Introducing the 2025–2026 Global Business Law Institute Fellows
The new Global Business Law Institute Fellows cohort is drawn to challenges in global business and making a positive impact.
The 13 students selected for this year’s Global Business Law Institute (GBLI) Fellows Program are from the J.D. and LL.M. cohorts in the UW School of Law. Each student brings their own passionate interests to the field of global business law. The fellowship advances their professional growth and prepares them to be future leaders.
The cohort includes — among others — a former public health researcher intent on understanding the relationship between global businesses and public health, a paralegal with extensive experience working in multinational companies, and an aspiring international tax advisor.
“We are proud to welcome these accomplished students to the Global Business Law Institute,” said Professor Scott Schumacher, associate dean for experiential education and GBLI co-director. “They embrace the principle of international cooperation that the Institute fosters.”
Since its inception in 2017, GBLI has encouraged its Fellows to connect the dots between theory and practice, bridge silos across disciplines and understand the links between geopolitics, cultural affairs, international law, trade and commerce.
The Fellows Program is built around four key pillars: mentorship connecting Fellows with seasoned legal practitioners in local private companies and law firms with a global reach; a weeklong immersive international trip; symposia on specialized topics; and career development skills. The pedagogical model is based on experiential education. In this time of global instability and rapid change in the world economy, GBLI provides essential training for lawyers interested in transnational practice.
“With the continued rise of global nationalism and country-first approaches to diplomacy, economies and government relations, the need for industry cross-border collaborations and advancing the global rule of law is more important than ever,” said Professor Jeannine Lemker, GBLI co-director and associate dean for the Center for Career Development.
“The Fellows Program represents the path to further advancing public and private partnerships that are crucial for strengthening the fabric of global business,” said Lemker.
For incoming Fellow Vivian Hernandez, 3L, interest in global business law is personal. She was exposed early to international contracting, logistics and regulatory challenges through her father’s seafood export business. Growing up in Nicaragua and later immigrating to the United States gave her firsthand insight into how businesses navigate multiple legal systems.
Hernandez intends to draw upon this lived experience and her legal training at UW Law to build a career in global business law, helping companies navigate complex international transactions.
“GBLI offers the ideal environment to refine my skills, expand my international perspective and engage meaningfully with faculty and professionals in global business law,” Hernandez said.
“By the end of the academic year, I want a deeper command of comparative legal frameworks, stronger analytical skills and mentorship that guides my professional development,” she added.
For many Fellows, mentorship is one of the most meaningful aspects of the Program. It’s an invaluable way to learn about the realities of the profession from an experienced corporate lawyer, receive guidance, build a lasting relationship — and be inspired.
This year’s international trip is to London, UK. Led by Professor and GBLI co-director Ramón Ortiz-Vélez, Fellows will learn about the city’s business law culture and experience firsthand how this international hub plays a critical role in knitting together business, law, policy and culture.
LL.M. student Edria Li is looking forward to the planned events and activities. She brings considerable experience in advising companies in China through initial public offerings and cross-border investments. Currently pivoting to intellectual property law, Li wants to contribute to responsible, innovation-driven global business development.
“I am still trying to figure out my career goal and therefore would love to hear from practitioners who have global perspectives and practices in international firms, especially at the intersection of intellectual property, technology and cross-border commerce,” Li said.
The Fellows Program supports participants as they sort through their individual professional quandaries and build a strong foundation leading to purposeful careers.
“Our impact is at the student and human level,” said Professor Matt LeMaster, GBLI co-director and partner at the law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine. “We want to assist our Fellows in their career development. In the end, the Program makes an impact through their work.”
LL.M. student Renata Akalin is excited about all that is to come.
“I hope to leave the fellowship with the preparation to begin my legal career and the commitment to pay forward the support I have received,” she said.
Learn more about the Global Business Law Institute.
Meet the 2025–2026 GBLI Fellows
Renata Akalin
Aeshah Algahtani
Melissa Briones
Monica-Simona Corchis
Vivian Hernández
Trey Herron
Jamison Koeman
Yana Koubourlis
Edria Li
Catherine Pedrosa
Yessyca Reina Riascos
Manuela Silva Caro
Shainna Xie Xi