Student Leadership | Correspondents | Associate Editors | Assistant Editors | Professional Staff | Publisher Emeritus
JURIST is a public service project powered by more than 100 law students at 60+ law schools across six continents working under the guidance of professional staff and academic leadership based in Pittsburgh and Boston.
JURIST’s North American staff are law students at:
- University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (Tucson)
- Cornell Law School (Ithaca)
- University of Dayton School of Law
- The George Washington University Law School (Washington)
- Georgetown University Law Center (Washington)
- UNLV Boyd School of Law (Las Vegas)
- Lincoln Alexander School of Law (Toronto)
- New York Law School
- NYU School of Law
- Osgoode Hall Law School (Toronto)
- University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law
- University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- Vermont Law and Graduate School (South Royalton)
- University of Windsor Faculty of Law
JURIST’s South American staff are law students at:
JURIST’s UK staff are law students at:
- BPP University Law School (London)
- University of Cambridge Faculty of Law
- The City Law School (London)
- University of Greenwich, London
- The University of Law (London)
- Newcastle Law School
- University of Nottingham School of Law
- University of Oxford Faculty of Law
- Queen’s University Belfast School of Law
JURIST’s European staff are law students at:
- University College Cork School of Law
- Erasmus School of Law (Rotterdam)
- Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
- University of Groningen Faculty of Law
- Leiden Law School
- University of Limerick School of Law
- Maastricht University Faculty of Law
- University of Tirana Faculty of Law
- V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University School of Law
- Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (Kharkiv)
JURIST’s African staff are law students at:
- University of Cape Coast Faculty of Law
- University of Carthage Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences of Tunis
- Faculty of Law and Political Science of Sousse
- Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology School of Law (Juja)
- Kenya School of Law (Nairobi)
- Kisii University School of Law
- Mansoura University Faculty of Law
- University of Nairobi School of Law
JURIST’s South Asian staff are law students at:
- University of Dhaka
- Government Law College, Mumbai
- Hidayatullah National Law University (Uparwara)
- Kathmandu School Of Law (Anantalingeshwar)
- National Law University, Delhi
- National University of Study and Research in Law (Ranchi)
- The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata
JURIST’s Australasian staff are law students at:
- Auckland Law School
- Newcastle Law School (Callaghan)
- Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Law
- University of Western Australia Law School (Crawley)
JURIST’s East Asian staff are law students at:
Student Leadership Team
JURIST’s Student Leadership Team is composed of experienced student staffers who take leading roles in managing and writing JURIST.
Managing Editors
Madeline Yingling (she/her) is JURIST’s News Managing Editor. Madeline is a third-year law student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (US) and joined JURIST in September 2023 as a News writer. She is primarily interested in international law and human rights.
Aaryaa Shinge is JURIST’s Managing Editor for Long Form Content. Aaryaa is a third-year undergraduate student at Government Law College, Mumbai. She joined JURIST in October 2025 and has contributed to coverage of contemporary legal developments at the intersection of law, policy, and global affairs, with a particular interest in how legal systems respond to political change and institutional conflict.
John F. Manderscheid is Managing Editor for Global Commentary and Senior Analyst for Irish Legal Affairs. Manderscheid is a Canadian–Luxembourgian barrister and solicitor. He holds graduate degrees in Law and History from the University of Alberta and Queen Mary University of London. He is currently a PhD student at Trinity College Dublin, where his research focuses on international human rights law and cultural genocide. He serves as Graduate Liaison Officer with TriCON, the Trinity Centre for Constitutional Governance, and is also an elected Postgraduate PhD Student Representative with the Trinity Students’ Union.
Nova Kruijning is a Senior News Editor. Nova is a graduate of Maastricht University in The Netherlands, where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in European & International law. After completing her undergraduate degree, she pursued the post-graduate Diploma of Law in the UK. She has a keen interest in international law and global affairs, and after completing her Masters’ degree in 2025, would like to work in the field of international law alongside continuing to pursue her interest in legal journalism.
Pitasanna Shanmugathas is a Senior Editor for Long Form Content. Pitasanna is a 3L at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. He holds a Master of Global Affairs degree from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs. Pitasanna is also a documentary filmmaker and has co-produced a critically insightful documentary series on Canadian foreign policy as well as on Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict. Since 2014, Pitasanna has volunteered with the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, an organization that supports refugees arriving in Canada upon fleeing torture and persecution. As a law student, Pitasanna has worked as a student clinician in the US at the Vermont Immigrant Assistance Clinic and as a summer student at an immigration firm in Canada, assisting asylum seekers. Pitasanna has also been involved in peace activism and refugee advocacy through Save the Children Canada, STAND Canada, and the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace.
