The Wake Forest University School of Law welcomed its newest group of international students during Orientation on Aug. 15-23.
The students come from a dozen countries: Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, China, Holland, Kosovo, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. Among the LL.M (Master of Laws) students are two men from Kosovo, who represent the second group of students from their country to study law at an American university, according to the Dean of International Programs Richard Schneider.
“This is not only our largest group of incoming international students but our most diverse,” he said. “We have a really wide spectrum of students from around the world and they bring great experiences to this law school.”
2013-2014 Student Biographies – International Graduate Programs
Mr. Ahmed Aldibasi (Buraydah, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Aldibasi graduated in 2010 from Qassim University with a B.A. (First Class Honors) in Sharia Law and Islamic studies. Although selected to be a judge, Mr. Aldibasi chose to accept a teaching appointment at his alma mata, Qassim University where his duties included organizing various workshops and seminars for the Islamic Culture Department. He was subsequently awarded a full scholarship to pursue an LL.M. and S.J.D. in the United States. After completing his English as a Second Language (ESL) studies at Ohio State University, Mr. Aldibasi chose to attend Wake Forest Law on the advice of his advisors recommendation due to “its international reputation in justice studies”. Mr. Aldibasi hopes to focus his studies in the area of human rights and plans to teach in that area upon his return to Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Salah Alharbi (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Alharbi graduated from Al Iman Ibn Saud Islamic University in 2010 with a degree in Sharia or Islamic Law. After graduation, he completed an English language studies program at Interlink, UNC Greensboro. His long term goals are to improve the legal system of Saudi Arabia, especially in the area of banking and international law.
Mr. Saad Alrasheed (Alriyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Alrasheed graduated in 2009 from King Saud University with a bachelor’s degree in law. During his studies he worked part time at his father’s law firm, where he was involved in reviewing contracts and conducting research for various cases. From this work experience, he was able to acquire a greater understanding of Saudi Arabia’s civil, commercial, administrative and banking laws. In addition to working part time, Mr. Alrasheed was active in student activities and participated in founding the first Law Club at King Saud University. Following graduation, Mr. Alrasheed was hired as a teaching assistant at King Saud University where he was responsible for conducting student review sessions and undertaking research as related to civil litigation, real estate, corporate securities, banking and insurance law regulation. Selected for a scholarship to study in the U.S., Mr. Alrasheed comes to Wake Forest Law after completing his intensive English training at the University of Washington, Seattle. Mr. Alrasheed’s primary interests lie in the business and banking law arena, but he also has an interest in government regulations, commercial law, bankruptcy and corporate reorganizations. Sponsored by King Saud University, Mr. Alrasheed plans to return to teach there after completing his LL.M. degree.
Mr. Mohammed Alshehri (Abha, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Mohammed holds both a Bachelor of Law (2002) and a Masters of Law and Legal Systems (2008) from King Abdulaziz University. After graduation, he held several legal positions to include law clerk at a firm, law clerk for the law school’s Human Rights Committee, and legal advisor for a commercial law firm. Since 2009, Mr. Alsheri has been employed as a lecturer in principals of law and commercial law for King Khaled University. With sponsorship from King Abdulaziz University, Mr. Alsheri hopes to complete both his LL.M. and S.J.D. at Wake Forest University School of Law. Expanding on research conducted for his master’s thesis, “Settlement of disputes by arbitration in accordance with the World Trade Organization”, Mr. Alsheri hopes to focus his studies on international business, trade law and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Mr. Abdulsalam Alsunaidi (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
After completing his Bachelors in Islamic Law from Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University in 2005, Mr. Alsunaidi went on to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies at the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in 2007. Following graduation from IPA, he secured a position as legal advisor at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, but left to take a position as legal advisor at the Capital Market Authority (the agency responsible for monitoring and regulating the Saudi Arabian Stock market). As legal advisor, his duties included drafting legal documents and judicial opinions, examining committee cases, presiding over hearings and reviewing evidence for admissibility. Prior to attending Wake Forest Law, Mr. Alsunaidi completed the intensive English program at Interlink, UNC Greensboro. Sponsored by the Capital Market Authority, Mr. Alsunadi hopes to focus his LL.M. studies in the business law arena.
