EXPERIENCE

 

Constitutional, Legislative & Anti-corruption Advisor, (GJPI, University of Utah Law School, Baghdad, Iraq, June 2009-)

Lead Constitution Building Specialist/Senior Programme Manager, Constitution Building Processes (International IDEA)

Since 2007 I have been involved in the Constitution Building Programme for Internatoinal IDEA, which is an intergovernmental think-tank that focuses on democracy promotion. I was initially the Senior Programme Manager and then as the programme expanded, the Lead Constitution Building Specialist. The programme is developing a range of knowledge tools, and a practitioner network on constitution building, and undertaking policy research and in country support in the field of constitution building around the world.

Policy Consultant (Clinton Global Initiative)

I consulted to the Clinton Global Initiative in both 2005 and 2006. As part of the small inaugural team in 2005, I worked on a wide range of issues and participated in the lessons' learned debriefing meetings. In 2006, I focused on developing the plenary sessions for the annual meeting in NY, and facilitated the participation of the Heads of State in the meeting.

Experience/skills:

Ability to deal diplomatically and effectively with high level government representatives (from President Musharaf to Lady Bush) and policy/ academic / NGO representatives (from Bill Gates, to Mohamed Yunus of the Grameen Bank).

Strategic thinking about the major humanitarian and human rights challenges facing the world at present, and formulating policy direction that both promotes successful approaches and seek out innovative ideas and partnerships.

State-Building and Constitution-Making Consultant (UNDP Somalia)

I worked as the lead legal advisor to UNDP Somalia in developing and managing a consortium project to support a constitution-making process in Somalia (est. budget USD 15 million). The project was based in Baidoa, Somalia and Nairobi, Kenya. (February 2006 – September 2006)

My duty was to research, conceptionalize, consult on, develop and achieve by-in on a constitution-making process and support project for Somalia. I was then to begin implementation by working with the Somali transitional government to put in place the legislation and constitutional commission, and work with the latter to assist them to develop a process, strategy and timeframe.

Experience/skills:

I developed a constitution-making process appropriate for the Somali context, working closely within a collaborative consortium environment (UNDP, EU, DIFID, NGOs). I developed a time frame and budget appropriate to such an endeavour and pursuaded key donors to fund the project.

I advised the government on drafting the bill setting up the constitutional commission, including regarding the importance of ethnic, religious and gender representation. I created the project documentation and budget framework for the support project. I developed and ran a week long initiation workshop for the newly elected constitutional commission and assisted them in developing a strategy, process and work plan for the 2 and a half year process, including drafting their internal rules and procedures.

Working closely with Somali politicians, civil society leaders, lawyers, and members of the interim government to ensure that they felt ownership of the strategy and understood comparative advantages of different constitution-making processes. Working closely with governance and rule of law teams at UNDP Somalia, the SRSG, the EC and DIFID to ensure coherence and cooperation, and managing a team consisting of a junior Somali/Kenyan lawyer, a Somalia facilitator and a program officer from the governance section.

Rule of Law Consultant (World Bank, DC)

In May-June 2006 I undertook a consultancy for the World Bank on rule of law reform in post-conflict countries. Developing a culture of rule of law, or a basic system of commercial and criminal rules, is fundamental to providing a basis for political stability and economic development in post-conflict and developing countries, and yet is one of the most difficult and least understood aspects of state-building.

State Building and Constitution-Making Consultant (Bureau for Crisis Prevention & Recovery, UNDP, New York, November 2005 - February 2006)

I worked as a consultant to BCPR on issues of Constitution-Making. The project aimed to assist the UN to undertake a lessons’ learnt exercise, and develop a strategy on the way forward for UN constitution-making assistance.

Experience/skills:

I conceived and established a policy meeting bringing together the main policy experts and relevant branches of the UN dealing with constitution-making seeking to develop and share lessons learnt and develop a more coherent UN strategy with respect to constitution-making. I drafted a policy memo to guide UN involvement in constitution-making that was reviewed by the SG’s office.

Constitution-Building Process and Women’s Rights Consultant (Women for Women International, Meeting with Iraqi Constitutional Commissioners, 27-28 June 2005, Jordan)

Expert Consultant for Comparative study of Constitution-Building Processes (International IDEA, Stockholm, 2005)

I guided and assisted the commissioned case authors to investigate the constitution building processes in their country, and prepared the comparative analysis paper for the Constitution-Building Processes Project at IDEA.

Director of State-Building Program (International Peace Academy, New York, January 2004-November 2005)

As director of the State-Building Program my duties were to conceptualize and implemented a two year $900 000 research program exploring the legitimacy, effectiveness, and sustainability of international attempts at post conflict state-building. The work was undertaken through interviews of local officials, participants and civil society in states undergoing state-building, as well as through a structured dialogue with policy experts and UN practitioners, and commissioned studies and papers.

The position also included a fundraising component, attending conferences and meetings on behalf of IPA, result dissemination through writing and publishing of reports and articles, supervising the budget reporting and supervising a program officer.

Experience/skills:

I ran a series of workshops leading to the publication of an edited volume covering the main challenges facing state building. I raised funds for a sub-program focusing on Governance after Conflict. That program investigated the impact of governance choices in post-conflict constitutions on sustainability of the peace and quality of the democracy. I prepared a framework within which to compare 6 case studies, that I commissioned, and that we then explored in a multi-day retreat workshop. I undertook field research evaluating the effectiveness of the state-building in East Timor and Haiti.

Woodrow Wilson Centre Working Group on Preventing and Rebuilding Failed States (Member of 18 mth working group)

Research Partnership on Postwar Statebuilding (Member of the 24 mth working group)

Lecturer in Law (University College, Oxford, January 2001- December 2002)

I held a full time Lecturership in Criminal and Contracts Law at University College for two years.

Member of Australian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government, Paris, January 1999 – December 1999)

My responsibilities included: negotiating on behalf of Australia at multilateral treaty negotiation of Underwater Cultural Heritage Convention; Assisting in the preparation and running of election campaign for Director General position and for Executive Board Position; Assisting to formulate policy on UNESCO related matters.

Clerk to High Court Justice (Chambers of Justice McHugh, High Court of Australia, January 1998 – December 1998)

The Australian High Court is the constitutional court and court of final appeal. As Clerk to Justice McHugh, my responsibilities included researching and writing draft judgments, debating legal issues with the Judge, preparing advisory memos on special leave applications, and assisting during court hearings.

Experience/skills:

Researching, writing and debating high level legal memos and draft judgements, with particular emphasis on constitutional law and the role of the constitution. Working closely as part of a team of 2 clerks and 2 administrative staff to manage the Chambers and workload of the Judge

Solicitor (Blake Dawson Waldron Lawyers, Sydney, January 1997 – December 1997)

I worked as a Graduate Solicitor in a premier corporate law firm before taking up the position at the High Court.

Attorney General's Department (Human Rights Branch, Canberra, December 1995 – February 1996)

As a summer clerk in the Human Rights Branch, I drafted policy discussion papers on Aboriginal Customary Law for consideration by the States Council of Attorneys General (SCAG) as well as submissions on the Sex Discrimination Act Review; I observed trials, and attended interdepartmental meetings.