Chiefs of Staff
Alexandra Bennett is JURIST’s Global Chief of Staff. Alexandra is a JD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she also serves on Law Review as a Senior Development Editor. She is concurrently pursuing an LLM in International Business Law at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. She is passionate about expanding access to legal education through the democratization of legal news information, and believes in the role of legal journalism in upholding the rule of law. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, traveling, and trying new foods.
Griffins Ian Abuora is JURIST’s East Africa Chief of Staff. Griffins is a law graduate from the University of Nairobi and is currently a trainee advocate at the Kenya School of Law. He is passionate about promoting access to justice through grassroot initiatives and most importantly adherence to the rule of law. In addition to his role as Deputy Chief of Staff, he also serves as Kenyan correspondent.
Mariam BahaaEldein Thabet is JURIST’s North Africa Chief of Staff. Mariam is a recent law graduate from Mansoura University and was the first Egyptian recruit at JURIST in 2024. She now serves as Chief of Staff for North Africa at JURIST and is a feature contributor to Al-Ahram Weekly in Egypt. She is passionate about using law and media to highlight important legal and social issues.
Cecilia Akoko Attiogbe Atayi is JURIST’s West Africa Chief of Staff. Cecilia is a final year Law student at the University of Cape Coast with a strong interest in Employment law. Cecilia is the Co-Founder of the WoeFaDzi Foundation, a Ghanaian non-profit dedicated to providing quality education and eradicating poverty. This reflects her commitment to legal excellence and her vision of empowering communities. She joined JURIST in October 2025.
Renee Ferguson is JURIST’s Canada Co-Chief of Staff. Renee is a 2L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. Her work with JURIST combines her previous experience studying Political Science, Sociology, and Gender & Women’s Studies with her ongoing development of her legal research and writing skills. She is passionate about advocating for human rights and international justice and enjoys the opportunity to contribute to JURIST’s mission of reporting on issues related to the rule of law. Beyond law school, she loves outdoor activities, reading, and painting.
Rhys Groen is JURIST’s Canada Co-Chief of Staff. Rhys is a 2L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. He joined JURIST in Fall 2025 and has written coverage on the restriction of Charter rights in Canada. Rhys has an interest in human rights, labour, and immigration law, hoping to pursue a career in litigation. In his free time, Rhys likes exploring cities by bike and walking his cat.
Amber Weurding is JURIST’s Europe Chief of Staff. Amber has graduated from a double LLB from the University of Groningen in “Dutch law” and “International and European law”. Recently she graduated from the LLM “International Commercial Law” and is finishing a LLM in “Legal Research” with a focus on European Competition law and Law and Economics, which are her main legal interests. Her work has a particular focus on mass claims and the law and economics of competition law.
Susmita Chaulagain is JURIST’s South Asia Chief of Staff. Susmita is a Fourth-year B.A. LL.B. student at Kathmandu School of Law, Nepal. She contributes to JURIST, writing on defamation law, digital speech, artificial intelligence, and technology regulation, with a focus on comparative and international legal perspectives. Her interests include online harms, freedom of expression, access to justice, and the intersection of law and emerging technologies.
Samad Mirza is JURIST’s UK Chief of Staff. Samad is a second year at Newcastle Law School (GB). At the age of 16, he started to work with asylum seekers from countries in political turmoil; this taught him the importance of having the rule of law as a foundational pillar in a country’s legal system. After writing multiple stories for JURIST, he learned that the issue of tyranny or lack of rule of law is not an isolated issue in a specific region; it is both covert and overt in every single country, the severity is just different. Because of this, he is now dedicating his time to both recruiting and leading the UK team.
Rachel Ettlinger Randel is JURIST’s US Chief of Staff. Rachel is a fourth-year law student in New York Law School’s part-time, evening program. She joined JURIST in January 2025 as a news writer. Prior to her time in law school, Rachel worked as a local news reporter across the northeast. Her love for journalism started in the newsroom at her alma mater, Pepperdine University, where she worked as a student journalist and editor for the student-run news organization, Pepperdine Graphic Media. She has a strong interest in legal writing and research. In addition to her work with JURIST, Rachel works full-time as a paralegal in New York City. In her free time, Rachel enjoys spending time with her family in the lower Hudson Valley.
Alumni Engagement Coordinator
Lana Osei is JURIST’s Alumni Engagement Coordinator. Lana holds an LLB from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and also serves as Executive Secretary at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Global Engagement (Afroglobals) in Accra, Ghana. Her work bridges policy, advocacy, and people. For Lana, writing is not merely a skill, but a “manifesto to her future self”—a powerful tool to envision a better world and advocate for the actions needed to achieve it. She leads with humility, passion, and purpose, empowering her team, fostering collaboration, and amplifying African voices for global impact.
