Violeta Barrios Morales, WCL LL.M. 2025

Violeta is a Bolivian-trained lawyer with a Master’s degree in International Relations, and completed her LL.M. in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law in December 2025. Before joining AUWCL, she served as a diplomat at the Permanent Mission of Bolivia to the Organization of American States and previously held several roles within Bolivia’s Ministry of Justice and Institutional Transparency, and the Office of the Attorney General. Her work has centered on public policy, international cooperation, and the protection of human rights—experiences that have strengthened my commitment to advancing justice and reinforcing institutional frameworks at both national and global levels, and ultimately inspired me to pursue advanced studies in a program that aligned with my values and aspirations.

During her LL.M., she have had the opportunity to intern with the World Bank Group’s Legal Vice Presidency, supporting the Legal Advisory Services & Knowledge (LEGLA) team. This experience allowed her to work closely with global partners, deepen her understanding of development law, and apply her academic training within a multilateral context.

“AUWCL’s Human Rights LL.M. program—its faculty, courses, and mentorship—has been instrumental in sharpening my legal skills and enriching my practical understanding of human rights at the intersection of development, governance, and international law.”

Violeta Barrios Morales

Maria Clara Nazar, WCL LL.M. 2020

Maria Clara Nazar is a Sociologist and lawyer, from Buenos Aires University (UBA) and Specialist in international public law. She also holds a master’s degree in International Cooperation and Public Policy Management from the Ortega y Gasset Foundation in Madrid. Additionally, she is a history and social sciences teacher, with a postgraduate degree in history and problems of culture. She studied transitional justice at the Autonomous University of Colombia and regional integration law at the Alcalá de Henares University, Spain. For 10 years she taught social sciences and constitutional law in high school and university institutions. She also served as an assistant professor of constitutional law and advanced constitutional law at the University of Buenos Aires, School of Law. She worked as an advisor in social impact programs for the Buenos Aires City Government.

She currently works as a specialist in human rights at the Technical Cooperation and Public Policies Section of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington DC. In this position, she contributes to promoting the IACHR's cooperation function as well as the human rights approach in public policies from a positive agenda. Under her functions, she has particularly promoted cooperation, including the negotiation of MOU, with WCL Academy on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. She has also participated in several editions of the Inter-American Human Rights Competition.

At AU, I had great Professors who did not just teach me but who guided me through my academic training

Maria Clara Nazar

Simone M. Russo, WCL LL.M. 2020

Simone Maria Russo is a jurist at the Court of Justice of the European Union, where he is in charge of conducting legal research for the Chambers of the Judges and of the Advocates General. In the last five years as a European civil servant, he has been working on several cases concerning multiple topics, including fundamental rights, rule of law, data protection, European citizenship, and migration.

He holds a 5-year law degree with a major in International Law from LUISS Guido Carli University and an LL.M. in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the American University Washington College of Law, where he also worked as a research assistant in European Law and U.S. Constitutional Law for Professor Fernanda Nicola. Given his keen interest foreign affairs and European policies, he recently obtained a master’s degree in International Relations from Sapienza University and a master’s degree in European and Global Studies from Padua University. 

“Being taught by professors with such impressive and prominent backgrounds and first-hand experience within the field, was truly an invaluable experience"

Simone M. Russo

 Erin Davis, WCL LL.M. 2019

Throughout Erin's legal career, she have always wanted to make an impact and to assist as many persons as possible, mainly through a legal career in human rights and humanitarian law. She knew that attending American University Washington College of Law would be an invaluable experience and its prestigious LL.M. program in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law has provided her with the knowledge and tools necessary to help achieve human rights initiatives and has assisted in furthering her endeavor to pursue avenues of protection for the underserved.

Being taught by professors with such impressive and prominent backgrounds and first-hand experience within the field, was truly an invaluable experience for Erin. She has not only been able to learn from them, but now has professional connections within the field.

“Completing the LL.M program at American University Washington College of Law was one of the best decisions I have made in my legal career.”