Ms. Aixsha Bishop (Panama/Cary, NC)
Ms. Bishop graduated with a Master’s in Commercial Law from Universidad Interaericana de Panama in 2009 and a Bachelors of Law and Political Studies from Universidad Latina de Panama in 2007. She has held various legal positions in Panama, to include being junior lawyer at one of the largest supermarket franchises and owning her own firm specializing in corporate and immigration law. She has been an active member of the Panamanian bar since 2007. Since coming to the U.S. in 2011, Ms. Bishop has worked as a legal assistant in the immigration law arena. Her interests are immigration law and comparative constitutional law among others.
Mr. Elez Blakaj (Pristina, Kosovo)
As one of the Justice Abroad Scholars, Mr. Blakaj is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Pristina and the U.S. Department of Justice. He is currently a Prosecutor at the Basic Prosecution Office, Prishtina and prior to that served as Program Coordinator of the Kosovo Judicial Institute. Mr. Blakaj has also worked as a staff member for the evidence section of the forensic unit of the Kosovo Police Force and as a practitioner in the Municipal Court of Istog. Mr. Blakaj received his law degree from the University of Prishtina and passed the bar exam to become a qualified lawyer in 2006. His interests lie in the area of criminal law and he would like to use the knowledge and experienced gained at Wake Forest Law to increase and improve the quality of justice in Kosovo.
Ms. Ying Cao (Ningbo, China)
Ms. Cao is a recent graduate of Zhejiang University of Technology where she received her Bachelor of Law degree. During her time at Zhejiang, Ying was an active member of the student body, holding positions as Assistant President, School Bar Association, court clerk for the moot court team and a member of the school’s debating society. In addition, Ms. Cao was able to obtain practical legal experience, completing internships at Yingzhou People’s Court, Ningbo and several law firms. With Wake Forest Law’s strong academic environment, small class size and supportive mentoring program, Ms. Cao is excited to be learning more about American Law. Her goals after completing the LL.M. are to transfer to the J.D. program with the objective of becoming a qualified lawyer in the U.S.
Ms. Teresa Carbonell Bonilla (Peru/Winston-Salem, NC)
Ms. Carbonell Bonilla received her Bachelor of Law (with honors) degree from Pontifica Universidad Cartolica del Peru in 2003. During her time in law school, she was publicity secretary for the Law Students Federation for three consecutive years and both founder and member of the Administrative Law Circle. Following graduation, Ms. Carbonell Bonilla was awarded a scholarship to complete a post graduate diploma in “Specialist in the Regulation of Water Services” from Universidad Del Pacifica in 2004. After her studies, she then had the opportunity to travel to Mexico City as legal adviser for the Peruvian embassy and study for a Masters in Public Administration at Anahuac University, Estado de Mexico. Upon returning to Peru in 2006, Ms. Carbonell Bonilla completed a diploma in Women’s Rights and Child Abuse from the Peruvian Bar Association. She has held several legal positions to include Assistant of the Controversy Solution Tribunal for Water Services Regulation; legal adviser for the Peruvian embassy, Mexico; tax adviser for C& G Associates and customs lawyer at the Peruvian Customs Regulation Agency. Ms. Carbonell Bonilla recently returned to Peru where she passed the Peruvian Bar Exam with excellent grades.
Since coming to the U.S., Ms. Carbonell Bonialla has completed courses in ESL, Translating and Interpreting and Culinary Arts. While at Wake Forest Law she hopes to gain a greater understanding of U.S. law, and to expand her experiences especially as to the relationship between Federal Government and the States. Following graduation, Ms. Bonilla would like to work in the public interest area, assisting Latin American groups in the U.S. who may have limited means, access to legal information or experience difficulty with the language.
