The

Federal Bar Association, the American University Washington College of Law, the
International Judicial Academy, and the International Journal of Drafting and
Legislative Reform present the:

Fifth International Conference

on Legislation and Law Reform

American University Washington College of Law • 4300 Nebraska Ave., NW • Washington, D.C. 20016

April 12th – 13th, 2018

AGENDA AT A GLANCE:

THURSDAY, APRIL 12 FRIDAY, APRIL 13

7:45 – 8:25 REGISTRATION AND BREAKFAST 7:45 – 8:25 REGISTRATION AND BREAKFAST

8:30 – 9:25 PLENARY SESSION 1 8:30 – 9:25 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 8A AND 8B

Wim Voermans, Legislative Speed 8A: Ikhyeon Rhee, Public Participation in

the Legislative Process
9:30 – 10:25 PLENARY SESSION 2
8B: Eamonn Moran, Legislative Drafters:
Susan Finder, How China's Highest Court
Conform to Perform
"Makes" Law

9:30 – 10:25 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 9A AND 9B
10:30– 11:25 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 3A AND 3B
9A: Michael Gerrard, What Non-federal
3A: Don Colagiuri, National
Legislators and Regulators Can Still Do
Consistent/Model Legislation in Federal
Despite the Pullout From the Paris Accords
Jurisdictions – Drafting and Arrangements
and From the Clean Power Plan
to Promote Uniformity (the Australian
9B: Estelle Appiah, Translating Policy Into
Experience)
Law – a Case Study from Ghana’s Social
3B: Jery Payne, The Problem with Lists
Protection Legislation

11:30 – 12:25 PLENARY SESSION 4
10:30 – 11:25 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10A AND 10B
Wade Ballou, Being a Tortoise Among the
10A: Jeannine Bednar-Giyose,
Hares: Addressing Compressed Time Frames
Implementing International Standards in
For Drafting
Financial Sector Legislation
and Matt McGhie, A Reasoned Response to
10B: Lorna Seitz, Legislatively Established
Unreasonable Deadlines: A United States
Monitoring, Evaluation and Adaptation
Senate Perspective
Systems: Identifying Sub-Optimal
12:30 – 12:45 XCENTIAL PRESENTATION Legislative Impacts and Driving Locally
Grant Vergottini, Digital-first Legislative Customized Interventions

Drafting
11:30 – 12:25 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 11A AND 11B
12:50 – 1:55 LUNCH 11A: Nathalia Berkowitz, Re-Building the

Law? Legislative & Legal Reform in Post-
2:00 – 2:55 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 5A and 5B
Conflict States: a Practitioner's View
5A: Elizabeth Bakibinga-Gaswaga, Whose
11B: Michael Stern, Congressional Power
Law? Applying a “Fitness for Purpose” Test
in the Trump Administration
to Legislating for Development

5B: Rochelle Woodard, Ronald Lampard, 12:30 – 1:55 LUNCH

and Chris Katopis, Outside Drafters Panel
2:00 – 2:55 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 12A AND 12B
3:00 – 3:55 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 6A AND 6B 12A: Judy Schneider, Congressional
6A: William Robinson, Special Features of Procedure
European Union Legislative Drafting 12B: Sarah Lawsky, The Benefits of
6B: Karoli Ssemogerere, Information and Formalizing Statutes

Communications: Emerging Issues in
3:00 – 3:55 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 13A AND 13B
Drafting Legislation and Regulations
13A: Craig Volden, Building a Better
4:00 – 4:55 PLENARY SESSION 7 Congress
Henok Gabisa, The Competing Legislative 13B: Mila Versteeg, Do Constitutional
Processes in Ethiopia—Exploring The Rights Matter? The Organizational Basis of
Oromo’s Gadaa General Assembly Rights Protection

5:45 EVENING RECEPTION 4:00 – 4:55 BREAKOUT SESSIONS 14A and 14B
Latham & Watkins 14A: Sean Kealy and Lou Rulli, Teaching
Legislative Drafting
14B: Fernando Chang-Muy, Refugee
Protection and Strategies for Advocacy

4:55 – 5:00 CLOSING REMARKS

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 2



Thank you to our sponsors:

Thursday evening reception information:

Evening Reception
Please join us for hors d'oeuvres and refreshments at
Latham & Watkins at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 12th.

If you would like to rideshare to the reception, immediately

following the final session of the day, please gather outside.

If you prefer to take the metro, it is approximately a

25 minute ride. Board at the Tenleytown-AU metro station,
take the red line going toward Glenmont, exit at Metro Center,
and follow the map.

Latham & Watkins

555 11th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 3



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

7:45 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.

PLENARY SESSION 1:
Legislative Speed
This session will discuss legislative speed in two respects: speed of procedure and endurance of (substance of) legislation –
comparing different legislatures over the world.
Wim Voermans
Wim Voermans is Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law at Leiden University and
Director of the Institute of Public Law of the Leiden Law School. In addition, he is the Vice President
of the International Association of Legislation. Voermans’ current research focuses on Dutch and
European constitutional law, with a particular interest in the Dutch and EU legislature. Focal points
in his recent research are: quality of EU legislation, impact assessment, legislative procedures (with
a special interest in (European) Parliament’s role), delegation, innovation in legislation and
legislative process, transparency, deregulation, simplification, transposition and implementation of
EU legislation, compliance and enforcement, drafting techniques, and legislative evaluation).
Voermans is one of the three directors of the Leiden Research Profile “Political Legitimacy.”

9:30 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.

PLENARY SESSION 2:
How China's Highest Court "Makes" Law
Under China's unique legislation system, the Supreme People's Court has the authority to interpret law, which it often does in
the form of quasi-legislation, rather than through its judgments or rulings. These interpretations are sometimes longer than
the legislation being interpreted and they are generally done without public consultation, although there is usually wide
consultation of the lower courts, relevant government ministries and state owned enterprises as well as industrial
associations. They are an important source of legal rules that the courts rely upon when making decisions as well as lawyers
and other legal professionals. Additionally, the Supreme People's Court and lower courts also issue other types of judicial
guidance which has a less certain legal status but is also practically important. The content of these interpretations and other
judicial guidance is influenced by Party policy to varying degrees, depending upon the type of legal issue. Often the
interpretations fill in the gaping holes found in Chinese legislation by supplying definitions, elements needed to substantiate a
claim, or narrow the range of discretion of judges. Some of these interpretations and other judicial guidance take the form of
administrative documents, reflecting the nature of the Chinese courts as a cross between a court and Party/administrative
institution.

