Nicolas Kamran
Nicolas Kamran is a BCL/JD student at the McGill Faculty of Law, where he remains deeply invested in community and academic life. His research interests lie in criminal justice, human rights, and public international law. As of his fourth year at the Faculty, Nicolas has worked as an Executive Editor at the McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law, a research assistant to Professors François Crépeau, Marie Manikis, Jonas-Sébastien Beaudry, and Nandini Ramanujam, a group assistant for McGill’s first-year criminal justice course, and as a member of the Faculty’s Academic Freedom Advocacy clinic. In Summer 2022, Nicolas was an international human rights intern working in criminal defence at Nunavut Legal Aid. In 2024–2025, he will be a law clerk at the Federal Court of Canada.
Andrea Carboni Jimenez – IHRIP Coordinator
Andrea is a third year BCL/JD student at McGill’s Faculty of Law and program coordinator for the International Human Rights Internships Program (IHRIP). She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Psychology and a Master of Science in Psychiatry from McGill. Prior to her legal studies, Andrea’s research focused on examining burden among informal caregivers to people living with systemic sclerosis and evaluating the effectiveness of psychological interventions among incarcerated individuals. At the Faculty, she is a Senior Editor of the McGill Law Journal and Co-founder and VP Communications of the McGill Law Latin American Students Association. In the first summer of law school, she interned at the Legal Clinic of Disability and Human Rights of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.
Eric Epp – IHRIP Coordinator
Eric is a third-year BCL/JD student at McGill's Faculty of Law. He holds a BA (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Alberta and an LMus (Voice Performance) from McGill. Eric grew up in Edmonton and spent many happy summers during university working as a costumed historical interpreter at Fort Edmonton Park. Following his studies in music, he worked for two years as a tour guide at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. Currently, Eric is an executive editor at Rooted, McGill Law's Indigenous law journal, and is enjoying direct learning experiences during his final years of law school, including the Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot and work with the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations through the clinic course. Eric cherished his internship with the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and is grateful to be involved in the Centre's work. He thanks everyone who has helped him learn so far.
Emmy Labbé
Emmy Labbé is a second-year student in the BCL/JD program at McGill’s Faculty of Law. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and International Law from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). She has previously volunteered with UQAM’s International Clinic for Human Rights, with the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru’s Legal Clinic for Human Rights and Disability, and with a legal clinic for refugees and migrants in Peru. She also worked at Amnesty International Canada Francophone, and in the immigration law field. At McGill, Emmy is Co-Director of McGill’s Chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project, and she is Co-Coordinator of the CHRLP’s Disability Initiative.
Alexa Nesbitt – Office and Events Assistant for the CHRLP
Alexa is a third year BCL/JD candidate at McGill's Faculty of Law. She previously completed a BA in the study of Society, Culture and Religion at McMaster University. Before coming to McGill, Alexa worked as FNMI Graduation Coach for the Four Directions Program in Northwestern Ontario, where she grew up. Alexa is especially interested in the areas of family law and child welfare.
Shirley Wang
Shirley is a BCL/JD candidate at McGill University’s Faculty of Law. She completed a Bachelor of Science with majors in Microbiology and Immunology and Political Science at McGill University, after which she lived in Cologne as a McCall MacBain International Fellow. Shirley has previously worked as a Junior Research Scholar at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Outreach Analyst at the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and Research Assistant at McGill’s Centre for International Peace and Security Studies. Outside of her studies and work, Shirley is a Junior Editor at the McGill Law Journal and Co-Founder of the McGill 17 Rooms Initiative. She has strong interests in international arbitration, corporate governance, as well as the law and ethics of armed conflict.
Nadine Rutledge
(she/her/elle) is honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to and support the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism’s Disability Initiative. Nadine is a BCL/JD candidate in the Faculty of Law at McGill University. She has a Master of Laws (LLM) in Medical Law and Ethics from the University of Edinburgh and a Bachelor of Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (BCR) from the University of Calgary. She is also a past participant in Yale University’s Summer Institute in Bioethics. Nadine’s academic research has focused on health inequalities and the allocation of scarce resources during public health emergencies using disability-inclusive responses. Many of her past experiences involve disability-related organizations and adaptive sports. Nadine is a member of the Disabled Leaders Network and a past member of the Alberta Para-Alpine Ski Team.