Mr. Young Kwan Choi (Seoul, South Korea)
After completing mandatory national service in the Korean Army for 2 years, Mr. Choi completed his law degree at Korea National University in 2003 and passed the Korean bar exam in 2004. He successfully completed two more years of training at the Judicial Research and Training Institute and started as an associate at Yoon and Yang LLC, one of the largest law firms in South Korea, in 2007. He currently holds a position as senior associate (litigation) and is responsible for representing various companies and financial institutions in commercial and civil litigation. His specializations include corporate governance, corporate restructuring and bankruptcy. From July 2012 to June 2013, Mr. Choi held the position of chief editor for the Yoon and Yang’s company house journal. Supported by a scholarship from his law firm, Mr. Choi hopes to learn more about U.S. Laws and the legal system so that he can best advise his international clients upon his return to Korea.
Ms. Xiao Fu (Beijing, China)
Ms. Fu graduated in June 2013 from China University of Political Science and Law with a bachelor’s degree in law. During her studies, she was very active in extracurricular activities to include director of the School News Center, director of the University Student Association and director of the IPR Club. In addition, she completed internships at both a patent law firm and a Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Shandong Province.
Ms. Yi Gu (Suzhou, China)
Ms. Gu graduated from Soochow University, Taiwan with a Bachelors of Law and Bachelors of Economics in 2011. She is currently enrolled as a master’s degree candidate at Soochow University and expects to graduate with a Masters in Law in 2014. During her graduate and undergraduate studies, Ms Gu received many academic awards to include Excellent Postgraduate Student of Soochow University for outstanding academic performance (2013), Merit Scholarship of Soochow University (2012-2013) and Second Prize Scholarship in 2010 and 2011. In addition, she participated in moot court competitions and was named Director of Youth League for the law school. As part of her studies she completed internships at a law firm in Shanghai and in the People’s Court of Suzhou. Ms. Gu was admitted to the Chinese Bar in 2012. During her studies at the Kenneth Wang School of Law, Soochow University, Ms. Gu was exposed to several international law classes and during her time at Wake Forest Law she hopes to focus in such areas as Contracts, International Transactions, Torts, Criminal Law and Criminal Procedures. Her long term goal is to return home and practice in the civil and commercial law arena, using her international experience.
Mr. Jun-Gwangmyeong Heo (Si, South Korea)
Mr. Heo has over eight years’ experience as a public prosecutor and special investigator and is currently employed in the Public Security Department, Anyang District Prosecutor’s Office. His responsibilities include investigating and prosecuting white collar crimes such as tax evasion, fraudulent accounting practices in addition to election offences and political crimes.Mr. Heo passed the Korean national judicial examination in 2002 after receiving a bachelor’s degree in History from Korea University. Following two years of training at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, Mr. Heo started his prosecutorial career in the District Attorney’s Office, Seoul, Korea. Selected as the recipient of a full scholarship from the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Heo hopes to learn more about the U.S. criminal law and the processes of criminal investigation and trial. In addition, he is also interested in furthering his knowledge in the jury system and the use of plea bargaining. After completing his LL.M., Mr. Heo will resume his position as a prosecutor where he hopes to implement the knowledge and experiences acquired while at Wake Forest Law.
Mr. Mohammed Ikhlawi (Idna, Palestine)
Mr. Ikhlawi is a Palestinian Rule of Law Fellow sponsored by the Open Society Foundation. A member of the Hebron Police Department since graduating the Dubai Police Academy in 2004 with a License in Law & Police Science, Mr. Ikhlawi currently works as a public relations director. His former positions include director criminal investigation and police officer. Mr. Ikhlawi has a strong interest in human rights law, especially as regards protecting women and children’s rights. His work on past cases dealing with family and women’s issues has directed him towards learning more about the law itself, rather than police work and he hopes an LL.M. will allow him to study these issues more in-depth. Mr. Ikhalwi is currently registered in the Masters of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police Academy.