Susan Finder
Susan Finder is the Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the School of Transnational Law of
Peking University (Shenzhen). She is a scholar of China’s judicial system (in comparative
perspective). Her research concentrates the evolution of the role and operations of China's
highest court, the Supreme People's Court. Much of her scholarship is published on her blog, the
Supreme People’s Court Monitor. This is Finder’s second career in academia, and she comes to
STL after twenty years in China-related practice at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (and other
firms), in legal publishing, and (briefly) as a securities regulator. In her first academic career (at
what is now the City University of Hong Kong) she published the first comprehensive study of the
operations of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC). She received her undergraduate degree from
Yale College, her Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, and a Master of Laws degree from Columbia Law School.

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

10:30 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 3A: BREAKOUT SESSION 3B:

National Consistent/Model Legislation in The Problem with Lists
Federal Jurisdictions – Drafting and When drafting law, lawyers often make lists. From using the
Arrangements to Promote Uniformity (the phrase "including, but not limited to" to listing alternative
elements of a crime, lists are fraught with risk. Judges,
Australian Experience) agencies, and lawyers struggle to interpreting them. We will
The paper will draw on my work in this area as the cover these problems and a few strategies for avoiding these
Secretary/Chair of the Australasian Parliamentary Counsel’s problems.
Committee (PCC) since 2001. The paper will deal with the
emergence in Australia of a new form of “national” uniform
legislation that seeks to address the needs of business and
Jery Payne
other sectors that operate across different States within the Jery Payne has been a legislative
federal system. The legislation can take the form of one State drafter for 18 years and was the
enacting and hosting the text of the uniform law (drafted by managing editor of the Legislative
PCC) and each State applying it as the law of their State (and Lawyer from 2004 to 2017. He
the automatic application of future amendments to that studied law at the University of
uniform law text agreed by the relevant governments and Pennsylvania, and before that,
enacted by the host State). The legislation can also take the served in the United States Marine
form of model legislation (drafted by PCC) that is generally Corp.
followed by the various jurisdictions. The paper will also deal
with the Government arrangements for the promotion and
drafting of this national legislation (including PCC and the
councils of Ministers and officials from the various
jurisdictions that determine the legislative policy).

Don Colagiuri
A drafter of legislation since 1972
(first in the Chief Secretary’s
Department and then from 1974 in
the NSW Parliamentary Counsel’s
Office). The Parliamentary Counsel
(and head of the NSW
Parliamentary Counsel’s Office)
since 14 February 2001.
Secretary/Chair of the Australasian Parliamentary Counsel’s
Committee since 2001 (the Committee represents the
drafting offices in Australia and New Zealand, is responsible
for drafting national uniform legislation and provides a forum
for discussions about the development of legislation and the
management of those drafting offices). Graduate of Sydney
University (Arts/Law); admitted as a barrister in 1975 and
appointed as Senior Counsel in 2003. Longstanding interest
and involvement in drafting State constitutional, public
sector, planning and criminal legislation (including drafting
the Model Australian Criminal Code). Leading the
improvement in public access to NSW legislation (Acts,
regulations and planning and other instruments) through the
development and maintenance of the official NSW Legislation
website, including authorized up-to- date legislation on that
website.

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

11:30 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

PLENARY SESSION 4:
Being a Tortoise Among the Hares: Addressing A Reasoned Response to Unreasonable
Compressed Time Frames For Drafting Deadlines: A United States Senate Perspective
During the time of my service as a legislative drafter in the This presentation will identify legislative procedures, unique
House of Representatives of the United States, the drafting to the United States Senate, which affect the legislative
conditions have changed dramatically. Gone are the days in drafting process and create the need for urgent drafting
which a type-written, hand edited draft was sent to the services. The presenter will share principles and techniques
Government Printing Office (old name) for hot metal that he has used during his Senate career to predict and
typesetting, allowing plenty of time for the reflection that is respond to periods of unusually high demand for legislative
critically important to the drafting process. Today, the drafting. These principles and techniques can also be applied
demands are many and the desired turnaround times are to a variety of likely situations in other legislative bodies.
short. In this presentation I will present several ways that my
office is addressing the current situation. In addition, I will Matt McGhie
imagine a way in which the legislative drafter will collaborate Since September 11, 2001, Matthew
with policymakers to bring the benefits of drafter’s expertise D. McGhie has served as an
to the policymaking table. Assistant Counsel for the United
States Senate Office of the
Wade Ballou Legislative Counsel. On behalf of
Wade Ballou is the Legislative the United States Senators and
Counsel of the House of Senate committees, Mr. McGhie and
Representatives. He has been his colleagues draft, on a
drafting legislation for the Office nonpartisan basis, the vast majority of the bills, resolutions,
of the Legislative Counsel since and amendments considered by the Senate. During his 16 1/2
1983 and has worked in many years with the Office, Mr. McGhie has drafted Federal
areas of Federal law during his legislation regarding numerous subjects, including foreign
career, including natural affairs, homeland security, immigration, and transportation.
resources, Native American issues, veterans, foreign affairs, Mr. McGhie has been an active member of the Federal Bar
and intelligence. Since 1996, Wade has concentrated in tax Association since 2001, previously serving as the President of
and public debt matters. Wade earned a Bachelor of Science the Capitol Hill Chapter and as the Chair of the International
degree and Cooperative Education Certificate in Forestry Law Section, and current serves on the National Sections and
from Virginia Tech and Juris Doctor from the University of Divisions Council and on the National Civics Education
Virginia. Committee. As a long-time conference organizer, he has
played a key role in the success of the International
Conference on Legislation and Law Reform since its founding
in 2013.

