Justice and the Rule of Law Global Forum: Fostering Inclusive and Sustainable Development

Revai Makanje Aalbaek is the Senior Adviser for Justice and Security for the Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights team, Crisis Bureau, UNDP. Revai has over 20 years of experience in governance, focusing on human rights, justice, security, rule of law, social cohesion, and gender equality, especially in Southern Africa and the Pacific Region. Starting her career as a legal aid lawyer with civil society organizations, Revai has worked with UN Women, Hivos Foundation, and Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, and other institutions. She holds an LLB, an LLM in Human Rights, and a Masters in Women’s Law.

Irum Ahsan is Head of Advisory at the Office of the Compliance Advisory Ombudsman of International Finance Corporation (IFC) providing advice on environmental and social sustainability. Previously, she worked for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 16 years, offering legal advice on development projects and leading the Law and Policy Reform Program. Through her efforts, 1500+ judges were trained on environment and gender, and 100+ Gender-Based Violence Case Courts were established in Pakistan. Irum has published extensively and won numerous awards, including the Lexis Nexis 2020 Global Inspiration Award. She graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.

Dr. Akoth is a legal anthropologist experienced in social justice, legal rights, and human rights. He co-led the design and implementation of Kenya's Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) Policy and currently serves as vice chair of the National Steering Committee on its implementation. He was recently appointed to the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) Blueprint Development Committee by the Chief Justice. He has been a manager, director, and activist with civil society organizations, state-appointed task forces, United Nations programs, and academic committees for 25 years. He has a degree in anthropology from Moi University a PhD from the University of Western Cape, South Africa.

Dr. Cristina Alonso Alija is a Senior Advisor for Sustainability & ESG and a certified Human Rights Officer. Previously, as Bayer's SVP and Global Head of Sustainability & HSE, she led their global Covid-19 Crisis efforts. A DE&I advocate, she advanced human rights across the value chain as Bayer’s first Human Rights Officer. She won several awards including the Otto Bayer Medal for discovering the medicine Riociguat, and was in the list of Top 100 Most Influential Women 2023 in German business for Climate Innovation. Cristina is a Chemist and Chemical Engineer with a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry.

Jan Beagle is a diplomat from New Zealand and has been Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) since November 2019, re-elected in November 2023. With forty years of experience in multilateral diplomacy, she focuses on peace, security, development, human rights, management, gender, and organizational reform. She has served as UN Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy, and Compliance; Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General; Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS; Deputy Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva; and Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management. She is a committed advocate for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

María del Pilar Bahamón is a magistrate in the Consultation and Civil Service Chamber of the Council of State, Colombia. A lawyer specialized in Financial Law, Administrative Law, and Telecommunications Regulation, she holds a Master's in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. With 30 years of experience, she has excelled in legal and regulatory advisory roles, particularly in infrastructure and telecommunications. She has held key public administration positions, including Executive Secretary of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, General Director of the Penitentiary Services Unit, and the Urban Development Institute of Bogotá.

David Bernstein is Lead Public Sector Specialist in the World Bank’s Governance Unit working in the MENA region.  David has worked on public sector reform projects in the justice sector since 1992 and on anticorruption since 2010. His work is mainly focused on reforming justice institutions, improving the delivery of justice services and strengthening anticorruption institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. David is presently working on justice reform and anticorruption projects Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and West Bank & Gaza. He holds a B.S. in economics and political science from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Anna Bjerde is the World Bank’s Managing Director of Operations since April 3, 2023. Her Office unifies the Bank's Operations Units, including the Regional Vice Presidencies, Operational Policy, and Country Services. It also oversees the Fragile, Conflict and Violence Global Themes Department.

Bjerde oversees a vast operational portfolio, including 1,813 projects valued at $300 billion. Her focus areas include crisis response and development priorities such as poverty reduction and climate change. Bjerde previously led the Bank's efforts in Europe and Central Asia during the global polycrises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Bank's response to Ukraine. With over three decades in development, she champions inclusive growth and sustainable infrastructure.

Bjerde has a Master's in Business and Economics from the University of Stockholm.

Erica Bosio is a Senior Public Sector Specialist with the Governance Global Practice of the World Bank, where she leads the Global Program on Justice and the Rule of Law. Her research focuses primarily on justice reform, public procurement, reform design, and good governance. She joined the World Bank in 2012 and held various roles in the Development Economics Vice-Presidency, including leading the research on contract enforcement and public procurement in the Doing Business Project. Prior to joining the World Bank Group, Erica worked in the arbitration and litigation department of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in Milan. She holds a Master of Laws from Georgetown University and a degree in law from the University of Turin (Italy). 

As Global Director for Gender, Hana Brixi leads the World Bank’s effort to advance gender equality, setting the direction for knowledge, operations, and partnerships. Recently, she directed the development of the World Bank Group Gender Strategy 2024-2030. Ms. Brixi has held managerial roles in the Human Capital Project, Social Protection and Governance Global Practices, and in various regions, including MENA, EAP, and ECA. She was WHO’s Health Systems Manager and UNICEF’s Social Policy Chief in China (2001-10). An author of several books, she holds degrees in physics and economics from Masaryk University and Princeton University.

Chiara Bronchi is the Practice Manager for the Public Institutions Data and Analytics Unit in the Governance Global Practice of the World Bank Group. She leads a group of public sector economists and political scientists, who are building an innovative analytical and quantitative approach for assessing public institutions for a sustainable and inclusive development. Chiara has over 28 years of professional experience in economics and development gained in international organizations including the ADB, IMF, OECD and UN. She has published on taxation and public spending, and recently, she has co-authored an approach paper for the Conclave of Ministers of Finance on financing Human Capital Development. Chiara holds a PhD in economics from Bologna University and a MSc in economics from University College of London.

Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles is the first Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board since its inception in May 2015. She led the Board's expansion to 29 locations, serving 2,371,165 people, especially the disadvantaged. Internationally recognized for its primary justice services delivered through paralegals in remote areas, the Board combats gender-based abuses. Carlton-Hanciles introduced innovative initiatives such as Monthly Child Maintenance payments, and Community Advisory Bureaus run by volunteers, fostering community ownership. She served as Principal Defender at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, a UN-backed special Tribunal, until its closure in 2013.

