In 2015 Lex:lead launched a long-held goal of facilitating valuable work experience internships for its students. Lex:lead Ambassadors are eligible.
• 2015: First Internship - World Bank, Washington DC. In January 2015, our first scholarship winner Ms Lemlem Fiseha Minale (Ethiopia), was accepted into a one-semester externship with the World Bank in Washington DC laying the foundation for other placements with the group.
New York Dinner April 2015 (L-R): Lex:lead judge Fasil Amdetsion, Director Lakwame Anyane-Yeboa, President Anne Bodley, Director Feyi Obafemi, Scholarship winner and World Bank Intern Ms Lemlem Fiseha Minale (Ethiopia).
• 2015: Internship in Kampala, Uganda. In May 2015 the group was able to arrange a research internship for 2013 scholarship winner Ms Galindo Ruhiyyah Aliyo (Uganda) working with World Bank partners in Kampala, Uganda, on healthcare law. Galindo's US$500 stipend was funded by Cozen O'Connor.
Galindo Aliyo (far right) with consortium partners including UNICRI, the O'Neill Institute, and the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), Kampala, Uganda.
• 2015: Internship in Kampala, Uganda. In May 2015 the group was able to arrange a research internship for 2013 scholarship winner Ms Galindo Ruhiyyah Aliyo (Uganda) working with World Bank partners in Kampala, Uganda, on healthcare law. Galindo's US$500 stipend was funded by Cozen O'Connor.
Galindo Aliyo (far right) with consortium partners including UNICRI, the O'Neill Institute, and the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), Kampala, Uganda.
• 2016: Two New Internships - Kigali, Rwanda. In July 2016, Washington DC-based Forzley & Associates selected two Lex:leaders for internships working out of Kigali, Rwanda. Ms Mary Musoni's US$500 stipend was funded by London lawyer Mr Oliver Yaros; Mr Jean Claude Mahoro's US$500 stipend by Linklaters.
Rwandan Lex:leaders Mr Jean Claude Mahoro and Ms Mary Musoni looking up from their work with Forzley & Associates in Kigali, Rwanda.
• 2016: Bonus Internship, IBA Human Rights Institute. In August 2016, Lex:lead was able to arrange a month-long internship for 2012 Winner Ms Hilina Berhanu Degefa (Ethiopia) with the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute. The placement was in London UK where Hilina was studying at the University of London (SOAS).
Lex:lead London with Hilina Berhanu Degefa (Ethiopia): (L-R) Hilina; former Deputy Group Secretary Syeda Zinnat Akhter (Bangladesh); President Anne Bodley (Australia); Advisory Board Member Tola Ariyo (Nigeria).
University's summer school, Lex:lead arranged a one-month placement for Mr Masalu Luhula (Tanzania) with the Center for Water Security and Cooperation (CWSC) in June 2017. Masalu's internship was funded by Travers Smith.
Masalu Luhula at American University, Washington DC, June 2017
• 2017: World Bank Ghana, Accra Ghana - in September Lex:lead arranged an internship for Ms Mawunya Etsa Kudu (Ghana) with the World Bank Ghana researching water law for the Ghanaian Ministry of Sanitation. Mawunya's stipend was gratefully funded by Linklaters.
Mawunya Kudu at the World Bank Ghana September 2017
• 2017: Law and healthcare internship Malawi - In November we made our third placement this year with a funded six-month part-time legal internship for Mr M Collins Banda (Malawi) chosen by US-based Medical Tourism Training (MTT). Collins' internship was funded by DLA Piper.
Collins Banda (Malawi) internship
• 2018: GIZ Zambia - In 2018 we placed Ms Nkandu Chota (Zambia) in a six-month part-time funded internship with the German development aid agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Zambia. She also received a stipend funded by Lex:lead named in honour of former A&O partner Stephen Denyer. In October 2018 Lex:lead provided a discretionary grant of US$300 to Nkandu in support of her studies.
Nkandu Chota at GIZ Zambia with internship coordinator Advisory Board member Sabine Midderhoff.
• 2018: Advocates for Community Alternatives Ghana - In August we were able to place 2017 Scholarship Winner Frederick Abu-Bonsrah (Ghana) in a four-month internship with Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) in Ghana inter alia bringing cases to the ECOWAS Court. His stipend was funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
L-R ACA Executive Director Jonathan Kaufman, Frederick Abu-Bonsrah, ACA Legal Director Lalla Toure, Volunteer Evelyn Zheng and ACA Financial Manager Eric.
