Student Profiles
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Samira Abrar – Afghanistan/US
Ms. Abrar received her Bachelor of Arts in Law from American University of Afghanistan in 2017. She was elected President of the Student Government Association in 2014 and was the first woman elected to hold this office. She has worked recently as Writer Assistant and a consultant for Afghan/Muslim concerns for the Showtime production Homeland. Through the LL.M. program at UCI Law, Ms. Abrar hopes to continue her work on women’s rights, human rights, and social justice.
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Rakan Alhussain – Saudi Arabia
Mr. Alhussain received a Bachelor’s Degree in the field of law from King Saud University in 2017. He worked most recently as a legal researcher at the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers. Previously, he worked as a legal researcher for the Royal Court making presentations for the King and drafting Royal Decrees and Orders.
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Suha AlQahtani – Saudi Arabia
Mrs. AlQahtani received her Bachelor of Law from the College of Business Administration at Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University in 2016. She worked as a legal researcher for the General Department of Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in Riyadh. Through the LL.M. program at UCI Law, Ms. AlQahtani hopes to study business and entrepreneurship law and, through her career, help to create more access for women in the legal profession.
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Manoela Amorim Reis – Brazil
Ms. Amorim Reis received her Bachelor of Laws from MacKenzie Presbyterian University in 2017. She wrote her undergraduate dissertation on the regulation of crowdfunding and micro and small businesses. Most recently, she worked as a tax consultant at Ernst & Young in Sao Paulo. She is interested in issues of community and economic development and hopes to use her time at the LL.M. program at UCI Law to further her research and understanding of these issues.
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Chao Yun Chen
Judge Chen is currently the presiding judge of the New Taipei District Court where she has served as a judge since 2008. She completed her education at National Taiwan University earning both her Bachelor of Law and Master of Laws degrees. Judge Chen has also served as an adjunct professor at Fu-Jen University where she taught courses on criminal law and criminal procedure. She will use her experience at UCI Law to gain unique viewpoints and novel perspectives so that she may return to Taiwan and continue her esteemed judicial service.
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Kyle Chen – Taiwan
Mr. Chen received his Bachelor of Laws in financial and economic law from Fu Jen Catholic University in 2017. He worked most recently at a CPA firm as foreign business legal counsel. He has also interned a several private investment firms and is interested in private markets and investments.
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Wenjing Chi – China
Ms. Chi majored in law at Southwest University of Political Science & Law receiving her degree in 2018. She worked most recently as a judge’s assistant at the Zhongshan No.1 People’s Court where she assisted with drafting legal documents, including judgments and arbitral awards. Ms. Chi is interested in researching and understanding credit systems. Upon completion of the LL.M. Program at UCI Law, she wishes to return to China to work on legislative reform in this area.
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Su Yeon Chun – South Korea
Ms. Chun is a Korean patent attorney and completed her education at Ewha Women's University in 2005. Since she joined Kim & Chang in 2008, she has handled a wide range of IP matters in the firm's Trademark and Design practice group. In 2015, she worked at the Trademark Department of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. in Burbank, California and accumulated practical experience in handling the company's worldwide trademark portfolio and enforcement matters. She hopes to use her time in the LL.M. Program at UCI Law to deepen her understanding of U.S. laws so that she may provide a higher level of legal service after returning to her position in Korea.
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Titi Dan – China
Ms. Dan received her Master’s Degree in 2008 from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in communication engineering. She has worked as a patent attorney since 2008 and practices at a private law firm. Through the LL.M. Program at UCI Law, she hopes to study United States and European patent laws in order to better understand international and global trends in intellectual property protections.
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Yishou Gao – China
Ms. Gao received her Master of Law degree from China University of Political Science and Law in 2019. She has worked as a practicing attorney since 2016 in the areas of civil torts and contract violations and has endeavored to provide legal aid to vulnerable groups. Ms. Gao hopes to further her study of commercial law through the LL.M. Program at UCI Law and better prepare for her work in the increasingly globalized legal profession.
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Nelly Gomez Vasquez – El Salvador/US
Ms. Gomez Vasquez received her law degree from the Universidad de El Salvador in 2008. She worked as a practicing attorney in El Salvador before immigrating to the United States. She received an MBA from National University in 2015 and has been working as an education specialist on the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. She is interested in immigration law and, upon completion the LL.M. Program at UCI Law, hopes to be able to give back to her community and help others in this area.