Mr. Alaa Marghalani (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
After graduating in 2008 from King Abdulaziz University with a Bachelor of Law, Mr. Marghalani was employed as a teacher assistant by the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During his two year training period, his duties rotated between the law department, development and planning department, symposia and meetings department, research center and the library. After completing his LL.M. and S.J.D., Mr. Marghalani plans to return to the Institute of Public Administration as a law professor, consultant and researcher for government entities.
Mr. Mohammad Massoud (Kabul, Afghanistan)
Mr. Massoud is coming to Wake Forest Law as one of two scholars from the Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan. Mr. Massoud graduated top of his class from Kabul University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Law & Political Science. While at Kabul University, Mr. Massoud had the opportunity to participate in several international events to include participating in the International Moot Court Competition, completing a one month program in Washington DC and New York and spending 4 months in Italy as part of a study tour. After graduation, Mr. Massoud worked as a legal translator and interpreter for the International Legal Foundation where he completed translation and editing of legal documents to include defense statements. He also spent one year as a justice program assistant in the Italian embassy, Kabul before taking his present position as legal advisor to the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) where his duties include monitoring a large legal aid project, reviewing defense statements and working as a liaison between IDLO and the Legal Aid Organization of Afghanistan. Mr. Massoud hopes to focus his LL.M. studies in the area of criminal law and conduct research comparing the U.S. and Afghan systems. After completing the LL.M., Mr. Massoud hopes to teach at Kabul University and eventually open his own law firm, where he can provide training and internship opportunities for law school graduates.
Mr. Kutjim Munishi (Gjilan, Kosovo)
As one of the Justice Abroad Scholars, Mr. Munishi is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Pristina and the U.S. Department of Justice. He was recently appointed as a prosecutor at the Basic Prosecution Office, Gjilan and prior to that he served as legal advisor in the Civil and Criminal Cases Department for the European Rule of Law Mission, Kosovo. Mr. Munishi has also worked as senior legal officer for a civil rights program and as legal officer for the Verification & Investigation Department, Kosovo Property Agency. Mr. Munishi received his law degree from the University of Prishtina in 2003 and is currently pursuing a master’s study in civil law and international relations through the University of Prishtina and World University Service (WUS) Austria. Mr. Munishi is interested in studying both the organizational structure and procedures used in U.S. civil and criminal court systems. Upon completion of the LL.M., Mr. Kutjim will return to his position as a prosecutor where he hopes to share this knowledge with his colleagues so as to improve the Kosovo judicial system.
Ms. Natacha Nikokeza (Burundi / NC)
Ms. Nikokeza graduated from the University of Lac Tanganyika with a Bachelor of Laws in 2006. She worked for two years as deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Kamenge University Hospital, Burundi and one year as director of commercial activities, Plasticaa Industries. Since seeking asylum in the U.S. with her family in 2008, Ms. Nikokeza has volunteered as an interpreter for the Humanitarian Legal Clinic, Elon Law School and Church World Service. During her LL.M. studies, she would like to learn more about U.S. laws and hopes to take the bar exam.
Mr. Aboubakar Ousman (Cameroon/NC)
Mr. Ousman received his Bachelors of Law degree from the Universite de N’Djamena, Chad in 2006. After successfully passing the bar in 2006, he joined his uncle’s law firm working with refugees from the civil war in Darfur. He came to the U.S. in 2008 and has held various positions to include sales and shift supervisor at D&W Fine Pack in South Carolina. Now wishing to return to the practice of law, Mr. Ousman is interested in social justice and international affairs and hopes to pursue a career in social advocacy.
Ms. Farkhunda Paimani (Kabul, Afghanistan)
Ms. Paimani is coming to Wake Forest Law as one of two scholars from the Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan. After graduating with a LL.B. in Law and Political Science from Al Beroni University School of Law, Afghanistan in 2010, Ms. Paimani undertook one year training program for prosecutors and defense Lawyers at the Independent National Legal Training Center, Kabul University. After receiving her advocacy license from the Afghanistan Bar Association, she completed a one year legal fellowship as a defense lawyer for the Afghanistan Women’s Skills Development Center where her workload included cases dealing with family problems, violence against women and divorce issues. Since April 2012, Ms. Paimani has worked as legal researcher and defense lawyer for the Afghanistan Justice Organization. After completing her LL.M., Ms. Paimani plans to return to Afghanistan to start her career as a professional lawyer. Her goal is to teach law at the university level, thus contributing to the overall improvement of legal education and providing opportunities for the younger generation.