Virginia Upegui Caro is part of the World Bank's Governance Global Practice and leads the country engagement for deployment of the JUPITER assessment within the Global Program for Justice and the Rule of Law. This assessment measures judicial service delivery in client countries, to diagnose strengths and potential areas of improvement. Her work includes extensive research on judicial reform, proposing solutions to systemic issues. A lawyer from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) she holds an LL.M. from Georgetown University. She has experience as an attorney in Bogota and as a judicial law clerk at Colombia's Constitutional Court, where she handled cases focused on protecting social and economic rights.

Colleen Chien is Professor of Law at the Berkeley Law School where she teaches, mentors students, and conducts empirical research on intellectual property, innovation, artificial intelligence, the criminal justice system, and co-directs the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology. Chien has served in the Obama White House as a Senior Advisor, Intellectual Property and Innovation. In 2021, Professor Chien was part-time Senior Counselor for the Department of Commerce after serving on the Biden-Harris Transition team. Currently, Professor Chien is an expert advisor for the US Patent and Trademark Office. She is a graduate of Stanford (Engineering) and Berkeley Law Schools, and a recipient of the Early Career Medal of the American Law Institute. She founded the Innovator Diversity Pilots Initiative (diversitypilots.org) and the Paper Prisons Initiative.

Aitor Cubo is Director General for Digital Transformation of Justice, Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Parliamentary Relations, (since 2020). He joined the Inter American Development Bank as Senior Specialist in Digital Government in 2019 and grew to his current position. Joining the Superior Corps of ICT of the Spanish State Administration in 2006, Mr. Cubo has held roles including Director of the ICT Division at the Ministry for Territorial Policy and the Civil Service (2006-2012) and Deputy Director-General at the Ministry of the Treasury (2014-2019). He holds a Master of Science in Computer Engineering from Complutense University of Madrid and a Master of Science in Psychology from Spain’s National University for Remote Education. 

Francesca Daverio is Head of Office of the Office of the Sr. Vice President and Group General Counsel at the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency and a Diversity and Inclusion Representative for LEGVPU. She manages LEGVP’s Front Office and supports functions of the SVP-GC portfolio. Previously, she worked with the Operations Policy Practice Group of the World Bank’s Legal Vice-Presidency. She provides legal advisory work on Justice, Gender, Procurement and Bank Operation Policies. She specializes in international and comparative law, focusing on insolvency and debt restructuring. Ms. Daverio has a PhD in Law of Business and Commerce from the L. Bocconi University in Italy, and a JD from the University of Milan. 

Anthony C. Diala is a professor of African legal pluralism and foundation director of the Centre for Legal Integration in Africa at the University of the Western Cape. His work experience across twenty countries includes the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and universities in Germany, Italy, Nigeria, Sweden, and South Africa. An established researcher, he has conducted multi-country field research on customary law and human rights. He is a visiting professor at the University of Turin, a fellow of the Bayreuth Academy, and co-editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Legal Studies. Diala holds a doctorate in socio-legal studies from the University of Cape Town and a Master of Laws from the University of Pretoria.

Counselor Tamer El-Dakak is Vice President of the Egyptian Council of State and the Assistant Secretary-General for Financial Affairs. He has held judicial positions at the Council of State, including Head of the Administrative Court and Member of various Departments at the Egyptian Council of State. He was Legal Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Investment, and the Central Bank of Egypt. He was also Non-Executive Board Member at the Central Bank of Egypt. Counselor El-Dakak participated in the drafting of several laws, and was a member of several Committees including the Technical Secretariat of the Supreme Committee for Legislative Reform, the Ministerial Committee for settling the Disputes of Investments, and the Supreme Council of Investment. He holds a Bachelor of Law from Alexandria University and a Master’s degree in Public Law.

Ousmane Diagana is the Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa as of July 1, 2020. Mr. Diagana leads relations with 22 countries, and oversees a portfolio of projects, technical assistance, and financial resources worth over $40 billion. Previously, Mr. Diagana was World Bank Group's Vice President of Human Resources, Vice President for Ethics and Business Conduct, Chief Ethics Officer, and Country Director for various African nations. Mr. Diagana has earned accolades such as the Good Manager Award (in 2009) for his leadership skills. He holds degrees in economics, finance, and planning, and is multilingual.

David Freeman Engstrom is the LSVF Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and Co-Director of the Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession. An expert in civil procedure, administrative law, and law and technology, Engstrom focuses his current work on the future of courts in the age of AI. He is the editor of Legal Tech and the Future of Civil Justice and the forthcoming, Rethinking the Lawyer’s Monopoly: Access to Justice and the Future of Legal Services, both with Cambridge Press. He co-founded the Filing Fairness Project, a collaboration with seven states to modernize court technologies. Finally, Engstrom leads the American Law Institute’s Principles of the Law, High-Volume Civil Adjudication project. He is a member of the American Law Institute and the Administrative Conference of the United States, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a faculty affiliate at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI. Engstrom has a J.D. from Stanford, an M.Sc. from Oxford, and a Ph.D. from Yale.  

Paola Fajardo-Heyward, Ph.D. is the Program Manager for the Human Rights Trust Fund hosted by the World Bank's Social Sustainability & Inclusion Global Practice. She has also served as the Human Rights Technical Lead at HRIE and consulted for the World Bank, advising on Chile’s National Action Plans on Human Rights. Previously, as a political science professor in the U.S. and Colombia, she focused on human rights, development, and the politics of the developing world, especially in the Latin America region. Paola holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Binghamton University and an undergraduate degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia.

Isabela Ferrari is a Brazilian Federal Judge since 2012. She holds a Phd and a Master’s degree with honors in Public Law (UERJ). She was a visiting researcher on Harvard Law (2016/2017). She is a member of the Information for All working Group on Information Accessibility (UNESCO). She is a Professor at the UNESCO AI and the Rule of Law MOOC for Judges and Judicial operators. She was the 2021 Distinguished Lecturer for the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago. Her last book regards the Regulation of Algorithmic Discrimination within the Judiciary.

Adrian Fozzard is Practice Manager for Governance in Europe and Central Asia and leads the Climate Change Governance community of practice. He joined the Bank in 2001 as a Senior Public Sector Specialist in EAP and has held various managerial and operational positions, including World Bank Representative in Honduras, Coordinator of the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, Head of the Public Finance Practice and Practice Manager for Governance in Europe and Central Asia, South Asia, and most recently Latin America and the Caribbean. Adrian has a Ph.D. from Durham University and a B.A from Oxford University.

