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Foundation Scholars

Wake Forest University School of Law has been selected as a host institution by some of the most prestigious foundations in the United States and the world, including the:

In the 2010-2011 academic year, the International Graduate programs at Wake Forest University School of Law welcomed twenty international students from eleven countries, including an S.J.D. candidate from Panama, Visiting International Researchers from Korea, a Muskie Foundation scholar from Russia, an Open Society Institute Faculty Development Fellowship Scholar from Mongolia, and a Palestinian Rule of Law scholar.  

In the 2009-2010 academic year, the International Graduate programs consisted of one S.J.D. candidate from Saudi Arabia, four Visiting International Researchers from Korea and Mongolia, two Visiting International J.D. students from Italy, and thirteen LL.M. students from six countries.  Our LL.M. students included a Palestinian Rule of Law Scholar and two scholars sponsored by the Jordanian Ministry of Justice.

A sampling of Wake Forest University School of Law LL.M. alumni who were sponsored by these international foundations are:

Ford Foundation Scholars


Xiaoyong Yue (China, LL.M. 2008)
Mr. Yue earned a LL.B. in Economic Law from Northwest University of Political Science and Law and was a Labor Arbitrator in the Arbitration Committee of Labor Disputes in Kuitun City before come to Wake Forest University School of Law as a Ford Foundation scholar. Under his leadership, the Arbitration Committee was honored by the Chinese Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Xiaoyong is now a Counselor at Zhongyin Law Firm in Beijing.


S’Thembiso “Tim” Tembe (South Africa, LL.M. 2005)
Mr. Tembe received two law degrees from the University of Zululand and also a diploma in Public Administration before coming to Wake Forest University as a Ford Foundation fellow. He is now working in Cape Town as a Law Researcher at the Cape High Court.

Bing Chen (Shanghai, China, LL.M. 2004)
Mr. Chen earned a Bachelor of Law degree in International Law from East China University of Politics and Law in Shanghai. After completing the LL.M. program at Wake Forest University, he returned to his position as a judge in the Haikou Maritime Court of China.  Mr. Chen is now an Attorney at Law at Jinmao Partners Law Firm in Shanghai.

Muskie Foundation Scholars

Bakhytzhan Kussainov (Kazakhstan, LL.M. 2009)
Before graduating with a LL.B. from Kostanay State University, Mr. Kussainov earned a first diploma in law and a Certificate in Management from Sarykol College. He was an attorney with “Urickoe MTS Ltd.” in Kazakhstan before coming to WFU.  Since earning an LL.M. degree, Mr. Kussainov has worked as a Staff Attorney at TengizChevroil Ltd., a Chevron affiliate.

Tetyana “Tanya” Budyakova (Ukraine, LL.M. 2008)
Ms. Budyakova received a law degree from Ivan Franko Lyiv National University in Lyiv and was a Lawyer, Co-Founder, and Board Member of the Bureau of Environmental Investigation. Her work experience includes practicing international arbitration and litigation at the top Ukrainian law firm, Magister & Partner, and practicing environmental law at the international non-governmental organization, “Ecopravo-Lyiv.” Upon graduation from the WFU LL.M. Program, Ms. Budyakova completed internships with Chicago Climate Exchange in Chicago, Illinois and the Colgate Global Legal Organization in New York City. She has returned to Ukraine, where she is working as an Associate in CMS Cameron McKenna in Kyiv.


Lachina Dovodova (Turkmenistan, LL.M. 2002)
Ms. Dovodova received her B.A. in International Law from Turkmen State University in 2001. She is now an Associate Attorney at Fracassi, Mahdavi, Sissman & Rand, LLP, a civil law firm in Fairfax, Virginia.

Batsukh Enkhbat (Mongolia, LL.M. 1999)
Mr. Enkhbat received a law degree from Mongolian State University. After graduating from the Wake LL.M. Program, he returned to his native Mongolia and took a position as a Law Program Manager at the Soros Foundation. Mr. Enkhbat is Vice President of Commercial & Government Affairs for Eznis Airways in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Tatiana Kuzyaeva (Tajikistan, LL.M. 2006)
Ms. Kuzyaeva was a Field Finance Director for a humanitarian non-governmental agency (NGO), Shelter for Life. She graduated from the Tax Legal Institute in Dushanbe, Tajikistan with a diploma in law and tax. After receiving her LL.M. degree, Ms. Kuzyaeva returned to Tajikistan and accepted a position with an NGO as Field Finance Director for Shelter for Life.