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Amira Ibrahim – Germany
Ms. Ibrahim graduated from the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University Frankfurt School of Law in 2016. Thereafter, she completed her legal clerkship at the District Court of Frankfurt am Main and passed the German bar exam in 2019. Aside from working for multiple international law firms, most recently as a trainee associate for Mayer Brown LLP, Ms. Ibrahim interned for a criminal defense practice in Riverside, CA. She is interested in international and comparative law as well as criminal law.
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Shudi Jiang – China
Ms. Jiang received an LL.B. from Beijing Technology and Business University in 2018. While in school, she interned with multiple law firms and volunteered with a student group working towards community law popularization. She hopes to use her time in the LL.M. Program at UCI Law to deepen her understanding of the law and plans to return to China afterward to practice law.
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Qingzu Ju – China
Ms. Ju received her Bachelor of Law degree from Renmin University of China in 2019. She recently interned for an online media company. Ms. Ju is interested in intellectual property law and, in particular, copyright protection of individual artistic works. Through the LL.M. Program at UCI Law, she plans to study legal issues implicating the entertainment industry and hopes to use this knowledge to promote and protect original artistic expression in China.
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Amal Khatib – Saudi Arabia
As a Saudi woman, Ms. Khatib was determined to achieve her goals and was honored with a full scholarship by her country’s Ministry of Education to further her studies. She received her Bachelor of Law degree in 2018 at Dar Al-Hekma University, and her program offered dual language curriculum in law, a first for women in Saudi Arabia. Her work experience includes internships, where she was charged with conducting research, drafting contracts and writing legal advice. In September of 2018, she was admitted to the Saudi Bar Association. Her areas of interest lie in environmental and renewable energy law. After receiving her LL.M., she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. She is a native Arabic speaker, who is fluent in English.
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Jung Ah Kim – South Korea
Ms. Kim received her law degree from Yonsei University College of Law in 2010 and was admitted to the Korean Bar Association in 2012. Her professional experience has focused mainly in the area of real estate where she won numerous cases and recovered damages in excess of $5 million. She was formerly a member of Lawyers for a Democratic Society, a social organization for politically active lawyers who engage in preserving human rights and democracy. Currently, she is a member of the Korean Women Lawyers Bar Association where she provides legal support for victims of sexual harassment and domestic violence, and carries out legal research for improving women’s rights. She is a native Korean speaker who is proficient in English.
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Sangmin Kim – South Korea
Mr. Kim earned his of law degree from Yonsei University College of Law in 2009 and studied at the Judicial Research and Training Institute from 2009 – 2011. He was admitted to the Korean Bar in 2011. Since graduating in 2009, he has held positions at various law and investment firms, with a main focus on litigation and compliance. He currently holds the position of Attorney-at-Law, Securities & Capital Markets Group at Lee and Ko in Seoul, Korea. In this role, he has served as lead counsel in various lawsuits, and IPO and securities cases. He served two years in the United States Army and was recently selected as the Best Lawyer in Finance and Capital Market Industry by Hankyung Business Weekly.
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Taehee Kim – South Korea
Ms. Kim received her Bachelor of Law degree from Pusan National University in Busan, Korea in 2005. In 2001, she was appointed as a Public Prosecutor for the Republic of Korea. Since then, she has held positions at various law firms where she worked on cases ranging from criminal investigation and public prosecution, investigation of sexual aggression crimes, juvenile delinquency and crime prevention activities. Most recently, her focus has been on national security and election related affairs, and has investigated and prosecuted many crimes related to local elections. She is a native Korean speaker who is fluent in English.
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Wang-Yu Lai – Taiwan
Ms. Lai earned her Juris Master degree from National Chung Cheng University in 2019, after being awarded a Master’s degree in Taiwanese Literature from the National Tsing Hua University in 2008 and a Bachelor’s degree in Chinese Literature from National Chung Chen University in 2000. Her work experience includes dealing with the legal affairs of religious groups and assisting individuals applying for government subsidies. She is passionate about law and hopes to one day teach. She is a native Mandarin speaker and is fluent in English.
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Seung Hyun Lee – South Korea
Since 2004, Mr. Lee has held various positions at the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation. Most recently, he worked in the Legal and Compliance Department, carrying out surveillance work on economic sanctions in Iran, Cuba, and North Korea. He has received several awards and served in the Korean Air Force from 2001 – 2004. He received a Master of Law at USC, Gould School of Law in 2013, as well as a Bachelor of Law in 1998 and a Master of Law in 2003 from Sungkyungwan University in Seoul, Korea. His main area of interest is the study of legal compliance.
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Yunhui Li – China
Mr. Li graduated from Shanghai University of Political Science and Law with a Bachelor degree of Laws in 2016. Since graduating, he has held the position of Assistant of Notary in Shanghai Pudong Notary Public Office where he has been responsible for notarization of Civil and Commercial documents, as well as Foreign-Related documents. While attending college, he had various clerkships and paralegal positions. He hopes to work in the area of International Law upon completion of his LL.M.