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

XCENTIAL PRESENTATION:
Digital-first legislative drafting.
In its most recent “World e-Parliament Report,” the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) observed, “Digital tools are transforming
how parliaments work, not just at the day-to-day operational level, but also in terms of new ways of thinking, innovative
practices and a strong, more vibrant culture of openness and transparency.” Join Xcential Legislative Technologies’ team for an
update on drafting modernization and legislative data standardization efforts in lawmaking around the world, from the UK
Parliament to Hong Kong to the US Congress. The discussion will focus on how “digital-first” drafting – treating information as
data first, not print – is enabling higher levels of accuracy, deeper analysis and stunning new efficiencies in the process, from
automated amendment generation to more effective collaboration among drafting teams. The technology behind traditional
drafting tools is becoming increasingly powerful – but, thankfully, still allows those familiar “Word”-like desktop screens. All of
this is happening just as governments are adopting standards for how legislative documents can be represented as data,
enabling linking and common reference schemes across jurisdictions.

Grant Vergottini
A builder of legislative drafting tools and systems for nearly two decades, Grant Vergottini is a
leading authority on the applications of XML data to legislation, regulations and government
documents. He is a member of the LegalDocML technical design committee of OASIS – the
Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, an industry consortium –
which focuses on XML data standards and best practices among legislative institutions, a project
supported by the UN and governments around the world. Vergottini is co-founder and CEO of
Xcential Legislative Technologies, which is a world leader in the development of modern software
for legislation, implementing systems at the U.S. House, the California Legislature, Hong Kong and
Chile. Most recently, Vergottini served as the prototype architect for the new standards-based, digital-first drafting system of
the UK and Scottish Parliaments.

12:50 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.

Lunch

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

2:00 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 5A: BREAKOUT SESSION 5B:

Whose Law? Applying a “Fitness for Purpose” Outside Legislative Drafters
Test to Legislating for Development While proposed legislation has long been written by actors
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 of Agenda 2030 for outside of Congress or the legislature, it seems to be a more
Sustainable Development places rule of law at the very centre common practice in recent years. Our panelists have
of national development. Legal frameworks and the policies experience drafting and promoting legislation as part of
and institutions supported by such frameworks will matter executive agencies, for an independent think tank and as a
much more to development than in the past. Currently, in lobbyist for various special interests. They will discuss how
international discourse, new approaches and tools for they interact with legislators and the internal legislative
designing, implementing and evaluating development drafters, and the positive and negative aspects of legislation
projects are emerging around several common themes: being written by outside drafters.
problem-driven; iterative with lots of learning; and engaging
teams and coalitions, often producing hybrid solutions that Rochelle Woodard
are ‘fit to context’ and politically smart. 2 As approaches Rochelle Woodard is Senior
undergo significant review, it is critical to evaluate the Counsel in the Office of Chief
relevance of law ‘as is’ to rule of law programming and to Counsel for Industry and Security
sustainable development. This paper limits its scope to at the U.S. Department of
interrogation of the fitness of legislation to foster Commerce. The Office of Chief
development in countries in the developing world, especially Counsel serves as legal counsel to
those formerly colonised. It will examine the intersection the Bureau of Industry and
between law and development; law and society; and law and Security, the Federal agency tasked
complexity, with a view to testing the relevance of legal with regulating dual-use exports and the domestic
doctrines, practices and procedures. Recommendations will commercial implementation of several non-proliferation
be made on how to legislate for impact. treaties, in addition to defense industrial base matters. For
nearly 20 years, Ms. Woodard has served as the legislative
Elizabeth Bakibinga- lead for agency matters, with a focus on the renewal or
Gaswaga replacement of the Export Administration Act of 1979 and
Elizabeth Bakibinga-Gaswaga, implementing legislation for the Chemical Weapons
currently a Legal Adviser-Rule of Convention and the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Non-
Law, at the Commonwealth proliferation Treaty. Ms. Woodard has assisted in the
Secretariat Headquarters, drafting of export control-focused legislation and regulations
London, United Kingdom, is an for other countries, including laws that passed in Mexico and
Advocate/Attorney at Law with Armenia. In addition to her legislative work, Ms. Woodard is
17 years’ standing. With 20 years’ a regulatory attorney with responsibility over export control
experience in legal, legislative and policy analysis work, she regulations impacted by decisions of the various multilateral
has served as Vice President of the Commonwealth export control regimes, including the Wassenaar
Association of Legislative Counsel; Legal Officer in the United Arrangement and the Missile Technology Control Regime.
Nations’ Department of Peacekeeping Operations; Principal
Legislative Counsel at the Parliament of Uganda; and Lecturer Ronald Lampard
in the post-graduate programme at the Faculty of Computing Ronald Lampard serves as the
and Information Technology at Makerere University, Uganda, Criminal Justice Task Force Director
among others. Ms. Bakibinga-Gaswaga has experience in at the American Legislative
providing legislative drafting and legal advisory services, rule Exchange Council. During his time
of law programme management, managing legal and rule of at ALEC, he has testified before state
law aspects of peacekeeping operations, global governance, legislative committees, provided
building partnerships, mobilising resources, the development written testimony to state
of legal, policy and institutional frameworks as well as legislative committees, and has
capacity building. She is a member of the Institute of conducted criminal justice briefings in various states. He has
International Humanitarian Law and has initiated and also served on panels to discuss topics ranging from mens
participated in capacity building programmes worldwide as rea, civil asset forfeiture, and sentencing reform. In addition,

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 8



trainer, presenter, rapporteur and resource person. Ms. he has been interviewed on television and radio outlets and
Bakibinga-Gaswaga attended Makerere University, Boston has published op-eds on various criminal justice issues.
University and the University of Oslo, among others. She is an Before coming to ALEC, he served on the United States Senate
advocate for girl child education and well-being in developing Committee on the Judiciary as a Legal Fellow. Previously, he
countries. was a prosecutor in New Orleans, Louisiana from December

of 2012 until January of 2015, where he tried both felony and
misdemeanor cases and litigated approximately 100 motion
hearings. He received his Juris Doctorate from Loyola
University of New Orleans in May of 2012, his Master's
Degree in Political Science from American University in May
of 2008, and his undergraduate degree from Tulane
University in May of 2006. Additionally, he taught Political
Science courses at Tulane University for eight semesters from
January 2010 through December 2012 and will teach
Advanced Constitutional Law in American University’s School
of Public Affairs in the spring of 2018.

