The attorney candidates admitted to the LL.M. class of 2012-13 are a talented and fascinating mix. They come from Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, British Columbia, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia. They include experienced practitioners and a law professor, as well as talented recent law graduates.

Although only three candidates are international students, languages spoken in addition to English include Arabic, Cantonese, French, German, Mandarin, and Spanish. Candidates have worked, studied, and volunteered their services in the U.S., Canada, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Venezuela. The candidates described their interest in the Program as including an interest in local food systems, concern about food security and sustainability, an interest in animal agriculture, a desire to serve the agricultural sector, and a deep interest in “the delights and politics of food.” They are cooks, farmers, and passionate consumers, as well as attorneys, and each wants to learn more about agricultural and food law. We are proud of their many accomplishments and delighted to welcome them to the Program.

Sara M. Albert

B.A., Southern Methodist University (Liberal Studies), cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

J.D., Southern Methodist University

Journal experience: INTERNATIONAL LAWYER

Legal experience includes: Solo Legal Practice (corporate transactions, franchising, and intellection property law); Jenkens & Gilchrist (International franchising); Locke Purnell Rain Harrell (corporate transactions, international franchising, oil and gas transactions); Thompson & Knight (Bi-lingual Legal Assistant, Tax Department); Despacho Joaquin Morell, Spain (Bi-lingual private law practice, real estate, estate planning, and tax law)

Other professional experience includes Marketing and Sales for ArtHouse Homes and Sales Associate for Ellen Terry Realtors

Extensive civic experience includes: Service on the Board of Directors of Parkland Foundation; Service on the Board of Trustees of Southwestern Medical Foundation, Temple Emanu-El, and The Hockaday School; Service on the Executive Committee of the Anti-Defamation League

Admitted to practice law in the State of Texas

Thamer Alshehail

B.A., Islamic Law, Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University

High Diploma of Law, Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University

LL.M., Valparaiso University

Legal Experience Includes: Legal Advisor to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority

Nicole Civita

B.A. from Columbia University (American Studies / Special Program in Creative Writing)

J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Georgetown University Law Center

Legal experience includes: Associate Attorney with Hogan Lovells, Los Angeles, a member of the firm’s Litigation, Arbitration, and Employment practice group; Student Attorney, Georgetown Juvenile Practice Clinic; Legal Intern, Lawyers for Children’s America (Bergstrom Fellowship)

Public interest and Not-for-Profit work includes: Executive Council and founding member of the Friends of the Alliance Council (The Alliance for Children’s Rights) (founding member); Program Specialist & Case Manager, Adoption House; National Service VISTA Volunteer, Americorps VISTA

Media experience: Television Production Coordinator, Television Production Assistant, Literary Assistant

Admitted to practice law in California, New York, and the District of Columbia

Ada Chan

B.S., Fordham University, cum laude (Psychology, Psi Chi, National Honor Society)

J.D., St. John’s University School of Law

Legal experience includes Judicial Intern, The Honorable Laura Visitacion-Lewis, New York Supreme Court; Extern, Federal Trade Commission; Intern, Street Vendor Project; Intern, Bronx Legal Services; Translator, Multilingual Legal Advocates.

Publication: What Are Pubic Views On Using Video To Deter Crime And Consumer Fraud? (Abstract), THE GENERAL PSYCHOLOGIST, 43 (2), 3 and in Modern Psychological Studies: Journal of Undergraduate Research University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, 14 (1), 16-26.

Admitted to practice law in the State of New York

Andrew D. Frame

B.A., Auburn University (Journalism and Communications)

J.D., Mississippi College School of Law, cum laude

Experience includes Judicial Intern, The Honorable David Chandler, Mississippi Supreme Court; Law Clerk, Randall Segrest; Legal Intern, Office of Indigent Appeals

Other professional experience: Realtor, Keller Williams Greater Athens, Athens, Georgia

James D. Haley

B.S.B.A., Columbia Southern University, summa cum laude

M.B.A., Columbia Southern University

J.D., University of Arkansas School of Law, magna cum laude

Executive Editor, JOURNAL OF FOOD AND LAW POLICY

Legal experience includes: Extern, Walmart Environmental Compliance

Service in the United States Marine Corps: Operations Chief, Training Chief, Platoon Commander, Platoon Sergeant, Section Leader, and Weapons Systems Instructor

Lauren Handel

B.A., University of Maryland (Government & Politics), cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude

Journal experience: Staff Member, GEORGETOWN LAW JOURNAL

Recipient of International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award

Legal experience includes: Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP (civil litigation in federal and state courts, products liability and environmental law); Intern, National Association of Child Advocates

Recipient of inMotion’s 2009 Commitment to Justice Award for Pro Bono Service

Publications include: chapter on Contesting Citations in Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook (Government Institutes, 2007)