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Ying Liu – China
Ms. Liu earned her Bachelor of Law and Master of Law degrees from Xi'An University of Technology in China. She has extensive legal experience and has served as an Assistant Judge in the Shanghai Pudong District Court and as a Legal Manager at a Fortune 500 company in Beijing. Ms. Liu's hobbies include music and traveling.
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Kunishige Masui – Japan
Mr. Masui received his law degree from the University of Tokyo in 2013. He has spent the past four years working as an associate attorney at Nagashima Ohno and Tsunematsu in Tokyo, representing clients in matters pertaining to real estate transactions and finance and regulation. Previously he worked in the office of then Minster of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety, Social Affairs, and Gender Equality, where he assisted in legislative activities to protect damage claims and volunteer cleanup relating to the Fukushima nuclear power station disaster, among other tasks. He wishes to devote his life and skills to helping others.
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Rana Mudarris – Saudi Arabia
Ms. Mudarris received a Bachelor of Law degree in 2018 from Dar Al-Hekma University. While in school, she was selected to participate in the Willem-Vis International Moot Court competition. She is interested in intellectual property law and, in particular, copyright protections. Through the LL.M. Program at UCI Law, Ms. Mudarris intends to concentrate her studies on intellectual property and hopes to participate in the Intellectual Property, Arts, and Technology Clinic.
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Yu Jeong Oh – South Korea
Ms. Oh earned her Master of Laws at Handong International Law School in South Korea in 2012. Her past experience includes working as a legal intern in law firms or clinics in both South Korea and the U.S., as well as volunteering for a counselor training program at the Korea Women’s Hot Line
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Kwan Kyun Oh – South Korea
Mr. Oh has worked as a patent attorney for some of the largest and most prestigious law firms in Korea since 2008. His interest in intellectual property began as a bioengineering student, where he discovered how patent law can intersect and affect technology and business. His practice focuses on a wide range of IP matters including patent enforcement, litigation, and prosecution, especially in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Upon completion of the LL.M. Program, Mr. Oh plans to return to Korea to continue his practice at Kim & Chang with his newfound knowledge and perspectives. Mr. Oh speaks Korean, English, and Japanese.
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Chufan Pan – Hong Kong
Ms. Pan earned her bachelor's degree from East China University of Political Science and Law, oriented towards international economic law, in 2019. She served as intern at the Shanghai Highroyle Law Firm in Shanghai in 2017. Ms. Pan enjoys competitive rock climbing.
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Morena Rosa de Albuquerque – Brazil
Ms. Rosa de Albuquerque received her Bachelor in Law from State University of Rio de Janeiro in 2010. She promptly followed up with a post-graduate degree in Malpractice from Federal Fluminense University, and then returned to State University of Rio de Janeiro for her Masters in Constitutional Civil Rights. She worked as an attorney at several firms in Rio de Janeiro, before moving to the U.S., and is currently managing the South American and Middle East Department at an English as a Second Language school in Irvine. Ms. Rosa de Albuquerque also has past experience as a pathologist assistant, and interned with the Public Defense Department of State of Rio de Janeiro.
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Donghoo Seo – South Korea
Mr. Seo obtained his Bachelor of Law degree at Yonsei University in South Korea in 2011. Since 2013, he has worked for Bae, Kim & Lee LLC in Seoul, representing financial institutions and corporations in litigation. His firm places a strong emphasis on pro bono work, and Mr. Seo joined his firm’s Pro Bono Committee, serving on the Disability Subcommittee; he has litigated on the behalf of disabled persons on a variety of issues, including accessibility on public transportation, inheritance disputes, and damages for a disabled inmate in prison. His interests include traveling, soccer, baseball, and basketball, and he hopes to use his legal career as a stepping stone to serve as a sports agent.
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Xianghua Shen – China
Ms. Shen received her Bachelor of Law degree from China University of Political Science and Law in 2009, and went on to obtain a Master of Law degree at Korea University School. Most recently, she was an attorney on the China team at Bae, Kim, & Lee LLC in Seoul, facilitating inbound and outbound corporate investment transactions between Korea and China. Studying U.S. law – specifically in the areas international transactions, investment policies, and dispute resolution methods – will further aid her in assisting the overseas investments of her clients. She speaks Mandarin, Korean, and English.