Erin Davis

Carlos Weis, WCL LL.M. 2018

Attending the LL.M on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law provided Carlos a sheer upgrade in his academic knowledge and professional capabilities, which proved of great value in his work as a public defender in his country.

In fact, Carlos was well aware of the AUWCL excellency in the field of human rights since his first contact with the Academy back in the 1980’s, which encouraged him to join the LL.M course. Carlos discovered that the LL.M.'s hybrid classes would provide him with the opportunity to meeting people from around the world with different perspectives on the class subject, adding practical experiences to the academic lectures.

Carlos also praises the Summer Program of Advanced Studies, for its turn, had the unique feature of putting together human rights professors from many different universities, experts from international organizations, activists, lawyers etc., that otherwise would be scattered around the globe, in a sort of human rights and humanitarian law symposium from which he profited the most. 

“I was well aware of the AUWCL excellency in the field of human rights since my first contact with the Academy back in the 1980’s, which encouraged me to join the LL.M course."

Carlos Weis

Pamela Juliana Aguirre Castro, WCL LL.M. 2018

Pamela Juliana Aguirre Casto holds a Doctor of Law (PhD) from the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Ecuador (UASB-E); LLM in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from American University, Washington College of Law; Master’s Degree in Legal Argumentation from the University of Alicante; Master of Law with a specialization in Tax Law, and Diploma in Law with a specialization in Constitutional Law, both from UASB-E; Attorney of the Courts of the Republic of Ecuador, Universidad del Azuay, awarded the Honorato Vásquez Medal as the top graduate of the 2007 cohort. Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of ICA, Peru.

Her professional experience includes serving as an attorney at Cordero, Moreno y Corral; judicial counsel for the Internal Revenue Service (SRI); Technical Judicial Secretary of the Constitutional Court of Ecuador; expert witness before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; and attorney for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

She currently serves as a research professor, Director of the Legal-Social Observatory at UEES, and Director of the legal journal JUEES. She is a national and international author; among her notable publications are “Control of Conventionality,” “Justiciability of ESCR in the Inter-American System,” and “Ecuadorian Constitutional Precedent.” She is a member of ICON*S, the International Society of Public Law; a Board Member of BeLatin, an initiative of the University of California, Berkeley; a member of the Ecuadorian Institute of Tax Law; and Senior Fellow in the Constitutional Studies Program at the University of Texas at Austin. 

“The training obtained at American University has constituted essential aspects for my training and the future transmission of my knowledge and expertise in my country”

Pamela Juliana Aguirre Castro

 Paula de Gamboa Restrepo, WCL LL.M. 2017

Paula de Gamboa is a Legal Adviser for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Colombia, with extensive experience in International Humanitarian Law, human rights, and peacebuilding. Throughout her career, she has supported academic, humanitarian, and institutional processes, leading training and dialogue spaces focused on protecting human dignity in situations of armed conflict and violence. Her work stands out for its ability to translate complex legal frameworks into clear, practical, and impactful educational tools.

With an interdisciplinary approach that brings together law, legal psychology, and conflict analysis, she has designed and facilitated workshops, research projects, and educational materials aimed at strengthening the prevention of IHL violations and the protection of civilians. Her blend of rigor, humanitarian perspective, and pedagogical innovation positions her as a highly valuable professional for institutions seeking to promote critical thinking, comprehensive education, and social transformation.

Franco Albarracin, WCL LL.M. 2017

Working in the Rapporteurship on Human Rights Defenders of the IACHR, as a Scholar, allowed Franco to obtain a set of experiences that increase his knowledge and commitment in the field of human rights.

As part of the follow-up and monitoring of cases, he was able to broaden his vision of the current situation of defenders in the region. Undoubtedly, the LLM in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law has constituted a fundamental element for his training process, since he not only gained a broad and advanced knowledge in international human rights law, but also the opportunity to know and be in touch with the most important and influential actors in the field. Therefore, the training obtained at American University and the experience in the Inter-American Commission have constituted essential aspects for my training and the future transmission of my knowledge and expertise in my country. 

“The LLM in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law has constituted a fundamental element in my training process"

Franco Albarracin