Allison Bender
Allison Bender is a BCL/JD candidate at McGill Faculty of Law. Prior to her legal studies, she completed a BA in Political Science and BMus in Comprehensive Music from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is interested in the intersections of law and equality, with a particular focus on the rights of workers, women, and LGBT+ peoples in both international and domestic contexts. At the Faculty, Allison is a Senior Editor for the McGill Journal of Sustainable Development Law and a Student Reference Assistant at the Nahum Gelber Law Library. She has volunteered with the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale and the Legal Information Clinic at McGill, and completed and internship with Avocats Sans Frontières Canada through the Centre’s International Human Rights Internship Program in 2023.
Parmida Esmaeil
Parmida is a BCL/JD candidate at McGill University’s Faculty of Law. She holds a B.A. (Hons.) and M.A. in Political Science from the University of British Columbia - Vancouver. She has a broad range of experience in the human rights and NGO space, including a present legal internship at the Citizen Lab. Her past research has looked at the intersection of human rights and information-communication technologies, in particular in the context of protests and social movements.
Chlöe Shahinian – CHRLP Blog Coordinator
Chlöe is currently a second-year B.C.L/J.D. student at the Faculty of Law. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Political Science and a Master of Arts in Political Science (International Relations specialization), both from McGill University. Her Master’s thesis studied the relationship between the use of force and legitimacy perceptions of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During her Master’s, Chlöe had the opportunity to intern at the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and then went on to work for Global Affairs Canada during the 2021 - 2022 academic year in their Security and Defence division. In Summer 2023, Chlöe was an intern in the CHRLP’s International Human Rights Internship Program and completed a 12-week placement in Kampala, Uganda with the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development. With respect to activities at the Faculty, Chlöe holds the position of Executive Editor at Inter Gentes, the McGill Journal of International Law and Legal Pluralism, volunteers as a Junior Caseworker at the Legal Information Clinic at McGill, and is a Junior Manager at the McGill Law Journal. She is passionate about the intersection of the law and human rights and looks forward to the opportunity to coordinate the CHRLP Blog!
Theadora Sauvé – IHRIP Coordinator
Theadora Sauvé is a dedicated law student at McGill University's Faculty of Law, where she is pursuing her B.C.L./J.D. with a strong focus on human rights and legal pluralism. Her passion for human rights has driven her to take on several impactful roles throughout her academic and professional journey.
Theadora undertook a significant internship at the Ministry of Justice in the Republic of Namibia. There, she delved into the complexities of Namibian customary laws, examining their compliance with international human rights standards. Her research, which culminated in an 8,000-word paper, critically analyzed the dominance of state law over customary practices and proposed reforms to enhance legal pluralism in Namibia.
In addition to her academic and professional achievements, Theadora is deeply committed to promoting peace on a global scale. She was chosen as one of the first co-chairs of Million Peacemakers Youth, where she worked to spread the Nonflict way as a tool for peace. Her leadership in this role led to the development of a team of approximately 120 young peacemakers, and she continues to serve as a Youth Advisor on the board of Million Peacemakers.
She now serves as one of the Human Rights Internship Coordinator at the Centre for Human Rights & Legal Pluralism (CHRLP) where she serves as the liaison between the host organizations, students, and the Centre.
Aziz Driss– IHRIP Coordinator
Aziz is a third-year BCL/JD student at McGill’s Faculty of Law. Prior to starting his legal studies, Aziz completed an undergraduate degree at Concordia University with a Major in Political Science and a Minor in Law and Society. At the Law Faculty, Aziz took an interest in spreading awareness about human rights and was able to further that goal through his internship at the Equitas Centre for Human Rights Education. He currently serves as a Human Rights Internship Coordinator at the Centre for Human Rights & Legal Pluralism (CHRLP).
- Disability Initiative Coordinator
Laurissa Brousseau is a second-year law student at McGill University, originally from Canmore, Alberta. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa. This summer, she the incredible opportunity to intern with Citizens with Disabilities Ontario (CWDO) through the International Human Rights Internship Program, an experience she thoroughly enjoyed.