• 2019: GIZ Zambia - In February Ms Chileke Sakala (Zambia) started a six-month full-time funded internship with the German development aid agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Zambia. While Lex:lead is not funding this one we had a role in the opportunity and are proud of Chileke's accomplishment.
Chileke Sakala (Zambia) at GIZ Zambia
• 2019: Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) - The ACA (Ghana) was so pleased with its first Lex:lead intern that they were eager for a second and in June we were delighted to place Ms Nana Adwoa Baiden (Ghana) in a three-month internship with them. Nana's stipend was also funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
Nana Adwoa Baiden at the ACA (Accra, Ghana) with colleagues.
• 2019: GIZ Zambia - In October another Lex:lead winner started a paid six-month internship with the German development aid agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Zambia when they selected Mr Kasanga Ngulube (Zambia) for the role. As a paid internship Lex:lead is not funding this placement, but we congratulate Kasanga all the same!
Kasanga Ngulube at GIZ, Zambia (October 2019)
• 2019: World Bank Ghana - In November, the World Bank selected Lex:lead winner Mr Moses Baguma (Uganda) for a short-term assignment working remotely from Kampala, tied in with other projects focused on East Africa. Moses' stipend is again funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
Moses at work for the World Bank, Kampala, Uganda (November 2019)
• 2020: World Bank - In January, the World Bank (Ghana) also selected Lex:lead winner Ms Bertha Nanyaro (Tanzania) for a short-term assignment working remotely from Dar es Salaam, tied in with other projects focused on East Africa. Bertha's stipend is again funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
• 2020: Landesa (Dar es Salaam) - Lex:lead was delighted to have been recommended to US NGO Landesa which works for human rights and land rights. Itael Kimaro (Tanzania) was selected by Landesa for a two-month internship in July and August 2020.
Photo: Itael at Landesa, Dar es Salaam
• 2015: First Internship - World Bank, Washington DC. In January 2015, our first scholarship winner Ms Lemlem Fiseha Minale (Ethiopia), was accepted into a one-semester externship with the World Bank in Washington DC laying the foundation for other placements with the group.
New York Dinner April 2015 (L-R): Lex:lead judge Fasil Amdetsion, Director Lakwame Anyane-Yeboa, President Anne Bodley, Director Feyi Obafemi, Scholarship winner and World Bank Intern Ms Lemlem Fiseha Minale (Ethiopia).
• 2015: Internship in Kampala, Uganda. In May 2015 the group was able to arrange a research internship for 2013 scholarship winner Ms Galindo Ruhiyyah Aliyo (Uganda) working with World Bank partners in Kampala, Uganda, on healthcare law. Galindo's US$500 stipend was funded by Cozen O'Connor.
Galindo Aliyo (far right) with consortium partners including UNICRI, the O'Neill Institute, and the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), Kampala, Uganda.
• 2016: New Placement in Washington DC. Following our 2015 placement in Uganda, in January 2016 the World Bank assisted in placing Ms Sousena Kebede Tefera (Ethiopia) with the same consortium to further work on healthcare law from Washington DC. Sousena's US$500 stipend was gratefully funded by DLA Piper.
Ms Sousena Kebede Tefera at the World Bank in Washington DC.
• 2016: Two New Internships - Kigali, Rwanda. In July 2016, Washington DC-based Forzley & Associates selected two Lex:leaders for internships working out of Kigali, Rwanda. Ms Mary Musoni's US$500 stipend was funded by London lawyer Mr Oliver Yaros; Mr Jean Claude Mahoro's US$500 stipend by Linklaters.
Rwandan Lex:leaders Mr Jean Claude Mahoro and Ms Mary Musoni looking up from their work with Forzley & Associates in Kigali, Rwanda.
• 2016: Bonus Internship, IBA Human Rights Institute. In August 2016, Lex:lead was able to arrange a month-long internship for 2012 Winner Ms Hilina Berhanu Degefa (Ethiopia) with the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute. The placement was in London UK where Hilina was studying at the University of London (SOAS).
Lex:lead London with Hilina Berhanu Degefa (Ethiopia): (L-R) Hilina; former Deputy Group Secretary Syeda Zinnat Akhter (Bangladesh); President Anne Bodley (Australia); Advisory Board Member Tola Ariyo (Nigeria).
• 2017: New Placement, Washington DC -accepted into American University's summer school, Lex:lead arranged a one-month placement for Mr Masalu Luhula (Tanzania) with the Center for Water Security and Cooperation (CWSC) in June 2017. Masalu's internship was funded by Travers Smith.