Simon is a British national and strategic leader with over 30 years of international experience in the development, investment and commercial banking arenas. Based in Washington D.C and London while operating internationally, Simon now provides a unique brand of custom event design, facilitation, moderation and teambuilding services to corporate clients. He offers the following customized solutions:

• In-person, virtual and hybrid Event design, planning, facilitation & Master of Ceremonies services for small to large groups (10-750+)
• Plenary and Panel Moderation
• Teambuilding event design and implementation
• Team and individual coaching

Simon can be reached at: www.linkedin.com/in/simonvfowler

Prof. Elisante Gabriel is the Chief Court Administrator in the Judiciary of Tanzania and the Chairperson of Southern and Eastern Judicial Administrators Association (SEAJAA). Professor Gabriel has work experience of over 32 years in various organizations ranging from manufacturing to service sector, locally and internationally. Previously, he was the Permanent Secretary of various Ministries including Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Industries and Trade, and Ministry of Arts, Culture and Sports. Professor Gabriel holds a PhD degree in Strategic Business Management, and is an experienced trainer on Strategic Thinking for high Performance and Strategic Communication. 

Félix Bolaños Garcia is the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Parliamentary Relations, Spain, since November 2023. In June 2018, he became secretary general of the Presidency under Pedro Sánchez until July 2021, when he was appointed Minister of the Presidency, Parliamentary Relations, and Democratic Memory. A lawyer specialized in labor law, he graduated with a Master of Laws from Complutense University of Madrid, earning top honors in his class and several awards. Bolaños worked at Uría Menéndez and then at the Bank of Spain, where he was director of its Labor Legal Advisory and Legal Documentation division. He has also taught labor law at the Instituto de Empresa. 

Indermit Gill is the Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics since September 1, 2022. His expertise spans macroeconomics, growth, poverty, institutions, conflict, and climate change. Previously, as Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions, Gill shaped the Bank's response to the series of shocks that hit developing economies since 2020. He was a professor at Duke University and a senior fellow at Brookings between 2016 and 2021 and has taught at Georgetown University and the University of Chicago.

Gill is known for the 2009 World Development Report. He introduced the concept of the “middle-income trap” to describe how countries stagnate after achieving a certain income level. Gill, has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago, has published extensively on development issues.

Justice Susan Glazebrook is a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand/Te Kōti Mana Nui o Aotearoa and the immediate past President of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ). Prior to her 2000 judicial appointment, she was a partner at a commercial law firm and President of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association. She served on various boards and advisory committees and chaired the Institute of Judicial Studies/Te Kura Kaiwhakawā, a body responsible for judicial education in New Zealand. Justice Glazebrook is a Distinguished Alumni of the University of Auckland, a Distinguished Fellow of Victoria University of Wellington Law School. She was made Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2014.

Shannon N. Green is Assistant to the Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, leading efforts to enhance democracy, human rights, and governance. Previously, she was Senior Advisor to the Administrator and Executive Director of the Anti-Corruption Task Force. She has served as Director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) and at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

From 2004-2015, Ms. Green held several leadership positions in the U.S. Government, notably as Senior Director for Global Engagement on the National Security Council. Ms. Green holds a B.A. from the University of Georgia and an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University.

Arturo Herrera is the Global Director for Governance Global Practice in the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Practice Group (EFI) Vice Presidency at the World Bank. He joined the World Bank in 2010 and held key positions in Governance Global Practice until 2018. Herrera then held leadership positions in Finance in the Government of Mexico until 2021, most recently, as Mexico’s Minister of Finance and Public Credit.

As Global Director for Governance, Herrera’s priorities include leading the Bank's strategy and engagement on public institutions and country-level governance, especially in fragile, conflict and violent settings; enhancing operational support for public financial management and procurement; and fostering excellence in public sector administration and judicial reforms. Arturo has taught Monetary, Banking, Macro and Microeconomics at El Colegio de Mexico and New York University, where he completed his doctoral studies in Economics.

Dr. Ermias Hailemariam is the State Minister of Justice for Ethiopia, appointed in April 2023. He leads legal and institutional reforms to strengthen the rule of law and enhance the justice system nationally. Dr. Ermias has initiated key projects in the Ministry of Justice, including the 3-Year Justice Sector Transformation Roadmap and the Institutional Building and Justice Reform Initiative, and Transitional Justice as an Instrument for Institutional Building and Reforms.

He holds an LLB from Hawassa University, an MA in Federalism, and a PhD in Federal and Governance Studies from Addis Ababa University. Previously, he was a Lecturer of Law at Dilla University and the Director General for the Intellectual Property Authority.

Sir Oliver Hart is currently the Lewis P. and Linda L. Geyser University Professor at Harvard University, where he has taught since 1993. He is the 2016 co-recipient of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Hart’s research centers on the roles that ownership structure and contractual arrangements play in the governance and boundaries of corporations. His recent work focuses on how parties can write better contracts, and on the social responsibility of business. He has published a book (Firms, Contracts, and Financial Structure, Oxford University Press, 1995) and numerous journal articles. He has used his theoretical work on firms and contracts in several legal cases. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the British Academy, and the American Finance Association, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association, and has several honorary degrees. He has been president of the American Law and Economics Association and a vice president of the American Economic Association. He was made a Knight Bachelor in the King’s Birthday Honours List, 2023.

Agnès Hurwitz is the Senior Development Officer at UNHCR, leading the UN Peace and Development Team and overseeing rule of law, governance, and peacebuilding portfolios. She previously served in Amman and has held various roles at UNHCR, including Senior Policy Advisor, Senior Legal Advisor, and Senior Research Officer. She has also worked with UNDP, UN Women, and the International Criminal Tribunal. A Ford Foundation Fellow, she has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles, an edited volume, and a monograph with Oxford University Press. Hurwitz holds a doctorate from Oxford, an LL.M. from Cambridge, and an LL.B. from the Free University of Brussels. Her citation record: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Agnes+Hurwitz&btnG= 

Hon. Caroline Jepyegen Kendagor, OGW, is a Judge of the High Court of Kenya, appointed in May 2024. Previously, she served as Registrar, overseeing the Court Annexed Mediation Secretariat. Admitted to the Roll of Advocates in 2006, she joined the Judiciary in 2010, advancing from District Magistrate to Senior Principal Magistrate. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Moi University, a Postgraduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law, and is currently pursuing an LL.M. at the University of Nairobi, in governance and democracy. She has received several awards, including Judicial Officer of the Year (in 2021 and 2022) and the Order of Grand Warrior (OGW) in 2021.

