Chitalu Yalobi).
Lex:lead Malawi: Lex:lead judge Tyler Holmes hosted our Malawi winners in September 2022 (L-R Chimango Nyasulu, Osman Yusuf, M Collins Banda, Tyler Holmes, Davis Sibande, Patrick Zindikirani, Andrew Gift Umali, Chawezi Phiri, Joel Elifala, Faith Sumani, Ivy Nkhata).
1. 147 awards made (over US$73,000) across eligible countries in Africa, Asia and Americas.
2. Launched in 2010 with funding from the International Bar Association Foundation; exceptional second and third grants in 2012 and 2016.
3. Sponsors including: The International Bar Association Foundation, Addleshaw Goddard, Allen & Overy (A&O Shearman), Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Launch Legal, Linklaters, Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, DLA Piper, Mayer Brown International, Travers Smith, LEX Africa Alliance, others.
4. Internship placements with the World Bank, GiZ, Center for Water Security and Cooperation, Landesa, Protimos, others.
5. Intellectual partner to the World Bank-supported Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development (since July 2012).
We are open to the world's least developed countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas as reassessed regularly by the United Nations. Eligible students must show both citizenship and enrollment in one of the countries below.
Americas
Haiti
Asia/Pacific/Middle East
Afghanistan*
Bangladesh
Cambodia
Kiribati
Lao
Myanmar (Burma)
Nepal ☆
Papua New Guinea+
Solomon Islands
Timor-Leste
Tuvalu
Yemen
Africa
Angola
Benin
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Central African Rep.
Chad
Comoros
DR Congo
Djibouti
Eritrea ☆
Ethiopia ☆
Gambia ☆
Ghana+ ☆
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi ☆
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Niger
Rwanda ☆
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Sierra Leone ☆
Somalia
South Sudan
Sudan (Rep.)
Tanzania ☆
Togo
Uganda ☆
Zambia ☆
Zimbabwe+ ☆
☆ Award winners. + Eligible but not a least developed country. This list is subject to change. *Nationals of asterisked countries are eligible but must be studying in another eligible country until further notice.
Source: www.un.org/ohrlls