Chris Katopis
Chris Katopis is currently the CEO of the Licensing Executives
Society International. He has also served as the executive
director of AMI, a non-profit trade association focusing on
financial and business issues, as well as Counsel and Director
of Global IP Policy for the Computing Technology Industry
Association in Washington D.C. Chris is a patent attorney by
training having worked in the Washington Office of Drinker
Biddle & Reath. He was a Law Clerk to the Hon. Pauline
Newman at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
and a legal counsel for seven years to the U.S. House of
Representatives’ Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the
Internet and Intellectual Property. For three years, Chris was
a member of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office executive
management team as Director of Congressional Relations.

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

3:00 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 6A: BREAKOUT SESSION 6B:

Special Features of European Union Legislative Information and Communications: Emerging
Drafting Issues in Drafting Legislation and Regulations
The European Union (EU) embraces 28 sovereign Member Recent developments: Drafting is more general, more
States, each with its own constitutional structure and legal reactive with fewer core principles. Core principles have been
system. The Member States have their different histories moderated by technology, changes in markets and
(although some are closely interrelated), their own traditions government’s interests in the sector. Regulations are demand
and their own cultures. The EU is a supranational system driven, more generic. Updating code is continuous to capture
based on the founding treaties. It has its own legislative more environmental factors, update language, usage and
authority, comprising the European Parliament and the customs. As new words and phrases come up like operator,
Council of the EU, and its own judicial system. Its highest content, traffic come up, older ones are used less like
court, the Court of Justice of the EU, has declared that the EU broadcaster, studio, radio-station in favor of cross-cutting
is a new legal order. The legislation of the EU must be terms, stations, communications apparatus etc. Regulations
accepted by all the 28 Member States, which is why it is are more detailed because they are general. In
sometimes described as diplomatic law or negotiated law. communications, forms and checklists have been relegated as
And it must work in the Member States’ different standardisation is difficult to achieve across multiple
constitutional structures and legal systems. Those platforms. A number of legislative-regulatory models have
requirements inevitably have a significant impact on the emerged in the information age driven first by convergence of
drafting of EU legislation, which must be drafted in 24 regulation of information and communications from multiple
languages, each of the language versions being equally to a single regulatory body covering infrastructure, content
authentic. This paper seeks to analyse some of the special and communications services. Second the relative rise of
features of EU drafting relating, in particular, to the structure content and traffic over infrastructure as the key regulatory
of the legislation, the degree of detail or precision and the issue covering all information sub-sectors. Third is the
language used. rationalisation of use of resources like frequency spectrum,
numbering resources, digital slots, deregulation of markets.
William Robinson
William Robinson worked for Karoli Ssemogerere
many years in the field of Karoli Ssemogerere is a national of
European Union (EU) law and both Uganda and the United States.
language, first at the European Born in Utica, New York to two
Court of Justice and then at the exiled Ugandan graduate students,
European Commission. In the he attended a number of schools in
Commission's Legal Service he Uganda before graduating at the
coordinated a team of 20 legal top of his class from Makerere
revisers who revise the draft legal acts to be adopted by the University with a LLB degree. He
Commission itself and the legislative proposals which the qualified as an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda in 1999
Commission submits for adoption by the European after serving as a Law Clerk to the late Hon. Leticia Mukasa
Parliament and the Council of the EU. Since 2010 he has been Kikonyogo, formerly of the Supreme Court and later Deputy
engaged in research into EU legislative drafting issues at the Chief Justice of Uganda. He has a LL.M from Harvard Law
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London and teaching School and an M.A. in Government from Johns Hopkins
legislative drafting, in particular for the EU institutions. University. His career as a draftsman has been at the Uganda
Communications Commission as a Consultant and External
Counsel. Recruited shortly after the enactment of the Uganda
Communications Act in 2012, he has played a central role in
implementing the new communications regime drafting in
close consultation with the First Parliamentary Counsel, 18
regulations covering information, communications, media
and entertainment. He has also been a principal draftsman of
the Uganda Communications (Amendment) Act, 2017 and
ongoing work to overhaul Uganda’s communications
regulatory framework, setting up a new licensing framework
and the Uganda Communications Tribunal.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 12th

4:00 p.m. – 4:55 p.m.

PLENARY SESSION 7:
The Competing Legislative Processes in Ethiopia—Exploring The Oromo’s Gadaa General
Assembly
Portions of Ethiopia's ethnically and linguistically distinct State of Oromia (estimated 40 million) still employ an updated
version of "Gadaa", an indigenous governmental system with roots reaching back six centuries. Gadaa comprises a legislature,
an executive, and a religious assembly, and in some ways contrasts quite sharply with the overall structure and operation of
the national government, which is based on the Constitution it adopted in 1995. Recently, the rising popular demand for
decentralized and localized governance autonomy in the country has triggered the need to understand the Oromo’s customary
legislative system. We will explore together the challenges and benefits of having different legislative processes in these
coexisting systems.

Henok Gabisa
Dr. Henok Gabisa is a Visiting Academic Fellow at Washington and Lee University School of Law in
Lexington, VA. He teaches Transnational Criminal Tribunal; and Anti-Corruption & Global Good
Governance Courses. He is also a Legal Counsel before the African Commission on Human and
Peoples Rights (ACHPR)-- the Quasi-Judicial continental body located in the Gambia, West Africa,
where he represents individual and group victims of violations of civil rights in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Gabisa has published peer-reviewed articles and opinion pieces on subjects related to Judicial
Reform in Post-Conflict nations of Africa; Land and Conflict; foreign investment protection &
human rights; Historical Injustices in Ethiopia & contemporary legal remedies. He has authored
several opinion pieces for international newspaper including The Guardian and The Jurist. He frequently comments on
Ethiopia’s current political and legal topics with BBC and Voice of America Radio Program (VOA). Formerly, Dr. Gabisa held
Research and Training position in Ethiopia’s Judicial Training and Legal Research Institute. He can be contacted at
[email protected].

5:45 p.m.

Evening Reception
Please join us for hors d'oeuvres and refreshments at Latham & Watkins.