Tracey Lane is Practice Manager, Governance, at the World Bank. She joined the Bank in 2001 as a Young Professional and has since, served in various capacities, notably as Senior Economist in Eastern Europe, East Africa, and South Asia, Program Leader in the Middle East and North Africa, and Lead Economist in Latin America. Recently, she was the Practice Manager in the Governance Global unit of the EFI Vice Presidency, before moving to the Africa West region. With a background in U.K. government economics, Tracey's expertise spans government expenditure, fiscal policy, and public finance management. She holds BA and MA degrees in Economics from the University of Essex.

Arianna Legovini is the Director of Development Impact (DIME) at the World Bank. She pioneered the DIME model to improve data and impact evaluation evidence for policy action, significantly increasing returns on development projects. Her approach prioritizes clients, builds capacities, and generates influential evidence. She raised $220M for impact evaluation research, shaping $22 billion in development finance. Legovini restructured research production for greater efficiency and introduced standards for quality, ethics, and data security. She attracted diverse talent, fostering innovation and teamwork, and advises numerous agencies, collaborating with over 300 institutions globally.

Waleed Haider Malik is a Senior Public Sector Specialist in the MENA region of the World Bank. Over the past 25 years, he has held various technical and leadership positions, working in more than 50 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and Central Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific. He focuses on justice and governance reform, public and private sector development, digital transformation, regional integration and gender policies, revenue administration, statistics, and citizen-centric public service delivery. He has authored numerous publications on judicial reform, public policy processes, access to justice, e-justice, gender justice, justice PFM, civil service reform, training, gender balance in the public sector, socio-economic factors in governance reform, participatory methods, and country policy and institutional assessments.

Marcus Manuel is a Senior Research Associate at ODI, focusing on financing access to justice. He has published pioneering papers on domestic and external financing for justice, SDG16.3 costing, and innovative approaches to delivering people-centered justice. His previous research includes addressing extreme poverty and financing development in fragile states. At ODI, he was the founding Director of the Budget Strengthening Initiative and Head of the Centre for Aid and Public Expenditure. Marcus held senior management roles at the UK’s Department for International Development, and worked at HM Treasury as economic advisor. Between 1996–2000, Marcus was Senior Adviser in the Ugandan Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. He holds an MSc in Economics from London University and graduated from Oxford University. Visit this link for details of publications. 

Manuel Ramos-Maqueda is a Governance Specialist at the World Bank's Governance Global Practice. Manuel experienced in leveraging data science and technology to make public institutions more accessible, effective, and accountable. With a focus on governance, justice, and the rule of law, Manuel has spearheaded innovative projects across Latin America, East Africa, and Europe. His collaborative efforts with government partners involve the strategic use of data, technology, and Artificial Intelligence to improve justice systems and assess their impacts on development outcomes. Previously, Manuel worked with the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA). Manuel holds a double degree in Law and Economics from Carlos III University of Madrid, an M.A. in International Policy from Stanford University, and is a PhD candidate at the University of Oxford.

Swati Mehta is the Program Director at Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies hosted by NYU’s Center on International Cooperation. She began her career aiding women legally, then focused on systemic reforms in policing, prisons, and the justice sector. Her recent work emphasizes legal empowerment and democratizing justice. A Chevening Scholar, she holds an LLM in International Criminal Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice from King's College London. With 23 years of experience, she collaborates with UNDP, civil societies, think tanks, and academic bodies to design and lead justice programs. She regularly contributes to numerous justice-related publications.

Eva is a Senior Governance Specialist at the World Bank, spearheading public sector and justice reforms across Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. She leads a long-running lending operation in Azerbaijan and contributes to project preparations. Previously, she worked with Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as an advisor on public administrative law, on accountability mechanisms and tools for judiciary in Colombia, and has supported the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development on justice and governance. Eva holds a Master's in Public Administration from American University, a law degree from Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany, and has passed the Cologne High Court Bar Exam.

Ramona Gratiela Milu is a Romanian judge and an elected member of the Superior Council of Magistracy, serving a six-year term since January 2023. With over 20 years of judicial experience in Romanian courts, she has held leadership roles at the Brasov First Instance Court and Brasov Court of Appeal. Milu represents the Council in the National Committee for Monitoring Juridical Education and advocates for judicial transparency and education. A member of several European judicial groups, she works to uphold the independence of judges, enhance access to justice, build trust in the judiciary, and find alternative means of solving conflicts.

Dr. Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme, is the Permanent Representative of Botswana to the UN and Ambassador to Switzerland since 2017. Previously, she made history as the first female Attorney General of the Republic of Botswana. With a law degree from the University of Botswana and Swaziland, Masters in Law from Yale Law School, and a PhD in Law from Leiden University, she has been a High Court Judge and a Senior Lecturer in Law. A published author on human rights, gender equality, democracy and law, she has received the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service and serves on several international boards. Her tenure includes chairing key WTO committees from 2021 to 2024.

Remi Moncel is a Senior Counsel in the World Bank's Legal Vice Presidency, specializing in law, development, business, and sustainability. He advises on the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework, international conventions, and disputes before the World Bank Inspection Panel and national courts. Before joining the Bank, he was in private legal practice, clerked for a U.S. federal judge, served as Senior Associate at the World Resources Institute, and was an Advisor to BSR, a global business consultancy. Remi, who has published widely on international law and sustainability, was Editor-in Chief for the Berkeley Journal of International Law. He is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley Law School (JD) and the Institute of Political Studies in Lyon, France (Sciences-Po Lyon).

Sam Muller is the founding director of HiiL, which aims to empower 150 million people to resolve justice issues by 2030. An international lawyer by training, he has worked with governments, businesses, and civil society organisations on justice strategy and innovation. Sam played a key role in establishing the International Criminal Court and co-founded the Wildlife Justice Commission and the Justice Leaders. He holds a law degree and doctorate from Leiden University and has served on numerous boards. Presently, he is the chair of the supervisory board of the World Wildlife Fund Netherlands. Sam received the 2022 Tällberg-SNS-Eliasson Global Leadership Award for his innovative work on practical legal solutions to enhance democratic commitment. 