Recruitment Coordinator
David Odero is JURIST’s Recruitment Coordinator. David is an LL.B candidate at Kisii University School of Law in Kenya. He is passionate about international human rights, gender justice, space law and climate change. He is looking forward to graduating in December 2026.
Correspondents
JURIST Staff Correspondents file exclusive first-hand reports from locations around the world.
Afghanistan
JURIST has a number of law student correspondents filing regularly from Afghanistan. Due to security concerns under the Taliban government we cannot reveal their names or their law school affiliations.
Ghana
Lana Osei is a recent graduate of the GIMPA (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration) Faculty of Law.
India
Kenya
Senior Correspondent Aynsley Genga is a 2023 graduate of the University of Nairobi School of Law.
Kosovo
Ernesa Shala is a JURIST staff correspondent in Kosovo and a recent graduate of the University of Pristina Faculty of Law.
Myanmar
JURIST has a number of law student correspondents filing regularly from Myanmar. Due to security concerns during the military coup, we cannot reveal their names or their law school affiliations.
Pakistan
Chief Correspondent Rabia Shuja holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from Griffith College, Dublin.
Abu Bakar Khan is a final year law student at University Law College, University of the Punjab.
Peru
Associate Editors
JURIST’s Associate Editors are experienced anchors, editors, researchers and technical specialists.
Halima Abena Kyerewah Adam is a third-year student at the University of Cape Coast Faculty of Law (GH).
Sandy Almarradweh is a 3L at Osgoode Hall Law School (CA).
Nandana Arun is a second-year student at Hidayatullah National Law University (IN).
Cecile Akoeley Attiogbe Atayi is a third-year student at the University of Cape Coast Faculty of Law (GH).
Samara Baboolal is a recent graduate of the University of Nottingham School of Law (GB).
Mariam BahaaEldein Thabet is a recent graduate of Mansoura University Faculty of Law (EG).
Salma Ben Mariem is a graduate of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Sousse, Tunisia (TN).
James Brierley is a 3L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Mahmoud Chahrour is a 3L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Ellie Cho is a 3L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Durdana Chowdhury is a third-year student at the University of Dhaka (BD).
Emily Corio is a 2L at the University of Dayton School of Law (US).
Ben Golin is a 3L at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (US).
Sarisha Harikrishna is a student at Queen’s University Belfast School of Law (GB).
Brendan Hickey is a 3L at Vermont Law & Graduate School (US).
Ryan Huang is a 3L at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law (CA).
Siddhi Joshi is a second-year student at the National University of Study and Research in Law (IN).
Brianne Leinenweber is a 2L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Adamo Marinelli is a 3L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Annelies Nie is a 2L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Tiana Nowzari is a 2L at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law (CA).
John Kyeremanteng Nuamah is a third-year student at the University of Cape Coast Faculty of Law (GH).
Morgan Polen is a 3L at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (US).
Max Robinette is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (US).
Lowri Thomas is a 1L at New York University School of Law (US).
Lilian Trickey is a second-year student at the University of Oxford Faculty of Law (GB).
Joshua Villanueva is an LLM student at The George Washington University Law School (US).
Xitai Wang is a 3L at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (US).
Emanuel Xhindi is a fourth-year student at the University of Tirana Faculty of Law (AL).
Tony Xun is a 3L at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (CA).
Assistant Editors
JURIST’s Assistant Editors are new anchors, editors, researchers and technical specialists.
Hussin Alameedi is a 2L at St. Louis University School of Law (US).
Abigail Austin is a 2L at Vermont Law & Graduate School (US).
Nafisa Binte Borhan is a recent graduate of the University of London Institute of Law (GB).
Sabine Haddad is a 3L at New York Law School (US).
Shaniece Jackson is a 3L at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (US).
Paola Koçi is a fourth-year student at the University of Tirana Faculty of Law (AL).
Alex Kwok is a second-year student at the University of Hong Kong (HK).
Paul Leech is a 2L at Georgetown University Law Center (US).
Maria Jose Martinez Li is a sixth-year student at Universidad de Lima (PE).
Mikaela Raiser is a second-year student at Universidad de Lima (PE).
Arianna Roberts is a 2L at New York Law School (US).
Bhavya Salotra is a first-year student at National Law University, Delhi (IN).
Leah Talyansky is a 2L at Vermont Law & Graduate School (US).
Justin Tuminello is a 2L at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (US).
Professional Staff