Ms. Ren Song (China/USA)
Ms. Ren graduated in 2002 with a Bachelors of Law from the College of Humanities and Law, Chengdu University of Technology, China. While in law school, Ms. Ren was an active member of both the moot court and the debate team. In addition, she completed an internship at the Sichuan Higher People’s Court. Following graduation Ms. Ren worked as an administrative assistant in a large hydroelectric engineering company and as a research secretary in the College of Automation, Hangzhou Dianzi University. After moving to the U.S in 2004, Ms. Ren volunteered at a local food bank, completed a class at the local community college and audited law classes at the University of Iowa. While at Wake Forest Law, Ms. Ren hopes to learn more about the U.S. Law and to use these new skills upon her return her families return to China.
Ms. Neekou Tasbihgou (Heelsum, The Netherlands)
Ms. Neekou graduated in 2012 from the University of Leiden, School of Law with a Bachelor of Law and a minor in Business Sciences. She received her LL.M. in Public International Law in July, 2013, also from the University of Leiden. During her time at Leiden, Ms. Neekou was very involved with international student organizations to include being a mentor for international students on campus, acting as board member for the Law School Introduction Weekend Committee, and supervising international students during Introduction Days. In addition to volunteering on campus, Ms. Neekou also worked as a legal assistant for Absolute Advocaten, a small Dutch law firm specializing in international and national commercial law, company law, labor law, ICT and intellectual property law, landlord and tenant law. Ms. Neekou is coming to Wake Forest Law after completing a comparative health law class offered through the law school in Venice. By pursuing an LL.M., Ms Neekou hopes to obtain a better understanding of the Common Law system and to pursue an S.J.D. or PhD in International Corporate Law.
Ms. Dariga Tokpayeva (Astana, Kazakhstan)
Ms. Tokpayeva comes to Wake Forest Law as a Bolashak scholar. She graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor’s of Law from Karaganda Law Institute of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan, and continued on to complete her Masters of Law in 2002 and her PhD in Legal Sciences from Eurasian University in 2010. Ms. Tokpayeva has held several academic positions and is currently a professor of law at the Academy of Financial Police, Kazakhstan. Prior to this her previous positions included: Vice Rector Social and Scientific Affairs, Almaty Humanitarian Technical University; Associative Professor of Criminal Law & Criminology, Dean of Full time Faculty, Academy of Financial Police and Chief of Legal Department Karaganda Economic University. In addition to her regular teaching duties at the Academy of Financial Police, Ms. Tokpayeva is an associative professor at International IT University in Kazakhstan, where she teaches a course in Legal English. Ms. Topayeva has had the opportunity to complete several fellowships abroad to include academic training at Central University, Budapest; Indiana University, Bloomington and Birbeck College of Law, University of London. She has an interest in international law and after completing the LL.M. would like to obtain a position at either an English speaking university in Kazakhstan or in an international law firm.
Ms. Sue Yeon Woo (Seoul, South Korea)
Ms. Woo received her law degree in 2002 from Ewha Women’s University, Seoul where she received several academic scholarships. After passing the national bar exam, Ms. Woo completed the two year training at the Judicial Research and Training Institute where due to her outstanding grades she was selected to become a judge. After working four years as a district court judge, presiding over civil, criminal and family litigation cases, Ms. Woo left the court to join the firm of Yoon and Yang, LLC, one of the leading law firms in Korea. At Yoon & Yang, Ms. Woo is responsible for representing various corporate clients. Her interests lie in the corporate law arena and she chose Wake Forest Law because of its strong focus in business law. While at Wake Forest Law, she hopes to share her experience not only with other LL.M.’s but also with the J.D. students.