Latham & Watkins
555 11th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 11



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

7:45 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 8A: BREAKOUT SESSION 8B:

Public Participation in the Legislative Process Legislative Drafters: Conform to Perform
Experts have wanted to find more rational and efficient ways The aim of this presentation is to highlight the advantages to
to reflect the thoughts and will of the people in the be obtained from having an established office that specialises
legislature's policy-making process, such as by improving the in drafting legislation. In the United Kingdom, Australia and
petition system, administrative procedures, the information many other countries all new legislation sponsored by the
disclosure system, and other participatory systems, as well as government is written within a specialist drafting office. This
by developing new types of participatory systems. This ensures consistency in approach to writing laws and results
session will examine the need to improve public in each new law fitting seamlessly into the statute book as a
participation, the more promising approaches for improving whole. Many offices further ensure consistency by developing
public participation, and the implications of those drafting manuals with which drafters must comply.
approaches. Consistency in the style of legislative drafting is of great value
to the users of legislation. Users become familiar with its
structure and can better find their way around a statute. They
Ikhyeon Rhee know where to find common provisions, such as definition
Ikhyeon Rhee is the President of and application clauses. This enhances the overall quality of
the Korea Legislation Research legislation. The presentation will argue that legislators, the
Institute. He has previously courts and the executive, as well as legislation users within
served in the Ministry of the general public, benefit from the existence of a specialist
Government Legislation, from legislative drafting office.
2008 to 2016 as Director
General; from 2007 to 2008 as Eamonn Moran
Assistant Officer to the President Eamonn Moran QC was a
for Legal Affairs at the Office of the President of the ROK; government lawyer for more than
from 2006 to 2007 as Constitutional Research Officer in the 35 years. He was Chief
Constitutional Court; from 2005 to 2006 as Administrative Parliamentary Counsel in Victoria,
Appeals Officer; from 2002 to 2005 as Personnel Australia from 1999 to January
Management Officer at the Legislation Management Office; 2008 and Law Draftsman in Hong
and from 1995 to 2002 in the Legislative Information Kong from then until June 2012.
Division. President Rhee holds a Ph.D. in Law completed, From August 2012 to December
Sungkyunkwan University (Korea) (2005); an LL.M., 2017 Eamonn practised as a barrister at the Melbourne Bar,
Columbia University (USA), an LL.B., Sungkyunkwan principally in areas related to issues of statutory
University (Korea), an M.A. (Public Administration), Syracuse interpretation but generally in administrative and
University (USA), and a B.A. (Political Science), Sogang constitutional law. He also has worked as a consultant
University (Korea). legislative counsel for various governments and government
entities in Australia and elsewhere. He was for many years an
instructor for the Graduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting
offered by Athabasca University, Canada. On 1 January 2018
Eamonn took up a new position as Inspector, Victorian
Inspectorate, an office with responsibility for monitoring and
overseeing various anti-corruption entities in the State of
Victoria, Australia. Eamonn is a former President of the
Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel and
currently President of Clarity International, an international
association promoting plain legal language.



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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

9:30 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 9A: BREAKOUT SESSION 9B:

What Non-federal Legislators and Regulators Translating Policy Into Law – a Case Study from
Can Still Do Despite the Pullout From the Paris Ghana’s Social Protection Legislation
Accords and From the Clean Power Plan The Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations,
This presentation will discuss using the legislative process to other international commitments and the Fourth Republican
achieve the substantive environmental goal, be that goal Constitution of the Republic of Ghana provide the framework
preventing/minimizing climate change or building for the Ghana Social Protection Policy. The Social Protection
sustainability on a more general basis. It will focus on the Policy seeks to achieve a well co-ordinated, cross-sectoral
meeting-place for substance and craft in the legislative social protection system that enables people to live in dignity
process and how to turn concern about climate change into through income and livelihood support, empowerment and
action. improved systems of basic services. Its aim is to progressively
realise social protection as an economic right. It
Michael Gerrard recommended the enactment of a dedicated social protection
Michael B. Gerrard is Andrew Sabin law. Legislative Counsel have a critical role to play in the
Professor of Professional Practice transformation of policy into law and to clarify policy
at Columbia Law School, where he objectives. This presentation charts the course taken to
teaches courses on environmental secure social protection by law to ensure that a modern
and energy law and directs the system of social protection has a significant impact on
Sabin Center for Climate Change incomes, equitable development and increased access to
Law. He is also Chair of the social services for the extreme poor and vulnerable in Ghana.
Faculty of Columbia’s Earth
Institute. Before joining the Columbia faculty in January 2009, Estelle Appiah
he was partner in charge of the 110-lawyer New York office Mrs. Estelle Matilda Appiah was the
of Arnold & Porter; his now Senior Counsel to the firm. He Director of Legislative Drafting at
practiced environmental law in New York City full time from the Attorney-General's Department
1979 to 2008. He formerly chaired the American Bar of the Ministry of Justice in Accra,
Association’s 10,000-member Section of Environment, Ghana from January 2005-March
Energy and Resources. He has served as a member of the 2011 where she was responsible
executive committees of the boards of the Environmental for the legislation of the Republic of
Law Institute and the American College of Environmental Ghana with the status of a Court of
Lawyers. Gerrard is author or editor of thirteen books, two of Appeal Judge. Prior to working at the Attorney-General's
which were named Best Law Book of the Year by the Department of the Ministry of Justice in Ghana in1989, she
Association of American Publishers. His most recent book is worked in judicial administration in Lesotho as the Assistant
Global Climate Change and U.S. Law (with Jody Freeman) (2d Registrar of the High Court and Court of Appeal. Mrs. Estelle
ed. 2014). He has two books appearing in 2018: Legal Appiah's highlight contributions over her career at the
Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States (co- Ministry of Justice have included the preparation of social
editor with John Dernbach); and Climate Engineering and the policy legislation that transcends cultural and civil law
Law: Governance and Liability for Solar Radiation perspectives, the preparation of the Comparative Analysis of
Management and Carbon Dioxide Removal (co-editor with Anti-Corruption Laws of Ghana compared with the UN
Tracy Hester). Convention Against Corruption and the AU Convention on
Preventing and Combating Corruption, 2009. She also
spearheaded the preparation of the Republic of Ghana Treaty
Manual and initiated the preparation of the HIV/TB Work
Place Policy for the Ministry of Justice in 2008. Since her
retirement in 2011, Estelle Appiah has been engaged in the
preparation of draft Bills to amend the Constitution of the
Republic of Ghana as a member of the Constitution Review
Implementation Committee. She has also been engaged as a
Consultant to draft legislation on a myriad of subjects that
include Affirmative Action, Social Protection, Public
Procurement and Decentralisation in the Education and
Health sector to mention a few.
Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 13