Admitted to practice in New York, the District of Columbia, Maryland, the Supreme Court of the United States, and the District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of New York

Todd S. Heyman

B.A., Georgetown University, (Government) magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha

J.D., Stanford Law School

Law school experience includes service on the STANFORD ENVIRONMENTAL LAW JOURNAL, Public Service Fellowship, and service on Steering Committee, West Coast Conference on Progressive Lawyering

Legal experience includes: Partner, Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP (complex litigation, typically class actions, involving employment, consumer, securities fraud, and antitrust laws); Law Clerk, The Honorable Nancy Gertner, U.S.D.C. (D. Mass.); Law Clerk, Public Citizen Litigation Group; Clinical Student, East Palo Alto Community Law Project; Law Clerk, Brancart & Brancart

Recipient of Super Lawyer and/or Rising Star awards, Massachusetts, 2009, 2010, 2011

Admitted to practice in the State of Massachusetts

Abraham Inouye

B.A., UCLA (Political Science)

J.D., J. Reuben Clark Law School

Journal experience: Associate Editor, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

Legal experience includes: Associate Attorney, Barritt Smith, Los Angeles (employment law); Mediator and Teaching Assistant, J. Reuben Clark Law School; Law Clerk, Law Offices of Michael J. Zhaang; Extern, T&C Law Firm, Hangzhou, P.R. China

Admitted to practice law in California

Erin Elizabeth Kee

B.A., College of Charleston (Political Science), cum laude, Phi Sigma Pi

J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law

Masters of Environmental Law and Policy, Vermont Law School

Legal experience: Contract Attorney, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP; Legislative Research Intern, Rural Vermont, Farm Advocacy Group; Law Clerk, The South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Office of the Commissioner; Community Outreach Intern, The Sustainability Institute

Admitted to practice law in the State of South Carolina

Angela Uchechukwu Nwude (Uche)

LL.B.,Nigerian Law School, Enugu, Nigeria

LL.B., Hons. B.L., University of Lagos

Diploma in Educational Management, University of Ibadan

Professional certifications: Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Institute of Arbitrators

Professional experience includes: Legal Associate, Ossai and Co.; Legal Associate, Hill City Associates; Court Attache, Magistrate Court, Ikeja; Chamber Attache, Ossai and Co.

Member of the Nigerian Bar Association

Andrew Blake Rollins (Blake)

B.A., Taylor University, (History) cum laude

J.D., University of Arkansas School of Law

Legal experience: Law Clerk, Judge Jon B. Comstock; Law Clerk, Ledbetter& Associates; Law Clerk, Wilson and Associates

Other experience includes Leadership Development through Student Mobilization, a Christian leadership program

Adam Soliman

B.S.c., University of Alexandria, Egypt (Agriculture Economics)

M.S.c., University of British Columbia, Canada

J.D., University of Hong Kong

Thesis: Impacts of Individual Transferable Quotas in Canadian Sablefish Fisheries: An Economic Analysis

Legal experience: Legal Intern, Hong Kong Refugee Advice Center; Legal Intern, Gilt Chambers, Hong Kong

Other professional experience includes Program Coordinator, University of British Columbia; Teaching and Research Assistant, University of British Columbia; Managing Director, McSoil Tours, Inc., British Columbia; COO, VP of Sales and Export, and Production Manager, The Soliman Group, Egypt (international food business including vegetable farm and processing company)

Pamela A. Vesilind

B.A., Guilford College (Major: Political Science; Minor: Vocal Studies)

J.D., Vermont Law School, cum laude

Legal experience includes: Visiting Assistant Professor and Fellow, Center for Agriculture & Food Systems, Vermont Law School; Law Clerk, the Honorable Dennis R. Pearson, Chittenden Superior Court; Legal Intern, Southern Environmental Law Center; Legal Extern, United States District Court for the District of Columbia; Legal Intern, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

2011 SBA Faculty Award Winner (Teacher of the Year)

Publications include: Food Consumers’ Illusory “Right to Know”, 17 NEXUS: CHAP. J. L. & POL’Y __ (2011-12) (anticipated); NAFTA’s Trojan Horse& The Demise of the Mexican Hog Industry, 43 U. MIAMI INT.-AM. L. REV. 701 (2011) (anticipated); Continental Drift: Agricultural Trade & the Widening Gap between European Union & United States Animal Welfare Laws, 12 VT. J. ENVTL. L. 223 (Winter 2011); Animal Law, Obscenity, & the Limits of Government Censorship, 4 CHAR. L. REV. 59 (2009)(with Cheryl Hanna);

An Analysis of E.702.1: Transfer of Regulator Oversight & Special Requirements for Facility & Herd Management, Position Paper for the Vermont Agency for Natural Resources, Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (editor)

Admitted to practice law in the State of Vermont and the State of North Carolina