LLM Alumna Spotlight — Sharanya Rao

After years in the legal field, Sharanya Rao, LLM ’03, decided she wanted to pursue a career path where she could help people gain clarity and fulfilment in their professional lives. Rao says pivoting from a career in law to a career in coaching was made possible in part by the time she spent within the Mizzou Law dispute resolution LLM program. “The LLM program gave me deep insights into what I really wanted to do and helped me carve my career as a leadership coach,” Rao said. “The foundation I received in the program in mindfulness and cross-cultural communication…

13 Mizzou Law Alumnae Honored with 2021 Women’s Justice Awards

Thirteen Mizzou Law alumnae were among the women honored by Missouri Lawyers Media with 2021 Women’s Justice Awards. Whittney Dunn, ’11, and Amy Moore Harris, ’10, were honored with the Corporate Award as women who serve as general or in-house counsel, advising businesses on complex legal matters. Ashley Benoist, ’12; Susan Brown Miles, ’00; Lauren Collins, ’13; Brenda Hamilton, ’90; Meghan Lewis, ’09; Camille Roe, ’12; and Megan Stumph-Turner, ’08; were honored with the Litigation Practitioner Award as women who have made their careers in the courtroom — criminal or…

LLM Alumna Spotlight — Tojan Rahhal

The fields of engineering and dispute resolution may not seem to be a natural combination. For Tojan Rahhal, ’20, however, the LLM in Dispute Resolution program at the University of Missouri School of Law was the perfect transition to prepare her for a leadership position in the engineering field. Now serving as CEO and President of Engineering World Health, Rahhal says that the LLM program inspired her to “think outside of the box,” and encouraged her to leverage her skillset to her current position. Rahhal first came to Mizzou for a position at the College of Engineering.  She had previously…

LLM Alumnus Spotlight — Sentebale Makara

Living in his home of Johannesburg, South Africa, Sentebale Makara, ’11, is enjoying a flourishing career as the director at the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa. He specializes in construction, engineering, mining and energy disputes with experience in arbitration procedures and alternative dispute resolution. Makara attributes much of his success to his time at Mizzou Law, where he earned his LLM in Dispute Resolution. “As a direct result of the opportunities and doors opened by the LLM program, I am today a qualified mediator,” Makara said. During his time at Mizzou, Makara said he gained confidence in his…

LLM Alumnus Spotlight — Jose Rodriguez

Nearly a decade ago, Jose Dario Rodriguez, LLM ’15, realized the importance of commercial relations and the need to use alternative mechanisms for dispute resolution. Now serving as legal counsel of international contractor China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. in Panama, Rodriguez credits his move to Columbia, Missouri to learn at one of the top dispute resolution centers in the world with gaining those necessary skills and knowledge. “I chose the University of Missouri beyond any other school, after a long research time, finding that Mizzou Law is not only one of the top five dispute resolution programs in United States,…

LLM Alumna Spotlight: Hong Hu

After her family was involved in a land dispute resolved by court-supervised mediation when she was young, Hong Hu, LLM ’01, was inspired to pursue a career in dispute resolution. “That is probably where the initial motivation [to pursue ADR] came from,” Hong said. Thanks to her talent, hard work, and education at the University of Missouri, Hong now serves as general counsel for a large, multinational corporation in the Asia region. Hong graduated from Peking University School of Law with both an LLB and LLM before attending Mizzou for her Master of Laws degree in dispute resolution. Before moving…

LLM Alumna Spotlight: Kemi Sanni

With both of her parents attending the University of Missouri for graduate school, and because of the school’s world-renowned alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program, Kemi Sanni, LLM ’08, knew Mizzou was for her. “My parents always had great things to say about Mizzou and how embracing it is with the many diverse students who attended the school,” Sanni said. “I never applied to any other schools.” Her choice to apply only to Mizzou led to her current role as ADR Programs Manager at the District Court of Maryland in Baltimore. Sanni obtained her LLB at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria…

LLM Alumna Spotlight: Kuenzang Dolma

When joining the faculty of the only law school in her native country of Bhutan, Kuenzang Dolma (LLM ‘20) knew she needed to advance her knowledge of dispute resolution. This is because, as a new member of the teaching faculty at the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law, Dolma was tasked with developing and leading the school’s new Alternative Dispute Resolution Clinic. After deliberation, Dolma chose one of the leading alternative dispute resolution (ADR) programs in the world at the University of Missouri School of Law. “My experience at Mizzou Law was very enriching,” Dolma said. “It was…

Twelve Mizzou Law Alumnae Among Honorees for 2021 Women’s Justice Awards

Twelve Mizzou Law alumnae are among the 2021 Women’s Justice Awards 55 honorees, which include judges, in-house counsel, legal scholars and private practitioners from around the state, as well as outstanding students at Missouri law schools. The Leaders of Tomorrow are recognized for leadership, professionalism and passion for making a difference in the justice system or legal profession. Tori Schafer, ’21, is among this year’s honorees. The Public Service Award recognizes women who work on behalf of a nonprofit organization, government agency or the judiciary; or have made their mark in education: Betsy AuBuchon, ’00, director of government relations/deputy counsel…

Mizzou Law Alumna Judge Robin Ransom Appointed to Missouri Supreme Court

Governor Mike Parson appointed the Honorable Robin Ransom, ’91, as the next Judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Laura Denvir Stith in early March 2021. With the selection, Ransom becomes the first Black woman to serve on the state Supreme Court. Ransom also is the fifth woman to serve, joining Mary Rhodes Russell, ’83, and Patricia Breckenridge, ’77, on the bench. Stith and Ann Covington, ’77, previous female judges, are both retired. “Appointing a judge to the Supreme Court of Missouri is an important duty that I do…