Ms. Zilin Wu (Nanjing, China)
Ms. Wu graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in law from Nanjing University, China. During her undergraduate studies, Ms. Wu was an active volunteer at the Nanjing University Legal Aid Program for Migrant Workers, logging over 400 volunteer hours and resolving over 80 cases. In addition, she completed two legal internships one at a large law firm and the other at the Superior People’s Court of Jiangsu Province. In addition to her studies and work experience, Ms. Wu had the opportunity to participate in summer school at Oriel College, Oxford University. While at Oxford, Ms. Wu decided to pursue a graduate degree overseas and chose Wake Forest Law due to its strong curriculum of business and transaction law.
Ms. Wanting Xu (Beijing, China)
Ms. Xu graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in law from Southwest University of Political Science and Law. As part of her legal training, Ms. Xu completed internships at two law firms and volunteered in the “Sunshine Travel of Law into Communities” program where students and staff from the Yubei District Procuratorate Office provided residents free legal advice. In addition to her legal aid work, Ms. Wu was very active in the debate team and college sports, winning awards for running and basketball. After completing her LL.M., Ms. Wu would like to work in the international capital market offices of a large Chinese firm. She hopes that by studying U.S. Laws, she will be able to gain both an international perspective and deepen her knowledge on western legal systems.
Ms. Sora Yang (Seoul, South Korea)
Ms. Yang graduated in 2006 from Yonsei University and after successfully passing the national bar exam in 2005, she was admitted to Judicial Research and Training Institute (JRTI). After completing JRTI, Ms Yang joined the firm of Yoon and Yang, LLC, one of the top five law firms in South Korea. As a Senior Associate, Ms. Yang is responsible for commercial and civil litigation, communication and broadcasting cases as well as family law. Some of her clients include SK Securities, Korea Securities Finance Corporation as well as major media organizations such as Korea Broadcasting System and Seoul Broadcasting System. Most recently, Ms. Yang has been involved in the litigation team working on the recovery of shares for a client against Lee Hun-Hee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics. Ms. Yang was recently recognized as the one of the top associates at Yoon & Yang and awarded a scholarship to study in the U.S. As a student in the LL.M. program at Wake Forest Law, Ms. Yang hopes to gain a better understanding of the “intricacies and the perspectives on American jurisprudence and its legal community”. As a leading litigation lawyer in Korea, Ms. Yang’s goal is to share her experiences with other students, but also to learn about legal experiences in other countries.
Ms. Bingjing Zhao (Rugao, China)
Ms. Zhao completed her joint degree in Economic Law and a BA in Legal Administration from Nanjing University of Information, Science and Technology and the University of Detroit Mercy in 2013. During the two years at Nanjing, Ms Zhao was involved in many activities to include the moot court team. After being accepted into the joint program offered through Nanjing and Detroit Mercy, Ms. Zhao spent the next two years studying and perfecting her English abilities. Ms. Zhao returned to China over the summer of 2012 to complete a three month internship at Duan & Duan Law firm, Shanghai.
Mr. Fares Aldhubiban (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) (Fall 2013)
Mr. Aldhubiban was the Director of Administration and the Legal Department for the International Construction Holding (ICH) Co., where he was responsible for writing and reviewing contracts between ICH and other companies. Mr. Aldhubiban holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from King Abdulaziz University and during his undergraduate studies worked as an intern lawyer at Alshami & Kurdi Law Firm. Before coming to Wake Forest Law, Mr. Aldhubiban attended the English Language Institute at California State University and served as an English language tutor for refugees from different countries at the International Rescue Committee in Sacramento. He also earned a Diploma of English Language from Pacific Language Institute in Toronto. After earning an LL.M. degree, Mr. Aldhubiban plans to return to Saudi Arabia to revolutionize his country’s business laws.