Masalu Luhula at American University, Washington DC, June 2017
• 2017: World Bank Ghana, Accra Ghana - in September Lex:lead arranged an internship for Ms Mawunya Etsa Kudu (Ghana) with the World Bank Ghana researching water law for the Ghanaian Ministry of Sanitation. Mawunya's stipend was gratefully funded by Linklaters.
Mawunya Kudu at the World Bank Ghana September 2017
• 2017: Law and healthcare internship Malawi - In November we made our third placement this year with a funded six-month part-time legal internship for Mr M Collins Banda (Malawi) chosen by US-based Medical Tourism Training (MTT). Collins' internship was funded by DLA Piper.
Collins Banda (Malawi) internship
• 2018: GIZ Zambia - In 2018 we placed Ms Nkandu Chota (Zambia) in a six-month part-time funded internship with the German development aid agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Zambia. She also received a stipend funded by Lex:lead named in honour of former A&O partner Stephen Denyer. In October 2018 Lex:lead provided a discretionary grant of US$300 to Nkandu in support of her studies.
Nkandu Chota at GIZ Zambia with internship coordinator Advisory Board member Sabine Midderhoff.
• 2018: Advocates for Community Alternatives Ghana - In August we were able to place 2017 Scholarship Winner Frederick Abu-Bonsrah (Ghana) in a four-month internship with Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) in Ghana inter alia bringing cases to the ECOWAS Court. His stipend was funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
L-R ACA Executive Director Jonathan Kaufman, Frederick Abu-Bonsrah, ACA Legal Director Lalla Toure, Volunteer Evelyn Zheng and ACA Financial Manager Eric.
• 2019: GIZ Zambia - In February Ms Chileke Sakala (Zambia) started a six-month full-time funded internship with the German development aid agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Zambia. While Lex:lead is not funding this one we had a role in the opportunity and are proud of Chileke's accomplishment.
Chileke Sakala (Zambia) at GIZ Zambia
• 2019: Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) - The ACA (Ghana) was so pleased with its first Lex:lead intern that they were eager for a second and in June we were delighted to place Ms Nana Adwoa Baiden (Ghana) in a three-month internship with them. Nana's stipend was also funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
Nana Adwoa Baiden at the ACA (Accra, Ghana) with colleagues.
• 2019: GIZ Zambia - In October another Lex:lead winner started a paid six-month internship with the German development aid agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Zambia when they selected Mr Kasanga Ngulube (Zambia) for the role. As a paid internship Lex:lead is not funding this placement, but we congratulate Kasanga all the same!
Kasanga Ngulube at GIZ, Zambia (October 2019)
• 2019: World Bank Ghana - In November, the World Bank selected Lex:lead winner Mr Moses Baguma (Uganda) for a short-term assignment working remotely from Kampala, tied in with other projects focused on East Africa. Moses' stipend is again funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
Moses at work for the World Bank, Kampala, Uganda (November 2019)
• 2020: World Bank - In January, the World Bank (Ghana) also selected Lex:lead winner Ms Bertha Nanyaro (Tanzania) for a short-term assignment working remotely from Dar es Salaam, tied in with other projects focused on East Africa. Bertha's stipend is again funded by the Friends of Lex:lead.
• 2020: Landesa (Dar es Salaam) - Lex:lead was delighted to have been recommended to US NGO Landesa which works for human rights and land rights. Itael Kimaro (Tanzania) was selected by Landesa for a two-month internship in July and August 2020.
Photo: Itael at Landesa, Dar es Salaam
We thought you'd like to meet the Lex:lead judges so we're putting together a series of interviews; starting with our first and most long-standing judge - a great friend of Lex:lead - Mr Justice Iain Morley QC (UK).
What in your life has shaped your interest in law and development?
Iain retraces his time at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and other influencing factors.
"How does one make a difference without getting overwhelmed by the sheer scale of need that exists?" Judge Simone Scott-Sawyer is doing her bit.
"I hope those who have experienced the work of Lex:lead [...] will be inspired to pass on the benefits of their knowledge to young lawyers and to their countries."
"I... find the work [of Lex:lead] admirable...: the empowerment of new generations to think and work outside the [economic development] box."
"... Lex:lead contributes notably to two overlapping values: identifying, debating and searching for answers on such topics; and developing and enriching the international professional community that overarches and facilitates them."
"[Lex:lead] is exemplary because young lawyers get the opportunity to look at the law from a different angle. Development is usually not a topic lawyers would be talking about ...this initiative enables students to ... think outside the box."