Hon. Paul Ndemo is the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Judiciary in Kenya, serving as the principal assistant to the Chief Registrar. He oversees the Judiciary's oveall administration and financial management. Ndemo began his public service career in 2006 as a prosecutor for high profile homicide and corruption cases, and his leadership experience spans over three decades. He served on national committees like the Task Force on the Sexual Offences Act 2006 and the National Council on the Administration of Justice Special Committee on Reforms. Awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior in 2019, he holds a Master’s degree in International Studies, and a certificate in Strategy and Security studies from the distinguished National Defence College in Kenya.

Lidija is the President of the Prosecutors Association Serbia (since 2018) and a Public Prosecutor in the Appellate Public Prosecutor Office in Belgrade (since 2010). She was appointed Special Prosecutor for Cybercrime in 2007. Previously, she served in the Basic Public Prosecutor office and then in the District Prosecutor office, in Belgrade.

Lidija specializes in human rights protection, cybercrime, child pornography, corruption, money laundering, tax fraud, intellectual property, ethics, criminal procedural law, and justice reform. She has authored and co-authored several papers on these topics.

Shoko Noda is the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Crisis Bureau at UNDP, starting November 13, 2023. She leads the delivery of UNDP’s Crisis Offer, supporting countries in crisis management. With 25 years at the UN, she began as a Junior Professional Officer in Tajikistan and Kosovo in 1998 and later held roles including Crisis Prevention Cluster leader in Yugoslavia, Early Recovery Advisor in Pakistan, UNDP Country Director in Nepal, and UN Resident Coordinator in the Maldives. Prior to joining the Crisis Bureau, Noda served as Resident Representative for the UNDP India Country Office where she led through the COVID-19 crisis and led UNDP’s engagement with India’s G20 Presidency, winning accolades for the Country Office. Noda holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science from Keio University, Japan.

Manuel Olmedo is Secretary of State for Justice of the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Parliamentary Relations of Spain, since November 2023. Previously, since late 2021, he was the Secretary General for Innovation and Quality of the Public Justice Service. He has served as legal advisor to the General Council of the Judiciary, as a member and coordinator of the Working Groups for the Reform of Access to the Judicial and Fiscal Careers (2010-2012), for the implementation of the Transparency and Access to Information Plan of the CGPJ (2013-2015), and for the elaboration of the Principles of Judicial Ethics (2013-2015). He has also taught at Carlos III University of Madrid as Honorary Professor of Criminal Law.

Manon Olsthoorn is a lawyer with degrees in Dutch and International Public Law from the University of Amsterdam. In her professional career of almost 30 years, she has gained substantive experience in the field of human rights and development cooperation. She joined the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities in 1995 and the International Minority Rights Group (London) in 1997. In 2002 she started her diplomatic career at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs with various different postings in The Hague and in Guatemala. Her latest assignments have been as policy coordinator Human Rights (starting in 2016) at the Department for Multilateral Institutions, policy coordinator Migration & Displacement (starting in 2019) and policy coordinator Rule of Law & Access to Justice (since 2023) at the Department for Stabilization and Humanitarian Aid.

Dr. Alejandro Ponce is the Chief Research Officer at the World Justice Project (WJP). Joining the WJP as a Senior Economist, he was the original designer and lead author of the WJP Rule of Law Index. Dr. Ponce leads the research and data collection initiatives of WJP including administration of the Rule of Law Index, and implements nationwide surveys in Central Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the EU. He was previously a researcher at Yale University, and an economist at the World Bank and the Mexican Banking and Securities Commission. Dr. Ponce has published in top journals  including the American Economic Review and the Journal of Law and Economics. He holds a B.A. in Economics from ITAM in Mexico, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University.

Martin Raiser is the World Bank's Regional Vice President for South Asia. He manages the Bank’s relations with countries in the South Asia, and oversees a US$55 billion portfolio of projects, and technical and financial resources. Previously, he was the Bank’s Country Director for various regions including China, Mongolia, Korea, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey, Brazil, and Country Manager for Uzbekistan. Raiser holds a doctorate in Economics from the University of Kiel and degrees in Economics from the London School of Economics. Prior to the Bank, he worked in key roles at the Kiel Institute and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Fabian Seiderer is the Practice Manager for Governance, Public Sector and Financial Management in the Europe and Central Asia region of the World Bank. Since he joined the Bank in 2010, Fabian has held various positions in Washington and in the field, including Lead Public Sector Specialist for the South Asia region, and Lead Public Sector Specialist for the East Asia and Pacific region. He has led policy dialogues, teams and programs on a range of Governance issues, including tax reforms, public financial management, performance budgeting reforms, state-owned enterprises reforms, public sector reforms, and public investment management. A graduate in economics and finance at the Sorbonne University in Paris, he has a Masters degrees in Development Economics in Paris, and European Integration in Bonn, Germany.

Alberto Martinez Simon is a Minister of the Supreme Court, Paraguay. His judicial career began in 1987, leading to his appointment as Justice of the Supreme Court 2019. In 2020 he was appointed President of the Supreme Court. He was the Justice responsible for the Electronic Judicial File Project, among other key assignments.

He teaches at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the National University of Asuncion, and is  Professor of the Doctorate Course in Civil Law at the Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Catholic University. He has authored several legal texts, books, and legal dissertations. He holds a Doctorate in Law and Social Sciences, with a thesis on "Collective Civil Responsibility," awarded Summa Cum Laude.

Roby Senderowitsch is the Practice Manager for Public Administration, Governance Global Practice at the World Bank. His previous roles include Governance Practice Manager for Europe and Central Asia, Manager for Leadership and Innovation, and Manager of Global Partnership for Social Accountability. He also served as Country Manager in the Dominican Republic. His work focuses on political economy analysis, coalition building, anti-corruption, and performance management in public institutions. He has lectured on HR management in nonprofits and authored publications on governance and inclusive growth. Senderowitsch has a BSc in Education from the University of Buenos Aires and a Masters in Policy Studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Jan van Zyl Smit is the Director of the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law.