Ms. Aleesa Abeer (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) (May 2014)
Ms. Aleesa earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from King Saud University, one of the most prestigious universities in Saudi Arabia. She was a member of the law club and the graduates committee and helped organize a symposium about the extortion of women. Ms. Aleesa completed her English studies at Interlink, UNC, Greensboro before coming to Wake Forest Law.
Mr. Hassan Altukhayfi (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) (Fall 2013)
Mr. Altukhayfi earned an LL.B. in 2009 from King Saud University. Before coming to the U.S., Mr. Altukhayfi worked at the Bureau of Experts for the Council of Ministers in Saudi Arabia. The Bureau is responsible for reviewing and drafting laws, regulations, international agreements, Royal Decrees, Council of Ministers’ resolutions, and other legal instruments. After earning an LL.M. degree, Mr. Altukhayfi plans to join the law department in a large firm or company that works with foreign companies, such as a bank or international company. Ultimately, he hopes to establish his own law firm.
Mr. Yaser Alasim (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Alasim earned a Bachelor of Laws degree in Islamic Law and a Master degree in Islamic Jurisprudence from Al-Imam Ibn Saud Islamic University. He has worked as a lecturer at Al Karj University and a Sharia compliance manager at the Saudi British Bank (the Saudi branch of HSBC Bank) in Riyadh. In the latter position, Mr. Alasim ensured that bank products and services complied with the principles of Islamic finance and worked with members of Sharia boards in other banks. He was appointed to become a Judge by Royal Decree in 2006, but opted to pursue an LL.M. in the United States instead. He earned his first LL.M. degree from Valparaiso University, and completed his second LL.M. degree at Wake Forest Law in May 2013.
Mr. Ayman Alrefaie (Holy Makkah, Saudi Arabia)
Before coming to the United States to pursue ESL studies, Mr. Alrefaie was an attorney in the Legal Department of Kinan International Real Estate Development Co., which is part of one of the largest and most successful companies in Saudi Arabia. While pursuing his law degree, Mr. Alrefaie interned in the law firm of Ghazi Alharbi for two years. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from King Abdulaziz University, where he was an active member in the Department of Law’s student club and organized one of the most successful seminars in the law school, entitled “How to Become a Successful Lawyer or Legal Adviser.” Mr. Alrefaie’s career goal is to become a judge or lawmaker in Saudi Arabia and to help develop the commercial law field in his home country. Mr. Alrefaie completed his LL.M. degree at Wake Forest Law in December, 2013.
Mr. Abdullah Alshehry (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Alshehry is a member of the law faculty at the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, where he teaches classes in business and insurance law in Arabic and English, provides expert opinions to the public and private sectors, develops law training programs, and investigates violations of laws within the IPA. He also serves on an appointed committee to create and publicize a government sponsored book about King Abdullah’s achievements and designs materials for intensive training courses and seminars for judges in commercial paper dispute. His other positions include, legal consultant to the public sector and chief legal officer of Sweetex Food Industry. Mr. Alshehry graduated from King Abdulaziz University with a Bachelor of Law degree and from Wake Forest Law’s LL.M. Program in 2008, in which he focused on commercial and business law.
Mr. Alshehry’s dissertation proposal, entitled “The Reasonable Expectations Doctrine Knocks on the Saudi Legislative Council Door,” will focus on the implementation of the doctrine in insurance law. His career goal is to work in a Saudi Arabian university.
Mr. Ahmed AlQurashi (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Since 2006, Mr. AlQurashi has worked as a legal consultant for the Committee for the Resolution of Securities Disputes at the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), which he describes as “the watchdog of the securities and stock markets in Saudi Arabia.” Prior to this position, Mr. AlQurashi was a senior Shari’a consultant, auditor, and acting chief of the information and coordination section for Alrajhi Banking & Investment Corporation. Mr. AlQurashi earned an LL.B. from Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University in 2001 and received a Diploma in Legal Studies from the Institute of Public Administration in 2006. He is also a 2011 Wake Forest Law LL.M. graduate, during which time he participated in an Islamic Law presentation to faculty, students, and other members of the university community.