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Ludmila Somensi – Brazil
Ms. Somensi received her Bachelor of Law at the Federal University of Parana in 2011, and a Masters in Commercial Law from the University of San Paulo in 2017. Since 2012, she has been an associate at Grinberg Cordovil Advagados, handling cases pertaining to antitrust law, anticorruption law, intellectual property, and data privacy among other areas. Her interests include researching the benefits of the plant her family uses in their Yerba Mate tea company, and is an accomplished ballet dancer. She speaks Portuguese and English, and can read French and Spanish.
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Isabel Steinmetz – Germany
After studying Philosophy at King's College, London, UK, Ms. Steinmetz obtained her graduate law degree in 2015 from Birkbeck, also University of London. In 2018, she was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in London. During her law studies she worked for Members of Parliament in Westminster, and most recently she represented clients pro bono in disability discrimination and special education needs claims. With an interest in international human rights, Ms. Steinmetz would like to focus on international law with a US perspective, and qualify to practice law in the US.
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Kijung Sung – South Korea
Mr. Sung earned his Bachelor of Law from Seoul National University in 2006, and currently practices at Lee & Ko, specializing in criminal investigation and litigation cases in matters of whitecollar crime, financial investments, fair trade, and defamation. He has previous experience working in the offices of the High Prosecutors of both Seoul and Daegu in matters of national litigation. Mr. Sung’s goal upon completing the LL.M. program would be to be versed in international law, practices, and normative standards, which is becoming increasingly important in his field. He enjoys playing the piano.
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Kazuhiko Suzuki – Japan
Mr. Suzuki received his Bachelor of Laws at Keio University in 2011, followed by a Juris Doctorate at the same institution in 2013, and completed an LL.M. program at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 2019. Currently serving as an associate judge of the 35th Civil Division in Tokyo, he hears cases regarding medical malpractice. He wishes to study U.S. civil litigation and procedures from a practical point of view, so that he may return to Japan with a firmer understanding of how medical malpractice intersects with other disciplines. In the future, Mr. Suzuki wishes to aid in revising the Civil Procedure Law in Japan as a staff member of the Civil Bureau of the Supreme Court of Japan.
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Lihua Tang – China
Ms. Tang obtained her LL.B. from East China University of Political Science and Law, and most recently served as Associate General Counsel for Bio-Rad Laboratories (Shanghai) Ltd., where she sits as an executive on the company’s Greater China Management Team. Previously, she worked as an associate at Johnson Stokes and Master, the largest local law firm in Hong Kong, and as in-house counsel for Baxter (China) Investment Co, Ltd. She wishes to study the American legal system to further her skills in commercial and multinational business.
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Fang-Hua Wang – Taiwan
Ms. Wang earned a dual degree from National Taipei University in 2018 – a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Finance. She is currently completing her Master of Law at National Tsing Hua University. She also studied for two summers in the U.S. – taking courses in finance and public speaking for non-native speakers at UCLA in 2015, and in legal writing and the U.S. legal system at UC Berkeley in 2016. On top of her heavy course load, Ms. Wang interned at Dajie Law firm and at Franklin Templeton Investments, and also became a member of the Model United Nations. She wishes to practice tax law upon completing her studies.
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Moony Wang – China
Ms. Wang worked as an assistant lawyer at a Chinese law firm and spent a summer as a court clerk at a court. After completing her LL.M. at UCI Law, she plans to counsel those who need help to better achieve their goals.
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Jamie Zheng – China
Ms. Zheng received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Rutgers University in New Jersey, with a minor in Economics, in 2015. After graduation, she returned to China, passed the PRC Bar exam, and obtained her lawyer’s license. Ms. Zheng has been an associate attorney at L&H Law Firm in Hangzhou, China. She has worked on various civil litigation and transactional cases. In addition, she acted as outside legal counsel for a wide range of clients.
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Liou Zhou – China
Ms. Zhou earned her Bachelor of Law from Zhejiang Wanli University in China in 2017, and now works at DeHeng Law Offices in Ningbo, handling criminal, civil, and commercial cases. She recently worked on major P2P (peer-to-peer) platform benign exit cases. As a youth she participated in debate contests and competitive wrestling, and was the Vice Director of both her university’s drama club and the student union of the sports department.
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Xinxin Zhou – China
Ms. Zhou has received various degrees from Jilin University – her Bachelor of Law in 2003, a Masters in Civil and Commercial Law in 2006, and a Ph.D. in the same field in 2010. She began her legal career as the legal counsel for Thomson Reuters (China) in Beijing, and since 2013 she has served as the legal counsel in the headmaster’s office at Beijing Sports University. She negotiations and drafts contracts with sports clubs across the world, and will return to her position upon completion of the LLM program.