Please join the African Development Committee and African Justice Initiative at the American University Washington College of Law for the Inaugural African Legal Conference to foster discussion and a better understanding of Africa. The conference will focus on the comparison of selected legal systems, the legislation, limitations, and opportunities of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and the role of human rights in Africa.
Sponsor: The Washington Foreign Law Society
Conference Agenda
Registration: 8:30 AM.
Welcoming Remarks: 9:00 AM – Claudio Grossman, Dean American University Washington College of Law
Panel I – African Legal Systems (9:15 AM – 10:45 AM)
• Leslye Obiora, SJD, University of Arizona Professor, Former Nigeria Minister of Mines and Steel Development
• Honorable Esther Kisaakye, SJD, Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda, AUWCL Alumna
• David Finnegan, Ph.D, Professor Western Michigan University, Specialist in Law and Policy Reform in Africa
• Dennis Davis, Judge appointed by Nelson Mandela and former Technical Advisor on Electoral Law and Constitutional Assembly in South Africa. Moderator.
Panel II – African Growth and Opportunity Act (11:00 AM – 12:30 PM)
• Peter Hansen, Principal Counsel, Law Offices of Peter C. Hansen, LLC, African Investment Law Specialist
• Emily Shaffer, AGOA Trade Advisor, Senior Trade and Investment Office at US Department of State
• Ana Beatriz Costa, Diplomat and Commercial Representative of Embassy of Republic of Angola
• Eric Biel, Associate Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, Leader on AGOA, US Department of Labor. Moderator.
Keynote Address and Lunch – (12:30 PM – 1:45 PM)
• Honorable Esther Kisaakye, SJD, Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda, AUWCL Alumna
• Claudio Grossman, Dean, AUWCL. Moderator.
Panel III – Human Rights (2:00 PM – 3:30 PM)
• Thoko Kaime, Ph.D, University of London Professor, International Energy Law and Human Rights in Africa
• Marufu Mandevere, 2015 Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyer, AUWCL Humphrey Fellow
• Robert Dinerstein, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Experiential Education at AUWCL
• Lia Epperson, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs at AUWCL. Moderator.
Registration is free but required – please go to www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration
Contact: Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education
202.274.4075 or secle@wcl.american.edu
