A recent graduate of American University of Sharjah (AUS), Menna Khaled Al-Khalil, has been elected as one of three vice presidents of the International Law Students Association (ILSA), organizer of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (Jessup).

Al-Khalil, an international studies graduate, was captain of the Moot Court team 2015-2016 and participated as a team member in the Jessup 2014-2015 competition. Both those teams participated in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition national rounds in Washington, DC. In both iterations of the competition, AUS was the top ranked team from the Arab world. The university finished fifth out of approximately 600 teams that participated in the competition this year.

"Menna's election brings notice to AUS' strong program in international law and politics," said Dr. Kevin Gray, Assistant Professor in International Studies. "As the UAE is increasingly becoming an important center for international commerce and as a destination of choice for international arbitration through the DIFC Courts, AUS is uniquely poised to train students for exciting new careers. Many of our students, after competing in the Jessup, ICC or Ferrell Moots have gone on to law school and promising careers in international law," he added.

"It is humbling to be the first and only Arab elected to the board of the International Law Students Association," said Al-Khalil. "Guided by ILSA's mission and vision and as the newly elected Student Vice President, I seek to promote international law and enhance cooperation between lawyers and law students all over the world. ILSA is not yet rooted in the Middle East. As such, I particularly aim to expand and extend ILSA's activities, internships, scholarships, programs, and opportunities to lawyers and law students in the Middle East," she stated.

The Student Vice President works to coordinate ILSA events, particularly in the area of career development and publications. The vice president also supervises the registration process at the congresses and assists in recruiting and overseeing regional representatives and sits as a voting member on ILSA's Board of Directors.

According to its website, the International Law Students Association is a non-profit association of students and lawyers who are dedicated to the promotion of international law. ILSA provides students with opportunities to study, research and network in the international legal arena. ILSA seeks to promote international law; to encourage communication and cooperation among students and lawyers internationally; to contribute to legal education; to promote social responsibility in the field of law; to increase opportunities for students to learn about other cultures and legal systems worldwide; and to publicize educational and career opportunities in international law.