Rule of Law for Development Program

🇳🇬 Shirley Duru is exploring how human-rights violations in Nigeria fuel irregular migration across West Africa and to destinations like Italy. Her capstone proposes practical, rights-based steps to strengthen national accountability, boost regional cooperation, and address the root causes of irregular migration. The goal: policy-ready recommendations that UN agencies, IOM, civil society, and governments can use to protect migrants and reduce unsafe journeys.

🇺🇦 Yuliia Lomzhets is translating high-level human-rights principles into campus policies that protect students, staff, and academic freedom in Ukraine. Her capstone maps European standards into practical university practices so higher education can be a safer, more rights-respecting space.

🇸🇸 Babu John Finzani’s project looks at ethical, legal, and practical steps for sourcing seeds critical to restoring fragile ecosystems. Using South Sudan as a case study, he’s proposing due-diligence approaches that safeguard biodiversity, local livelihoods, and long-term recovery.

🇧🇸 Monita Varence (The Bahamas) is looking at AI-assisted early-warning tools to help Caribbean governments detect looming food shortages and protect the right to food. Her project blends tech, policy, and community resilience to keep supply chains and livelihoods secure in a changing climate.

We’re midway through summer term and our capstone season is in full swing! Capstone proposals are in, advisors are busy, and PROLAW students are turning ideas into real-world solutions across continents.

Over the next weeks, meet students and the projects they’re developing to strengthen justice, resilience, and good governance in their communities. Follow to see how academic work becomes impact.

🇸🇴 Abdulrazak Ahmed (Somalia) is designing a practical roadmap to make Somalia’s new anti-corruption commission more effective. His work aims to move anti-corruption efforts from statements into everyday practice so institutions can better serve citizens.

The countdown continues ⏰ 2 months left to apply to join PROLAW this fall!

August 1 is your deadline to join a program designed for professionals ready to drive real rule-of-law reforms.

Build essential legal and management skills, learn alongside an international cohort in the heart of Rome, and become part of a global community of change-makers working toward meaningful, lasting change.

✅ Free and simple application process
✅ Generous scholarships available for admitted students

Don't wait. Learn more and apply today 🔗 https://bit.ly/3I63Ia6

And just like that, PROLAW Spring 2026 has come to an end.

☕🍰 Our cohort gathered for a final celebratory breakfast in the heart of Balduina. Over coffee and conversation, we shared one last moment together before heading off in different directions—back home, to families, to jobs, and to the final push of capstone projects.

We’re sending you warm wishes, strong coffee, and steady support as you turn what you’ve learned into real‑world impact.

At our PROLAW graduation ceremony, student speaker Boniface Ezenwobi, elected by his classmates to represent the cohort, delivered a beautiful, song-like speech that captured the heart of PROLAW: “We should be happy, not sorrowful, for what we have built together, for our stubborn commitment to the rule of law and development.” There was a defiant joy in his words, tempered by a call to carry that happiness with deep human empathy, without softening our professionalism or diluting justice.

Thank you, Boniface, and congratulations again, Class of 2026!

Congrats to all our PROLAW 2026 grads!

See our PROLAW grads join Commencement in Chicago
👀 Ayesha Safdar Caleb Smith 🎓

PROLAW’s Advisory Board visited Rome for two days of rich discussions and events. After a day of internal meetings, board members and students came together for an inspiring, highly interactive session. Students reflected on their academic journeys, shared future aspirations, and received practical guidance from leading scholars and practitioners. The meeting also generated constructive ideas on how PROLAW can further strengthen its academic and professional impact across the LLM and MJ pathways.

More than a meeting, it was a moment of connection, inspiration, and shared purpose — a reminder of the role legal education plays in shaping global leaders committed to justice, equity, and sustainable development.


Loyola University Chicago School of Law