• Mr Saad Alferargi (Egypt), UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Geneva, Switzerland
• Mr Michael Adenuga (Nigeria), UN Residual Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (UNMICT), The Hague, Netherlands
• Ms Paige Berges (USA), CDC Group, A4ID, London UK
• Dr Petra Butler (Germany), Victoria University Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
• Ms Bandini Chhichhia (Sri Lanka/Australia), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London UK
• Carolin Crabbe (USA), formerly World Bank, USAID, IADB, Washington DC, USA
• Mr Gunter Fischer (Germany), formerly UN Conference on Trade and Development, Geneva, Switzerland
• Mr Luis Francheschi (Kenya), Commonwealth Secretariat, London UK
• Mr Ganiyou Gassikia (Benin), TekPro Services, Chicago, USA
• Mr Stefaan Ghesquiere (Belgium), Public Prosecutor, Brussels, Belgium
• Dr Abdallah Gonzi (Tanzania), University of Dar es Salaam and Law School of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Ms Bunafsha Gulakova (Tajikistan/Austria), European Commission, Vienna, Austria
• Ms Nankunda Katangaza (Canada), Co-founder and Director, Hook Tangaza, London UK
• Ms Dianna Kempe QC JP (Bermuda), formerly Appleby, Spurling & Kempe
• Mr Stuart Kerr (USA), International Law Institute, Washington DC, USA
• Ms Marianna Kosharovsky (Ukraine/USA), ALIGHT, Denver, USA
• Dr Susan Lamb (New Zealand), Oxford University, UK
• Dr Dina Mansour-Ille (Germany/UK), Overseas Development Institute, London UK
• Mr Justice Iain Morley QC (UK), Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Antigua
• Ms Muluka Miti-Drummond (Zambia), International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, London UK
• Hon Judge Jonathan Moses (New Zealand), New Zealand
• Professor John Mukum Mbaku (Cameroon), Weber State University, Denver, USA
• Judge Aminatta LR N'Gum (Gambia), UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (UNMICT), Banjul, Gambia
• Dr Violet Odala (Malawi), African Child Policy Forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Ms Sun-Hee Park (Korea), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London UK
• Dr Marta Pertegas (Spain), Universities of Antwerp and Maastricht, Netherlands
• Dr Nicole Pierce (Jamaica), De Montfort University, UK
• Mr Abdoulaye Seye (Senegal), International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands
• Justice Francis Ssekandi (Uganda), Columbia University, World Bank Administrative Tribunal, New York, USA
• Ms Deniz Tamer (USA), American Bar Association, Washington DC, USA
• Dr Guan Tang (China), Queen Mary University of London, London UK
• Mr John Taylor (Australia), Queen Mary University of London, London UK
• Ms Maria (Mayee) Warren (Philippines), formerly UNICTR, International Criminal Court, Sydney, Australia
January 2016: To thank our judges (some of whom have supported us since our inception) and to meet new ones, Lex:lead held a small Judges' Reception in London this year. Special thanks to Iain Morley QC (UK) and Chief Charles Taku (Cameroon) (not pictured) who have supported Lex:lead since 2010.
(L-R): 1 Lex:lead judge Dr Mark McQuinn (UK), 2 Scholarship Winner Ms Hilina Berhanu Degefa (Ethiopia), 3 Former Deputy Group Secretary Syeda Zinnat Akhter (Bangladesh/Italy), 4 President Anne Bodley (Australia), 5 Lex:lead judge Iain Morley QC (UK), 6 Lex:lead judge Ms Simone Scott-Sawyer (UK/Sierra Leone).
June 2018: A little London get-together with prospective members:
(L-R): 1 Lex:lead judge Paige Berges (USA); 2 Advisory Board Member Yvette Dzakpasu (Ghana/USA); 3 President/Founder Anne Bodley; 4 Prospective Member Shirin Lim (Singapore).
November 2018: At the World Bank, Washington DC, for Law, Justice and Development Week 2018--with LJD Week Student Competition Winner, Lex:leader Mawunya Kudu.
(L-R): 1 Lex:lead President/Founder Anne Bodley; 2 Scholarship Winner Mawunya Kudu (Ghana); Lex:lead Director Lakwame Anyane-Yeboa.
July 2019: In recognition of Lex:lead's support of law students across the world's developing countries, in 2019 Lex:lead President/Founder Anne Bodley was awarded the American Bar Association (ABA) Outstanding International Corporate Counsel Award. Anne set up the group and has led it since 2010.
Lex:lead President/Founder Anne Bodley (centre) with ABA Section of International Law Chair Robert Brown (L) and Co-chair Nigel Roberts (R), Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, UK, July 2019.