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

10:30 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 10A: BREAKOUT SESSION 10B:

Implementing International Standards in Legislatively Established Monitoring,
Financial Sector Legislation Evaluation and Adaptation Systems: Identifying
The presentation will particularly look at challenges that may Sub-Optimal Legislative Impacts and Driving
arise for developing legislation that appropriately gives effect Locally Customized Interventions
to international standards that are continually evolving on an Legislatively established monitoring, evaluation and
ongoing basis. Enabling international standards to be applied adaptation systems can increase the identification of
in a manner that is appropriate for the context of the country, unintended and disparate legislative impacts, establish
is the key objective. Constitutional requirements and the performance thresholds to drive new program development,
socio-economic context in a country are important and enable law-makers (and the public) to hold implementing
considerations. The presentation will particularly draw upon agencies accountable for acting in a manner that promotes
the experience of seeking to align financial sector legislation legislative objectives. This talk explores legislative techniques
with international standards in an emerging market for inducing the government to identify implementation
economy, South Africa. failures and take corrective action where discretion is
exercised in a biased or illogical manner. In addition to
Jeannine Bednar-Giyose discussing the role of legislation as a catalyst for monitoring
Jeannine Bednar-Giyose is and evaluating implementation biases and impacts, this talk
currently the Director: Financial discusses the role that technology is playing, and can play, in
Sector Regulation and Legislation guiding agencies in applying the law, facilitating distributive
in the National Treasury in South monitoring and evaluation of agency actions, increasing
Africa, a position she has held for administrative accountable for acting effectively and in
the past 9 years. She specialises in accordance with the legislative mandate, and identifying law
drafting legislation that provides and procedural reforms to improve outcomes.
for the regulation of the financial
sector. She is involved in the legislative development and Lorna Seitz
Parliamentary processes for the legislation that the National Lorna Seitz is a parliamentary and
Treasury develops and proposes to Parliament. Prior to legislative strengthening expert
that, she was a legal advisor for the Gauteng Provincial with 15 years of international
Department of Local Government for the Province of Gauteng experience in policy development,
in South Africa for two years, where she was also involved in legislative analysis and
legislative drafting for the Department, for two years. Prior to institutional reform; a civic
that, she was the senior legal advisor for the North West technologist and an author. She
Provincial Legislature in the North West Province in South specializes in facilitating
Africa, for two years. She has Bachelor of Laws degrees from collaborative problem-solving processes, promoting civic
the University of Calgary in Canada and the University of engagement with policy-making and oversight processes, and
South Africa, and a Masters of Laws degree from Rhodes legislatively establishing systems to address wicked
University in South Africa, in Constitutional and problems. Her work has led to the development of hundreds
Administrative Law. She is currently pursuing PhD studies in of bills and accompanying research reports. She has also
Legislative Drafting and Administrative Law with the developed curricula for universities and civil service
University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South academies on three continents; co-authored a series of books
Africa. on evidence-based policy design, legislative assessment and
institutional reform; and taught university courses on
legislation, democratic processes and policy. Seitz co-founded
The Legis Institute in 2014 to realize the potential of 21st
century technology to overcome barriers to inclusive,
responsive, evidence-based policy and law development.





Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 14



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

11:30 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 11A: BREAKOUT SESSION 11B:

Re-Building the Law? Legislative & Legal Congressional Power in the Trump
Reform in Post-Conflict States: a Practitioner's Administration
View On June 16, 2016, a House Republican task force issued a
All around the world foreign lawyers are assisting post- report addressing the need for a more aggressive assertion of
conflict states to build – or re-build – their laws. Those who congressional power within the U.S. constitutional system of
engage them are often keen to achieve “results” in the form of separated powers. Expressing a widespread fear that
legislation which complies with international standards and Congress had let its power atrophy over a period of decades,
contributes to effective rule of law. While “post-conflict the report charged that “[t]he executive and judicial branches
states” encompasses very different countries with different have vastly increased their power—sometimes with and
legal systems, some common issues and challenges may be sometimes without Congress’s consent.” The report advanced
encountered. These include issues as to the content, drafting a series of proposals to remedy this problem, falling into four
and, post-adoption, the implementation of legislation. What, broad categories: (1) reestablishing and enforcing limits on
if anything, might this mean for the law and/or the rule of agency authority; (2) reforming the rulemaking process; (3)
law? And, what are the perspectives which legislative exercising the power of the purse; and (4) conducting more
lawyers might bring? robust oversight of agency actions. The report reflected the
perspective of a congressional party that anticipated facing a
Nathalia Berkowitz hostile executive branch for the foreseeable future. The
Nathalia has worked in legislative unexpected election of Donald Trump in November 2016
and legal reform in post conflict scrambled those calculations. I will take a look at how the
and transitional countries across new administration has affected congressional power in
four different continents. Her legal areas such as programmatic oversight of agency actions, high
career began as a UK barrister and profile investigations such as the Russia investigation,
government lawyer; subsequently congressional subpoenas, executive privilege and the advice
she worked for the Government of and consent process. How has the unique nature of the
Gibraltar as a legislative drafter Trump administration affected congressional-executive
focusing on European and international law including in relations? To what extent has Congress seized the
respect of equal opportunities, employment, migration law opportunity to enhance its own powers and to what extent
and a wide range of cross-border legal issues. Nathalia has might these changes be permanent? What further changes
worked in Cambodia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Moldova, Somalia. Her can be expected if the Democrats gain control in 2019?
work has included drafting, and assisting governments and
legislatures in drafting, a wide range of primary and Michael Stern
secondary legislation as part of justice and security sector Michael Stern specializes in legal
reform in very different countries, as well as mentoring issues affecting Congress and the
justice sector and government actors. Nathalia taught legislative process, including
international law related to migration at the London School of congressional ethics, elections,
Economics and was co-author of the UK Immigration investigations, lobbying and
Appellate Authority’s Gender Guidelines. Her employers have constitutional reform. He served
included the EU External Action Service and UN agencies as as Senior Counsel to the U.S.
well as NGOs, governments and academia. She is a UK House of Representatives from
government Deployable Civilian Expert and is currently 1996 to 2004. He later served as Deputy Staff Director for
working in Iraq. Investigations for the Senate Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs and Special Counsel to the
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He has
co-chaired the D.C. Bar’s Administrative Law and Agency
Practice Section and served on the ABA Task Force on
Lobbying Reform. He currently serves on the board of the
Committee for a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment, is a
founding member of the Balanced Budget Amendment Task
Force, and sits on the Virginia Freedom of Information
Advisory Council. He blogs about congressional legal issues at
www.pointoforder.com.
Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 15



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

12:30 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.