Mr. AlQurashi’s dissertation proposal is entitled “Between AlGharar and Unconscionabilty: A Proposal for the Precise Test to Invalidate Contracts.” After completing the S.J.D. program, Mr. Alqurashi plans to return to Saudi Arabia to teach law at the university level, formulate financial and business contracts consistent with Sharia principles, and inspect business transactions and executed contracts to ensure they satisfy Sharia requirements.
Ms. Hadia Balkhyoor (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Ms. Balkhyoor was the first woman student to register for law classes at King Abdulaziz University, the first university to offer law classes for women in Saudi Arabia. She was nominated by her peers to represent them at the Law Students Council and graduated in 2008 with “first honors.” Working with three fellow students, she drafted a research paper entitled, “Sharia Study on the Rights of the Saudi Women to Practice the Law and Consultation,” which was presented to King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz. She has also trained as a lawyer in cooperation with King Abdulaziz University and Salah Al Hujailan Legal Office. Prior to coming to the U.S., Ms. Balkhyoor was a teaching assistant at King Abdulaziz University’s law department and a volunteer in the National Council for Human Rights. She graduated from the LL.M. program at Wake Forest Law in 2012, focusing on business law.
Ms. Balkhyoor’s dissertation proposal is entitled, “Change in Circumstance during Performance: A Modern Analysis of the Legal Effect of Force Majeure and Hardship Clauses in International Commercial Contracts with Perspective of International Legal Doctrine and the General Principles of Sharia Law.” With her dissertation, Ms. Balkhyoor hopes to provide a comprehensive definition of force majeure and hardship to help legal researchers and jurists draft the best force majeure and hardship clauses under different legal systems. After completing the S.J.D. program, Ms. Balkhyoor plans to return to Saudi Arabia to teach law at King Abdulaziz University where she can contribute to the creation of generations of successful Saudi, women lawyers.
Mr. Ahmad Banaamah (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Mr. Banaamah received a Bachelor of Law degree from King Abdulaziz University in 2009 where he focused his studies on international law, commercial law, and criminal law. After completing an ESL program at the New England School of English, Mr. Banaamah went onto to successfully obtain his LL.M. degree at Wake Forest Law in December 2013.
Examining the trademarks and copyright violations in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Banaanah’s dissertation is entitled “Intellectual Property under Islamic Law and Regulation in Saudi Arabia: A study of the Theory and Implementation”. Mr. Banaamah’s career goal after graduation is to teach at a Saudi University.
Mr. Aaron-Yuzzeli Oyarce (Lima, Peru)
Mr. Oyarce graduated with a law degree (magna cum laude) from San Martin de Porres University School of Law in 2000. He went on to earn a LL.M. in American Law from Wake Forest Law in 2002, a post graduate degree in Roman Law from the Universita la Spiemza di Roma in 2005 and a Masters in European Private Law, Universita la Spiemza di Roma in 2009. In addition, he was a Visiting International Researcher at Wake Forest Law in 2007 and was selected to be a researcher on international environmental law at the Italian National Research Council. Mr. Oyarce is currently the head of the Public Law Department and a professor of comparative law, international private law, and Roman law at his alma mater, San Martin de Porres University School of Law. He also teaches law at Ricardo Palma University and the Universidad Nacional Federico Villareal’s LL.M. Post Degree School. Mr. Oyarce has published several legal articles and books in Italy and Peru and is currently in the process of publishing a book entitled, “Peruvian Environmental Law, Topics.”
Mr. Oyarce’s dissertation proposal is entitled, “Indigenous Populations and Sustainable Development (Comparative Approach)” in which he plans to research the collective challenges for Peruvian indigenous people related to renewable and sustainable energy compared with the treatment of United States indigenous legislation and applications. After completing his S.J.D, Mr. Oyarce plans to teach, write, and research “environmental issues with special focus on indigenous rights” and hopes to obtain a tenure track faculty position at the University of Peru.