“Got a Minute?” with LL.M. student Ebrima Sonko

Welcome to the second season of UW Law’s “Got a Minute?” series. Like last year, we’ll find students throughout William H. Gates Hall and ask them 20 questions about their law school experience, a bit about themselves and occasionally drop in a pop quiz or two.

This week, we’re featuring Ebrima Sonko, a Sustainable International Development LL.M. student.

UW Law: Are you originally from Seattle, and if not, where?

Ebrima Sonko (ES): I'm originally from Brikama in the Gambia, in West Africa. I live in Mountlake Terrace now and have lived there for about five years.

UW Law: What's one interesting fact about where you're from?

ES: One interesting fact about Brikama, which is located in the western part of the Gambia, is that it's a huge sporting town, with soccer being really prominent. Everybody who grew up and became a lawyer or something else would say they wanted to be a professional soccer player.

UW Law: Have you already practiced law before beginning your LL.M. program?

ES: I worked at the Truth Reconciliation and Operations Commission in the Gambia, which was established to investigate the human right violations that occurred in the Gambia from 1994 to 2016 by our former president, Yahya Jammeh, who was booted out of office in 2016 during the presidential elections.

UW Law: If you weren't pursuing a law degree, what would you be doing instead?

ES: Policy work, because I'm also doing a graduate program at the Evans School — I'm a double graduate student right now. I've always been involved in social justice initiatives, even before I became a lawyer. I think my experience growing up in the Gambia and the kind of environment I grew up in molded me and shaped my perspective a lot.

UW Law: What are you looking forward to in winter quarter?

ES: I'm doing an interesting course with Professor Ramasastry this quarter — Business, Social Responsibility and Human Rights, which is new. I'm a huge soccer fan and am interested in the intersection of soccer and human rights and business.

UW Law: Which professors would have the best pitch for an invention on Shark Tank?

ES: We did the Transnational summer program as preparation for the LL.M. program and one of the professors that had an impact on me was Professor Lisa Manheim, the constitutional law professor. I'll start with her any day. And also, Professor Dana Raigrodski. Her advocacy is incredibly powerful, and I think she would be a strong contender as well.

UW Law: What's your favorite memory from law school so far?

ES: Orientation. Just getting to meet all the students, and not just the graduate students, but the J.D. students as well. It was nice getting to talk and hear their stories. That was a really wonderful opportunity and is my favorite memory so far.

UW Law: What's one fun thing you did over winter break?

ES: I played and watched a lot of soccer. The African Cup of Nations started during the break, which is the continental tournament, so I started watching that. Also, I run a podcast called the Dialectic Space, where I get to talk to people from all around the world to understand their stories and their perceptions and their challenges in life. So, I spent a lot of time working on that.

UW Law: If you could add a new class to the curriculum, what would it be?

ES: Something at the nexus between sports and law and how us, as lawyers, could expand more into that area.

UW Law: What’s one thing that every visitor to Seattle should go see or do?

ES: Go to Pike Place Market. It’s just wonderful because people walk around and smile at you. Or go watch one of our sports teams. The Sounders are wonderful to see, the Seahawks too. I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I go watch them play as well. And then also go see the beautiful nature. Go to the beautiful waterfall in Snoqualmie or go skiing.

UW Law: How many justices made up the first Supreme Court?

ES: I’ll say three.

UW Law: Interestingly enough, it’s six. What's one thing that has surprised you about Seattle?

ES: How really wonderful the people are. It's crazy. I'm an immigrant and a black man with an accent. To adjust to a new way of life and society, it's mostly hard. You have all these questions of whether you'll be able to fit in properly. But I've been blown away by the sheer amount of kindness from people in Seattle. Just ordinary people that you meet who are just sincerely kind. That's why Seattle is home for me. I don't see myself — at least not anytime soon — leaving this place because it really has been my home away from home.

UW Law: That’s great to hear. What's a fun thing you like to do on the weekends?

ES: Mostly, I go hiking. I'm a waterfall hunter, so I go to Franklin Falls or Snoqualmie Falls. And sometimes I go to the movies or go watch games.

UW Law: What's one class you're hoping to take while you’re here?

ES: I'm really looking forward to taking constitutional law. I have a specific interest in really understanding American constitutional development. Not that I haven't read some of it, but I do think it's different when you have renowned, nationally celebrated professors standing in front of you to help you delve into it. I'm also looking forward to procedural classes like civil procedure as well.

UW Law: What's more peculiar the fact that “Law” starts with an L and the building is shaped like an L, or that our dean has the word “Law” in her last name?

ES: I think our building shaped like an L was much more intentional. I think our dean having “Law” in her name is more peculiar.

UW Law: If you could have any superpower, besides flying or teleportation, what would it be?

ES: It's going to sound controversial, but I'm going to say bringing more people of color into the law school.

UW Law: Which professor would have the most interesting second career, and what would it be?

ES: I think Professor David Cadaret would have a good second career as a soccer coach because he's so passionate about it.

UW Law: Name one lawyer who inspires you and why.

ES: Hassan B. Jallow, who is the Chief Justice of the Gambia. Although Gambia is a very small country with a very young legal system — we had our independence in 1965 — we have very prominent individuals in the international law world. Our chief justice used to be the chief prosecutor of the Rwandan tribunal that indicted a lot of people who were responsible for the Rwandan genocide. So, H.B. Jallow is a role model figure for me and most young Gambians who want to become lawyers.

UW Law: Is there anyone you would like to give a shoutout to?

ES: Yeah, definitely. Professor Dana Raigrodski for an amazing Transnational course. And Professor Jennifer Lenga-Long who I have so many stories about the wonderful contributions she has done for me over the years to get me into this program. She is one person who, I think, gives a lot of comfort to students.

UW Law: What's one interesting thing about you that people may not know?

ES: I co-founded the Commission on Political Debates in the Gambia, which set up and held the first ever political debate in our country. Prior to that, we never had political debates. The organization is still in existence and it's still functional, even though I live here.