Laura Fernandez

Prior to joining The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2013, Laura Fernandez worked in public international law and held various positions at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) both in Austria and Croatia. While at the OSCE she dealt with Rule of Law and transitional justice issues, EU legal reform, monitoring of war crimes trials and fair trial standards, human rights, reintegration of refugees and returnees, and capacity-building of NGOs. She participated in regional conferences and legal projects in a number of European countries, ranging from Austria, Germany, Italy, and Poland to all of the former republics of Yugoslavia. Before working for the OSCE, she held short posts at the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch in Washington, D.C. While studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she worked in the university’s international affairs office, where she held workshops, assisted with orientation, and advised international students. She also did some undergraduate teaching. A native of Venezuela, she earned her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2005 and is a member of the New York Bar. As assistant dean for international and graduate affairs, she is responsible for all aspects of the LL.M., M.S.L., and Visiting Research Scholars Programs at Moritz and also administers Moritz’ study abroad programs at University of Oxford.