Ketevan Kvartskhava (Tbilisi, Georgia, LL.M. 1999)
Before coming to Wake Forest to earn a LL.M. degree, Ms. Kvartskhava received her law degree from Tbilisi State University. She is currently a Partner at BLC (Business and Legal Consulting), a law firm in Tbilisi. Ms. Kvartskhava was also elected by the Georgian Bar Association to be a member of the Ethics Committee.

Mariya Orlyk (Kyiv, Ukraine, LL.M. 2006)
Ms. Orlyk is a Senior Attorney in the Kyiv office of CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz in Ukraine. Before attending Wake Forest, she received her law degree from the Institute of International Relations of Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University and graduated with honors.

Palestinian Rule of Law Scholars

Anass Shaban (West Bank, LL.M. 2009)
Mr. Shaban earned a LL.B. at the University of Mohammed I in Morocco and currently operates his own private practice in Jerusalem and Ramallah. He passed the Israeli Bar in 2005, giving him the ability to practice in both Palestine and Israel. Mr. Shaban is specifically interested in financial law, commercial law, and intellectual property.  Mr. Shaban’s professional goal is to become a professor of law while also maintaining his private practice.

Hussein Abu El Hawa (Palestine, LL.M. 2008)
Mr. Abu El Hawa has his own private practice, where he focuses on civil litigation.  He received a Bachelor of Law degree from Jordan Private University and is a member of the Israeli and Palestinian Bars.  Mr. Abu El Hawa’s primary interests are in corporate and financial law, which he believes are underdeveloped in Palestine.  Mr. Abu El Hawa hopes one day to teach corporate and financial law.

Hani Aqil (Gaza, LL.M. 2008)
Mr. Aqil is currently a Legal Assistant in the Department of Legal Affairs at the United Nations and Works Relief Agency (UNRWA) Headquarters in Gaza. Mr. Aqil worked as a Senior Staff Nurse for almost a decade before earning a Bachelor of Law degree from Al Azhar University in Gaza. Mr. Aqil is eager to assist in the modernization of Palestine’s court administration. His career goal is to be the first judge in Gaza to be a specialist in criminal law. Mr. Aqil and his family survived the recent war in Gaza.

Muhanad Assaf (Ramallah, Palestine, LL.M. 2006)
When Mr. Assaf began his LL.M. studies, he was the Regional Manager of the Legal Department of Cairo-Amman Bank, where he returned after graduation. He received his M.A. degree in Law at Birzeit University “with distinction.” Muhanad and Ameed Anani, also a WFU alumnus, founded Ittqan Consulting Services, the largest and most prestigious law firm in the West Bank. Muhanad is lead partner in many multi-national legal transactions in the Middle East. He also teaches Moot Court, Banking Law, and Business Organizations at Birzeit University, his alma mater.

Yousef Nasrallah (Palestine, LL.M. 2006)
Mr. Nasrallah served as the Chief Prosecutor of West Bank, Palestine. He received his B.A. in Public Law with an emphasis on international law and international relations from the University of Muhammad I in Morocco. He also holds a Masters degree in law from Birzeit University. Mr. Nasrallah is a Rule of Law Contractor for the United States Institute of Peaceand a Consultant for the Social and Economic Group of the World Bank.

Ameed Anani (Ramallah, Palestine, LL.M. 2007)
Mr. Anani is the Deputy Director of the Legal Department of the Cairo Amman Bank in Palestine, a Founder and Senior Partner of Ittqan Consulting Services, and a lecturer in the law department of Birzeit University. Mr. Anani teaches Introduction to Law and Lawyering Skills at Birzeit. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Law from Amman National University and Birzeit University, respectively.

Ron Brown Fellowship Program Scholar

Rezarte Vukatana (Albania, LL.M. 2004)
Ms. Vukatana received her law degree from the University of Tirana. She was an attorney with Wolf Theiss after graduating from WFU’s LL.M. Program.  She is now a Ph.D. candidate and participant in the Research Studentship Project at the University of Westminster.