This year, she is excited to serve as one of the Student Disability Events Coordinators. Her co-coordinator and her are eager to organize meaningful events, and are always open to your suggestions or needs—their inbox is always open!
Marilou Laurin- Disability Initiative Coordinator
Marilou is a first-year BCL/JD candidate at McGill University’s Faculty of Law. She holds a B. A (Hons.) in International Studies and Modern Languages from the University of Ottawa with distinctions. During her studies, she volunteered at CUSO International to develop their DEI policy. She was a delegate for the National Model United Nations 2023 Conference. She grew up in Brownsburg-Chatham; a small town in Quebec where she has been a City Councilor since 2021 and Mayor substitute for 2024, making her Quebec’s youngest elected woman at 19 years old. She participated in the French-speaking delegation on Feminism and women’s leadership with Les Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec (LOJIQ). She is a member of the Young Elected Commission at the Union des Municipalités du Québec. She is a board member of the Argenteuil Community Social Pediatric Center (ACSPC) whose main mission is to enable every child to reach their full potential in accordance with the Convention of the Rights of the Child. She is grateful to join the CHRLP/CIPP as a Student Disability Event Coordinator.
Alina Bootwala – Communications and Events Assistant for the CHRLP
Alina Bootwala is a second-year BCL/JD candidate at the McGill University Faculty of Law. She grew between Canada, India, and France. Prior to starting law school, she did her undergraduate degree at McGill in International Development Studies Honours with a minor in World of Cinema. She is passionate about human rights, immigration, and fighting for justice and has previously interned for Equitas - International Center for Human Rights. She also loves learning about new cultures and languages and is currently learning Spanish. Alina is excited about her new role as Communications Coordinator and has been enjoying learning more from the center.
Randa Omar – O’Brien Program Coordinator
Randa Omar is a first-year BCL/JD student at McGill University. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Urban Studies from the University of Toronto. Her undergraduate thesis proposed an urban design intervention for the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, aiming to enhance avenues for refugee agency while implementing COVID-19 infection control measures. Concurrently, she co-led a multidisciplinary capstone project that developed policy recommendations to foster inclusive work environments for Indigenous artists in non-Indigenous public art organizations. Randa also served as President of the Architecture and Visual Studies Student Union in 2020-2021, which continues to be one of her proudest accomplishments.
After graduating, she worked as an architectural designer in Boston, Massachusetts before transitioning to Indigenous and anti-racism policy work at the Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Affairs.
At McGill, she serves as an Associate Editor at Rooted, McGill’s Indigenous law journal and The McGill Sustainable Development Law Journal, as well as a Senior Editor at Inter Gentes: The McGill Journal of International Law and Legal Pluralism.
She will be joining Lawyers Without Borders Canada in Bogotá, Colombia for her International Human Rights Internship in the summer of 2025, and is excited to get more involved with the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism in her role as an O’Brien Fellowship Coordinator.
Julie Hermanns - O’Brien Program Coordinator
Julie Hermanns (she/her/elle) is a first-year BCL/JD student at McGill’s Faculty of Law. Originally from the Netherlands, she moved to Canada to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a minor in International Development at McGill University. She is particularly interested in the intersection of science and law, with a focus on global health and human rights.
Beyond her studies, Julie is actively involved in immigration and legal advocacy. She serves as the Immigration Application Coordinator at For The Refugees, a non-profit organization, where she contributes to public policy proposals. She also works as a legal assistant at Exeo Attorneys, an immigration law firm, and as an intake officer at McGill’s Legal Information Clinic.
Carina Cutillo – Social Media and Communications Coordinator
Carina Cutillo (She/Her/Elle) is a first-year BCL/JD student at McGill’s Faculty of Law. Before her studies at McGill, she completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Global Development Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies from Queen’s University. Her academic interests lie at the intersections of law, social justice, and environmental justice, focusing on how systemic inequalities shape access to rights and resources. Her scholarly work has deepened her understanding of colonialism’s role in shaping local and global systems, fuelling deep social, economic, and environmental inequalities. This perspective has guided her involvement in advocacy movements and her exploration of how law can be a tool in facilitating structural change. Carina is currently involved with Pro Bono Students Canada, working with the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal to provide access to legal information. She is also participating in the International Human Rights Internship Program this summer, working with Lawyers for Human Rights in South Africa.