At the Bingham Centre, Jan leads a team of researchers working on scrutiny of legislation, rule of law responses to emergencies, public legal education and justice systems. His own research focuses on the appointment, tenure and independence of judges, and institutional reform  mechanisms including vetting. He has worked on judicial reform in countries including Armenia, England and Wales, the Gambia, Kenya, Kosovo, Nigeria, Poland and Tunisia. Jan has contributed to soft law standards on the judiciary for the Commonwealth Secretariat and the OSCE, and has authored or co-edited three books, including The Importance of the Rule of Law in Promoting Development (Singapore Academy of Law, 2015).  He holds an LLB from the University of Cape Town and a DPhil from Oxford University.

Laura Stefan is the Founder and Rule of Law and Anticorruption Coordinator for Expert Forum (EFOR). She has over 20 years of experience in both public and private sectors. Currently, she serves as an international member of Moldova's Independent Anti-corruption Advisory Committee (since 2021). Previously, she was an international auditor for Ukraine's National Agency for Corruption Prevention and Chairperson for the Regional Anticorruption Initiative. She has served as an international expert on judicial reform and anticorruption in organizations like the European Commission, World Bank, UNDP, OECD, and Council of Europe. She has won awards and honors including the Woman of Courage title by the US Embassy in Bucharest. Stefan holds an LLM from Cambridge University(UK) and earned her PhD from Babes-Bolyai University with a thesis on “Anticorruption in transition societies”.

Srdjan Svircev is a Senior Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank with over 20 years of experience in public sector and judicial reforms. For the past 15 years, he has focused on the performance management aspects of judicial reforms in Europe and Central Asia. He had a pivotal role in developing methodologies for justice surveys, and has conducted Judicial Functional Reviews and Judicial Public Expenditure Reviews, notably in the Western Balkans. Srdjan's work on improving public sector performance and accountability has been crucial in shaping reform strategies and policies that address the unique challenges faced by judicial systems in transition economies.

Mercy Tembon, is Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the World Bank Group. In her role, she ensures the integrity of the World Bank Group’s governance framework, facilitates Board and Management dialogue, and fosters shareholder consensus. Tembon has a deep knowledge of Bank operations, and a track record in promoting economic growth and social development in several countries, with expertise in forging stakeholder partnerships. Tembon joined the Bank in 2000, and has led in various countries—most recently, as Country Director, where she guided the Bank’s strategic dialogue in Bangladesh and Bhutan. She has won several leadership awards—notably the Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award (2010) and the Excellence in Leadership Award (2014).

Tatyana is OECD's Head of Division and Senior Counsellor in the Public Governance Directorate since 2010. She established and leads the OECD work programme on justice, rule of law, gender mainstreaming and equality in public life by developing international standards, leading cutting edge thinking and research, advising governments and supporting country specific reforms, by leading flagship and complex multi-year and multi-country projects. She is also responsible for the OECD work on the governance for the SDGs and policy coherence for sustainable development. This work spans OECD countries, the Middle East and North Africa, Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central and Southeast Asia. She has over 20 years of professional experience in governance, rule of law and justice, integrity, employment, gender equality and inclusiveness, sustainability and public sector.

Manuel Vargas is the Practice Manager in charge of the World Bank’s Governance Program for Eastern Africa, based in Nairobi. Mr. Vargas oversees a large portfolio of operations, analytical and advisory services in support of more effective, efficient, and accountable public administrations – including a growing portfolio of justice sector modernization engagements.

David Wang is Wilson Sonsini’s chief innovation officer. He is responsible for overseeing the firm’s innovation strategy, the development and implementation of legal technology programs, and supporting and advising both internal and client teams on the legal and operational implications of emerging technologies and business models in the legal industry.

David previously practiced corporate and securities law for over 10 years, working with private and public companies on general corporate and transactional matters, including at Wilson Sonsini and Davis Polk & Wardwell. David was an entrepreneur prior to becoming a lawyer. He received his B.A. from the University of Calgary, and his J.D. from Georgetown Law, 2009, Cum Laude.  He is admitted in the State Bar of California.

Michael James Warren is the Customary and Informal Justice Advisor at the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), focusing on rule of law for peace and sustainable development. Previously, he served in advisory and management roles, including as Security & Justice Expert at Cordaid, Strategy Advisor on Safer Cities at UN-Habitat, and Programme Specialist at UNDP. With over 20 years in policy advocacy and program development, he has worked in the areas of governance, access to justice, and conflict prevention. Warren has served with UN-Habitat, and has experience in various countries including Afghanistan and Kenya. He is on the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law Management Committee in the Netherlands, and holds an MSc Political Economy of Violence, Conflict, and Development from SOAS University of London.

Jim Wormington is a senior researcher and advocate in the Economic Justice and Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, where he works on extractive industries, supply chains, and other issues related to corporate accountability. He was previously a researcher in the Africa Division, covering human rights issues in West Africa. He has practiced as an attorney at the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, where he conducted research to inform rule of law and human rights development programs in West and Central Africa. Wormington has also worked at the International Crisis Group and the War Crimes Chamber of the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. An English-trained barrister, and past member of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers, he was educated at Cambridge University (MA) and New York University School of Law (LLM).

Mr. Azamat Yeskarayev began his career in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in 2000. With over 20 years of extensive legal experience in the government sector, he has held several key positions, including Head of the Legislation Department at the Ministry of Justice and Head of the Legal Department at the Prime Minister’s Office of Kazakhstan. His extensive expertise and dedication have been pivotal in shaping legal frameworks and policies within the government.

Carla García Zendejas is Director People, Land & Resources, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). She is an environmental and human rights attorney, with over two decades of experience. At CIEL, she leads legal strategies and campaigns to bolster human rights and environmental protection through law and policy reform at development finance institutions and international treaty bodies. Previously, she empowered indigenous Andean communities on consent rights while providing technical expertise on mining impacts as Senior Officer for Human Rights & Extractive Industries at the Due Process of Law Foundation. Her environmental justice campaigns enhanced transparency on the U.S.-Mexico border. A board member of key environmental alliances, Carla earned an LL.M. from the Washington College of Law at American University as a Fulbright Scholar.

Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe, is Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission since September 2023. She oversees its mandate to combat corruption through investigation, prosecution, prevention, and public education. With over nine years in criminal and corporate law, she is a Counselor-at-law of the Supreme Court of Liberia. She is currently the president of her local county bar, the Rivercess County Bar Association, Republic of Liberia. Previously, Cllr. Zoe also worked part-time as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Liberia Telecommunication Corporation, and also worked as an Associate Partner at Zoe and Partners Law Offices, Monrovia. She advocates for a multifaceted anti-corruption approach and values partnerships in her mission for transparency. Cllr. Zoe holds an MA in Political Science/International Relations, an LLB, and a BA in Business Administration.