Lunch

2:00 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 12A: BREAKOUT SESSION 12B:

Congressional Procedure The Benefits of Formalizing Statutes
This session will cover congressional procedure from a Much recent work in artificial intelligence has taken a “big
procedural perspective, including issues such as referral and data” approach, sorting through and finding patterns in
germaneness. A great introduction for newcomers and a great massive amounts of information. In contrast, a rule-
review for seasoned professionals, this session is back by based approach---“computational law”---formalizes the law
popular demand. using logic and analyzes the law using those formalizations.
Computational law has received relatively less attention in
Judy Schneider the United States than has the big data approach,
Judy Schneider is a Specialist on perhaps because common-law reasoning appears to be not
the Congress at the well-suited to logical formalization. The project argues that,
Congressional Research Service, in contrast to common law, certain types of code-based and
and an adjunct scholar at the regulation-heavy law, including U.S. federal tax law, are
Brookings Institution Center for particularly susceptible to formalization and
Public Policy Education. Prior to computational analysis. Such formalization can locate
joining CRS in 1979, she served drafting errors and structural ambiguities, and computational
as research coordinator of the analysis of these formalizations may discover previously
Senate Ethics Committee’s Korean investigation, and as a unrecognized and unintended results of various interlocking
professional staff member of the Senate Select Committee to provisions, such as, for example, overlooked tax avoidance
Study the Senate Committee System and the House techniques.
Commission on Administrative Review. Ms. Schneider is the
author of over 100 papers on congressional organization and Sarah Lawsky
operations, and the co-author of the Congressional Deskbook, Sarah Lawsky is Professor of Law
published by TheCapitol.Net in June 2000, and now in its fifth and Associate Dean for Academic
edition. She has been a featured speaker at numerous Affairs at Northwestern Pritzker
conferences and professional society annual meetings, and School of Law. She teaches or has
frequently meets with and gives briefings to students, foreign taught federal income tax,
visitors, executive branch personnel, and Members and corporate tax, partnership tax, tax
congressional staff. Ms. Schneider serves on the faculty of the policy, tax deals, and contracts.
Conference for New Members of Congress. Ms. Schneider was Her research focuses on tax law
selected as a Stennis Fellow during the 108th Congress and and on the application of formal logic and artificial
received the Women in Government Relations (WGR) intelligence to the law. Prior to joining Northwestern Pritzker
Distinguished Member Award in 2004. She received a PLEN in 2016, Lawsky taught at UC Irvine School of Law and George
Mentor Award in 1998. She has a BA and MA from American Washington University Law School, and as an adjunct in
University and has done additional graduate work at the NYU’s tax LL.M. program. Before beginning her teaching
Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. career, she practiced tax law in New York. Lawsky received
her B.A. from the University of Chicago, her J.D. from Yale Law
School, her LL.M. in tax from NYU School of Law, and her
Ph.D. in philosophy from the department of Logic and
Philosophy of Science at UC Irvine.

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 16



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

3:00 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 13A: BREAKOUT SESSION 13B:

Building a Better Congress Do Constitutional Rights Matter? The
At the Center for Effective Lawmaking, we advance the Organizational Basis of Rights Protection
generation, communication, and use of new knowledge about Mila Versteeg will give an overview of trends in constitution-
the effectiveness of individual lawmakers and legislative making around the world, focusing specifically on
institutions in Congress. Our research focuses on the three constitutional rights and judicial review. Her presentation
areas of identification, cultivation, and accountability, will draw on a global dataset based on the coding of written
answering questions such as: How might we identify those constitutions. She will also present some findings from her
individuals who are likely to be highly effective lawmakers, research on these constitutions’ effectiveness, that is, their
prior to their election? How might individual lawmakers, impact on government behavior.
political parties, or the chamber as a whole cultivate the skills
and tools that help legislators advance their policy agendas Mila Versteeg
successfully? Under what conditions might voters or others Mila Versteeg is a Professor at the
hold their legislators accountable for their relative University of Virginia School of
effectiveness in lawmaking? Law. Her research and teaching
interests include comparative
Craig Volden constitutional law, public
Craig Volden is the Associate international law and empirical
Dean for Academic Affairs and a legal studies. Most of her research
professor of public policy and deals with the origins, evolution
politics, with appointments in the and effectiveness of provisions in the world’s constitutions.
Frank Batten School of Leadership Her publications have, amongst others, appeared in the
and Public Policy and the California Law Review, the New York University Law Review,
Woodrow Wilson Department of the University of Chicago Law Review, the American Political
Politics. He studies legislative Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, the
politics and the interaction among political institutions, Journal of Legal Studies, the American Journal of
including within American federalism. Before joining the International Law, and the Journal of Law, Economics and
Batten School, Professor Volden taught at the Ohio State Organizations. A number of her works have been translated
University, the Harris School of Public Policy at the University into Chinese, Portuguese and Turkish. Versteeg earned her
of Chicago, and Claremont Graduate University. His most B.A. in public administration and first law degree from
recent book, Legislative Effectiveness in the United States Tilburg University in the Netherlands in 2006. She earned her
Congress: The Lawmakers (winner of the 2015 Fenno Prize LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 2007 and a D.Phil. in socio-
and the 2015 Gladys M. Kammerer Award), co-authored with legal studies in 2011 from Oxford University, where she was a
Alan Wiseman, explores the effectiveness of individual Gregory Kulkes Scholar at Balliol College and recipient of an
members of Congress in overcoming policy gridlock. His most Arts and the Humanities Research Council Award. Prior to
prominent work on issues of federalism focuses on why some joining the Law School, Versteeg was an Olin Fellow and
policies diffuse across states and localities while others do lecturer in law at the University of Chicago Law School.
not. He has published numerous articles in such journals Versteeg previously worked at the U.N. Interregional Crime
as: American Political Science Review; American Journal of and Justice Research Institute in Turin and at the Southern
Political Science; Journal of Politics; Legislative Studies Africa Litigation Centre in Johannesburg. Versteeg has been a
Quarterly; Public Administration Review; Journal of Public visiting associate professor at the University of Chicago Law
Policy; and Publius: The Journal of Federalism. His current School (fall 2013) and Columbia Law School (spring 2016).
projects include studies of innovation and policy diffusion She has also been a visiting professor at Hebrew University
across states and localities, and an analysis of the legislative and the University of Hamburg (summer 2015).
effectiveness of individual members of Congress. He is Co-
director of the Legislative Effectiveness Project
(thelawmakers.org).

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 17



SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: APRIL 13th

4:00 p.m. – 4:55 p.m.

BREAKOUT SESSION 14A: BREAKOUT SESSION 14B:

Teaching Legislative Drafting Refugee Protection and Strategies for Advocacy
Professor Kealy and Professor Rulli, who both direct Given the trend in forced migration around the world:
legislative clinics, will lead a panel discussion with former Burundians fleeing into Tanzania, Syrians escaping to Jordan,
students active in legislative practice. The session will Venezuelans crossing the border into Colombia, young
explore teaching methods and techniques, essential skills, Hondurans escaping gang violence seeking help in the U.S.,
helpful advice, and practical lessons from the perspective of the first portion of this session will cover current and
both instructors and students in teaching legislative drafting proposed legislation and regulations regarding the protection
and legislative lawyering in the modern law school of refugees in the US and internationally. Against this
curriculum. backdrop of proposals to expand or limit treatment of refugee
through policies, the second portion of the session will
Lou Rulli explore a diversity of Advocacy strategies both in the US and
Louis S. Rulli is a practice professor internationally e.g. grassroots organizing social media
of law and clinical director at the campaigns, mass demonstrations, and legislative visits.
University of Pennsylvania Law
School, where he teaches several Fernando Chang-Muy
courses, including the Legislative Fernando Chang-Muy is the
Clinic, the Civil Practice Clinic, and Thomas O'Boyle Lecturer at the
Lawyering in the Public Interest. In University of Pennsylvania School
2006, Prof. Rulli received the of Law where he teaches Refugee
Provost’s Award of the University of Pennsylvania for Law. He also teaches courses on
Distinguished Teaching, one of two university-wide provost’s Non Profit Management and
awards bestowed each year on faculty for teaching Immigration for Social Workers at
excellence. In 2012, he was the recipient of Penn Law School’s Penn’s Graduate School of Social
Beacon Award for exemplary faculty commitment to pro Policy and Practice. In addition to
bono service, and in 2015 he received the Praxis Award in teaching, he combines his experience in academia and
Professional Ethics from Villanova University. Prior to joining operations, as principal and founder of Solutions
the Penn Law faculty in 1995, Professor Rulli was the International, providing independent management
executive director of Community Legal Services in consulting, facilitation and training to philanthropic
Philadelphia. He is a founding member of Pennsylvania’s institutions, non profit organizations and government
Lawyer Trust Account Board (IOLTA) and a past chair of the entities. His areas of expertise include designing and
Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial facilitating large group, task-focused strategic planning,
Selection and Retention. He currently serves in the board governance, staff internal communications and
Pennsylvania Bar Association’s House of Delegates and on the performance, and resource development. He has served as
Philadelphia Bar Association’s Board of Governors where he Legal Officer with both the Office of the UN High
is the Association’s Pro Bono Advisor to the Chancellor. He Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) and the UN World
recently served on Pennsylvania’s Ad Hoc Judicial Ethics Health Organization (WHO), AIDS Program. Before joining the
Committee which drafted a revised code of judicial conduct UN, he was a staff attorney at Community Legal Services in
that was adopted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Along Philadelphia serving as Director of the Southeast Asian
with others, he drafted and advocated for the passage of Refugee Project, providing free legal aid to low-income
Pennsylvania’s Access to Justice Act which was enacted by the people in Philadelphia. He is also past founding director of
Pennsylvania legislature and signed into law by the Governor the Liberty Center for Survivors of Torture, a project of
in 2002. In 2015, he served on the transition team of newly Lutheran Children and Family Services, established to serve
elected Mayor Jim Kenney of Philadelphia. Professor Rulli newcomers fleeing human rights violations. He serves on the
received his J.D. and B.A. (with high honors) from Rutgers Boards of local public interest organizations, government,
University. and foundations, including the Board of the Wells Fargo
Regional Foundation.

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 18



Sean Kealy
Sean Kealy is a clinical associate
professor of law at Boston
University School of Law. He
graduated from Temple Law School
in 1994. He was an assistant
attorney general from 1995-1999
where he worked on victim
compensation claims and
prosecuted insurance fraud. From 1999-2007 he worked as
legal advisor to State Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-
Newton) and counsel to the General Court’s Joint Committee
on Criminal Justice and the Joint Committee on Revenue.
While working for the Legislature, Professor Kealy had the
opportunity to work on many notable issues such as: the
revised sex offender registry, the creation of “buffer zones”
around reproductive health clinics, drunk driving legislation,
modernizing corporate tax laws, creating new tax credits to
encourage economic development, legalizing and
encouraging stem cell research, and ensuring equal marriage
rights. Professor Kealy has taught at Boston University School
of Law since 2007, where he directs the legislative clinical
programs. He has written law review articles on a variety of
topics dealing with statutory changes to protect victim’s
rights, improve the definition of murder and revise the
Federal Posse Comitatus Act. He also edits Dome
(sites.bu.edu/dome), which is a blog dedicated to law,
legislation and public policy.

4:55 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Closing Remarks and End of Conference

Fifth International Conference on Legislation and Law Reform 19