Nabila Assaf is the Practice Manager of FCV Support Unit 1 in the Fragility, Conflict, Violence and Forced Displacement Group at the World Bank.  Prior to that she was Senior Private Sector Specialist then Practice Manager for Finance, Competitiveness & Innovation Global Practice in the Middle East and South Asia regions, and held positions in the former Fragile and Conflict States unit and the World Bank’s Jerusalem country office. Her work has focused largely on private sector development and jobs in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Prior to her work at the World Bank, she spent most of her career working in industry, management consulting, and private sector and export development in MENA, South Asia, and the USA.  Nabila has a Masters degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of Washington.

Payal Chawla is the founder of JusContractus, a Delhi-based all-women law firm specializing in arbitration and corporate law. Established in 2013, her firm has received several awards. Named one of the thinkers to watch in 2015, Payal's firm was photographed by National Geographic for the US Suffrage Movement centenary. Her battle against a corporate giant inspired a short biopic showcased in Times Square. She speaks and writes on legal issues (her publications are available on www.payalchawla.com). She serves on the Board of Directors of the Nani Palkhivala Arbitration Centre. Payal holds Law degrees from the University of Chicago, Delhi University, and St. Stephen's College.

Katy Thompson is the Head of UNDP’s Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Team. She has extensive experience in rule of law, security and human rights programming in conflict affected contexts; criminal, international and human rights law; war crimes/transitional justice issues; legal system monitoring; trafficking in human beings and gender-based violence; peace- building. Katy has work experience in the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which followed several years of activism with NGOs and a three-year stint as a criminal defense lawyer in England. She holds a BA Hons in Social and Political Science from Cambridge University and an LLM International Human Rights Law (Essex).

Janet Tello is Supreme Court Justice of Peru and president of the First Chamber of Transitional Constitutional and Social Law of the Supreme Court. She also President of the Permanent Commission for Access to Justice for People in Vulnerable Conditions and Justice in Your Community, and of the Peruvian Association of Women Judges (PAWJ), which is part of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ). Her various specializations include Restorative Juvenile Justice at the University of Geneva, Constitutional Law and Judicial Governance and Management at the Carlos III University of Madrid. She also has been certified as Specialist in Access to Justice for Vulnerable People by the University of Jaén in Spain, and has developed a Public Budget Management course at ESAN University of Peru. She holds a PhD in Law and Political Science from the National University of San Marcos, and a Master's in Law with a specialization in Jurisdictional Politics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.

Livio Sarandrea serves as UNDP's Global Adviser for Business and Human Rights (B+HR), leading the initiative since 2016. He oversees a team of 50 experts supporting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 40 countries. His work includes supporting governments and civil society actors in developing National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights, enhancing business capacity for Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence, and strengthening remedial mechanisms for rights abuses by companies. Since 2022, the B+HR Academy which Livio oversees, has been training 1000 companies annually, including in conflict zones.
His career began in Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by roles with the OSCE in Serbia and UNDP in Mozambique. He holds Law Degree with specialization in International and Criminal Law from La Sapienza University, Rome.

Christopher Stephens is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group. He oversees the Group’s legal functions, consisting of around 400 professionals globally. He is responsible for all legal aspects of the Operational Activities of the World Bank, including lending, advisory services, treasury, country engagement, operational policies, trust funds and partnerships, sanctions, anti-corruption.

Mr. Stephens is the principal advisor to the Board of Governors, the Board of Directors, the World Bank Group President, and the Bank’s Senior Management team, on law and policy. Previously, he was General Counsel of the International Finance Corporation and the Asian Development Bank and Managing Partner for Asia, and a member of the Management Committee of U.S. law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. He holds a BA from Colgate University and a Juris Doctor from New York Law School.

Klaus Decker is a Senior Public Sector Specialist working at the World Bank in Washington since 2002. As a member of the Governance Global Practice, he leads and supports World Bank funded reforms of public institutions worldwide with a focus on Europe and Central Asia. He is currently the co-chair of the World Bank’s Justice and Rule of Law Community of Practice. He has managed numerous World Bank investment lending operations, technical assistance activities, and analytical work on justice and broader public sector reform across different parts of the world. Mr. Decker is a French and German trained lawyer by background with an LL.M. in European Law. He graduated from Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany and Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg, France.

Holly Burduja is a Senior Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank. Holly has over 15 years of experience in public administration and justice sector reform. Based in Bucharest, she co-leads the World Bank’s justice portfolio in Romania, including two lending operations and a recently completed functional review, and also contributes to various governance and justice reform engagements across Europe. Prior to joining the World Bank in 2016, Holly served as a project manager and technical advisor on digital transformation and cybersecurity to the US Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. She holds a B.A. in Government and International Politics from George Mason University and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University.

Luis Urrutia joined the International Monetary Fund in March 2023 as Deputy General Counsel. He oversees the work by the legal team to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and proleferation of weapons of mass destruction, and on governance and anti-corruption. Previously, he was the general counsel of Banco de México (2013 to 2023) and Director of Regulation and Supervision (2010 to 2013). He was also President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Mr. Urrutia headed the Financial Intelligence Unit, a bureau of the Mexican Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, from 2007 to 2010, from which he coordinated with relevant authorities the implementation in Mexico of the FATF standards. He was Chair of the association of financial intelligence units, the Egmont Group (2009-2010), and in 2008 he acted as President of the Financial Action Task Force of South America (GAFISUD, now GAFILAT). Mr. Urrutia was also Deputy Federal Fiscal Attorney for Financial Affairs in the Ministry of Finance. He holds a Law degree from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), and a Master’s degree in public policy from the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies of the University of Chicago.

Indira Sarma is Chief Operating Officer of Namati, Washington, D.C. Indira has significantly contributed to Namati's growth, overseeing the organization’s growth from an annual budget of $3 million to the current annual budget of over $14 million, in eight years. Indira joined Namati with a decade of experience working on global health and human rights across Asia and Africa. She teaches critical development studies at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service. A classical Kuchipudi dancer and teacher, Indira has traveled to nearly 50 countries. She  holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies and Indian Studies from Harvard University and a Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

Walter Martinez Laura is the General Director of Public Defense and Access to Justice at Peru's Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. He is an Advisor in the Civil, Constitutional and Social Law Chambers of the Supreme Court of Justice, in the Commission of Budget and General Account of the Congress of the Republic, the Cabinet of Advisors to the Judicial Presidency, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman of the People, and in the General Management of the National Superintendence of Migration. He led the Program for the Promotion and Protection of Rights in police units of the Ombudsman's office. Martinez Laura has been instrumental in justice system reforms, taught law, and consulted on legal and social initiatives such as the "Cuna Más" program of the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion, in the Regional Government of Ica. He was also part of the Lima Bar Association's Advisory Commission on Constitutional Procedural Law. He has a Master’s in Law from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú  (PUCP) and a Master's in Civil and Commercial Law from the San Juan Bautista Private University. 

Theresa Smout is the Programme Director at HiiL, dedicated to empowering 150 million people to resolve justice issues by 2030. Previously, she worked with the UN on development challenges in the Global South. She was the technical lead on a major UN Reform initiative in a pilot group of countries - one of the two models to inform the UN Delivering As One approach implemented in several countries. She was also on a World Bank-led working group to develop Tanzania’s first Joint Assistance Strategy, which is still operational today.

Currently, she collaborates with national stakeholders to implement people-centered justice programs, emphasizing data, innovation and evidence-based support for  Ministries of Justice and Judiciaries, and the early results are promising. She holds a Master's in International Relations from the University of Amsterdam and has specialized in public financial management at Harvard University.

Dr Sara Razai is a Research Fellow and International Projects Lead at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL) in London. She is also a visiting professor at Sciences Politiques, France. Prior to this, she was the Executive Director at the Institut for Law and Justice in Arab Societies (IEDJA) in Paris. 

Razai’s work focuses on law, justice & international development in the Global South.  Her current research focuses on law and access to justice in regions with shared historical backgrounds of colonialism, struggles for independence, and socio-economic marginalisation. An expert on legal systems and judicial independence, her research has fed into policy-making and she regularly consults for international organisations, governments and NGOs. She has published several papers and holds a Ph.D. from the University College London, Faculty of Laws.

Z. C. Allyson Maynard-Gibson K.C. is a former Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs of The Bahamas, known for advocating women's and children's rights. The longest-serving living former Attorney-General, she was the first female to take Silk in The Bahamas. She also served on the Advisory Council of the Club de Madrid and as an Overseas Bencher of the Inner Temple.

During her tenure Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs of The Bahamas, she enhanced access to justice through technology and data-driven decision-making. Allyson co-authored reports on COVID-19's impact on justice and served on international panels and tribunals, including speaking at the UN General Assembly.

Juan Bautista Mahiques is the Attorney General of Buenos Aires and President of the International Association of Prosecutors. He is also the Deputy Director of the Higher Institute for Public Security. He is Chair Professor at the Higher Institute for Public Security and holds professorship at the Argentine Catholic University. With a Law degree from Buenos Aires University and an M.A. in Justice Administration (Unitelma Sapienza Universitá Degli Studi Di Roma), Mr. Mahiques has broad experience within the National Judiciary, where he has held various positions since 2000, including advisory roles within the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Argentina. His academic contributions and leadership roles in legal education and international prosecution are notable.

Roberta Solis is Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, UNODC, and Deputy Coordinator of the UNODC-World Bank Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative, since 2021. StAR supports international efforts to recover corruption proceeds and end safe havens for corrupt funds. She also led UNODC's Global Judicial Integrity Network to bolster judicial integrity and prevent corruption. Before joining UNODC, Solis was a Federal Attorney in Brazil and worked for eight years in Brazil’s Anti-Corruption Agency, where she was Chief International Affairs Advisor. She has played key roles in international initiatives such as the negotiations of the Implementation Review Mechanism of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), and the creation of Open Government Partnership (OGP), and Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT). She holds a Law degree from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro and a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the University of Brasilia, Brazil.

Dr. Phiset Sa-ardyen is the Executive Director of Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). Under his leadership, TIJ is dedicated to enhance the rule of law and the Thai justice system through innovative, evidence-based, people-centered approach, as well as implement the UN Rules on the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) in Thailand and Southeast Asia, in affiliation with UN-PNI. Previously, Dr. Phiset served as the Director of External Relations and Policy Coordination at TIJ. Earlier, he served in key positions at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) including as the Director of Information and Communication Technology Center where he oversaw the implementation of key policy directives on digital transformation and cyber security, including its flagship project on big data analytics for recidivism prediction and offender rehabilitation.

Dr. Phiset’s has a B.E. from Tokyo Institute of Technology and an M.S. and Ph.D in Chemistry at New York University. He also holds an M.A. in Translation and Interpretation from Chulalongkorn University and an LL.B. from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand.

Firmin Mvonde Mambu is Attorney General at the Court of Cassation. Prior to this, he was  inspector general of judicial and penitentiary services, Deputy Attorney General at the Court of Appeal of Mbuji-Mayi, in Kasaï Oriental, then Advocate General at the Court of Appeal of Bukavu, in South Kivu. Hailing from the Kongo Central province, Firmin Mvonde Mambu studied humanities at the minor seminary of Mbatakila, from where he obtained his state diploma in Latin philosophy. He earned his degree in private judicial law in 1988 from the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN). He was hired the same year in December 1988 as a magistrate, and was successively deputy public prosecutor in Kipushi then first deputy in Lubumbashi, but also public prosecutor at the High Court of Lubumbashi, in Haut-Katanga. 

Paola Ridolfi is the Climate Advisor in the Climate Change Group at the World Bank. She leads the Bank's technical positioning at the Conference of the Parties (COP), and coordinates strategic priorities of the Bank in dialogue with relevant partners. She covers a broad range of climate finance priorities, and is the focal point in the dialogue with UNFCCC on both climate action and climate negotiations. She was previously Manager and Interim Director of Policy, Partnerships and Operations at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), where she led the technical programs globally, including with SIDS, and the streamlining of GEF policies. Paola’s career spans over 25 years in different regions, including leading operational dialogue in the Maghreb and in the Sahel. She holds graduate degrees from the University of Bologna and Johns Hopkins University