Adjunct Instructor

Posted on: 2010-08-07

Adjunct Instructor of International Relations, American Government and Constitutional Law

Staff Writer for International Affairs Review website, George Washington University

Earned Master’s Degree in International Policy (MIPP) at GWU, earning Certificate in Middle East Studies

Texas and DC Attorney with 20 years experience in litigation, administrative law and prosecution

                Former Appellate Prosecutor of 65 criminal defendants

                Earned L.L.M. (Master’s Degree in Law) at the London School of Economics in 1995

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Recent International Policy Education

 

Master’s in International Policy and Practice, The George Washington University                   January 2009         

              Presently pursuing Certificate in Middle East Studies                                                  January 2009 - present                                 

Political Violence and Terrorism, US Foreign Policy and Terrorism, Arab/Israeli Conflict, US Foreign Policy in Persian Gulf, Immigration Law, Political Psychology, International Law, Politics of the Middle East, Intelligence, US Foreign Policy, Comparative Governments, International Economics, Intermediate Arabic,  Research:

• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula – Dangers and Outlook
• Hezbollah Patrons, Hezbollah Relationships and Nasrallah Speeches
• Water in Palestine, Israel’s Power Politics
• Hamas Strategies
• Psychological Profile of Nasrallah  of Hezbollah
• Economic Sanctions Against Iran as a Response to Terrorism
• Political Strategies of Hezbollah in the Failed State of Lebanon
• The Durability of Military Influence in the Middle East
• Conflict between the Sunni and Shia and Kurds and Arabs

 

Certificate, Intermediate Arabic, University of Alexandria, Egypt                                                        Summer 2010

Student, Intermediate Arabic, Middle East Institute, Washington, D.C.                                     September – present

Certificate, Intermediate Arabic, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan                                             Summer 2009

Certificate, Intermediate Arabic, American University in Beirut, Lebanon                                          Summer 2008

 

Professional Experience

 

Adjunct Instructor, Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland                                          January 2010 – present

• Instructor of International Relations and American Government

 

Staff Writer, International Affairs Review website, GWU, www.iar-gwu.edu          November 2009 – present

• Articles about the Lebanese government, Thomas Ricks critique of Iraq War, Gaza

 

Volunteer, Senator Jim Webb’s Arlington Office                                                     September 2009 – January 2010

 

Research and Author of presentation about Supreme Court 2006-2007 Term                       January – July 2007

 

Adjunct Instructor, taught two classes of Government at Montgomery College, Texas      June 2007 – July 2007

 

Attorney, Godwin Pappas Langley Ronquillo (Dunn, Kacal), Houston, Texas   November 2003 – October 2006

• Representation of dentists, physicians, nursing homes, analysis of expert reports, evidence and statutes

Judicial Law Clerk (Attorney) for Judge Lamar McCorkle, 133rd District Court,          March – November 2003

• Analyzed civil litigation pleadings, motions, depositions, briefs; prepared legal memoranda for Judge

Adjunct Instructor, Constitutional Law, University of Houston Political Science Dept., August–December 2002

• Instructor, Introduction to Constitutional Law; guest lecturer, Introduction to Government (Jan-Feb 2003)

Appellate Prosecutor, Harris County District Attorney, Houston, Texas                            March 2001-August 2002

• Prosecuted 65 criminals by writing criminal appellate briefs for Texas Courts of Appeals
• 1/3 were violence to women and children (aggravated assault, sexual assault, indecency, injury to a child)
•  ¼ were drug-related; ¼ were robbery, aggravated robbery, burglary or theft, 3 murders, 3 DWIs
• Argued before Court of Appeals, 14th District

 

Judicial Law Clerk for Judge Lamar McCorkle, 133rd Civil District Court                                     2000-2001

Adjunct Lecturer, University of Houston Political Science Department                                             2000-2001

  Taught Law and Society twice, using First Amendment Law and Constitutional Law texts.

Attorney Intern, Texas First Court of Appeals                                                                          August 1999-March 2000

  Prepared draft civil and criminal opinions for justices; analyzed briefs of parties

Lecturer, researcher, Juvenile Death Penalty, University of Melbourne Political Science class      1996

L.L.M. student, earned L.L.M., London School of Economics, London                                                 1993-1995

 

Education

 

Certificate, Middle East Studies, George Washington University                                                        in progress

Master’s in International Policy and Practice (MIPP), George Washington University,               January 2009

Elliott School of International Affairs        

Certificate, Intermediate Arabic, University of Alexandria, Egypt                                                        Summer 2010

Certificate, Intermediate Arabic, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan                                             Summer 2009

Certificate, Intermediate Arabic, American University in Beirut, Lebanon                                          Summer 2008

 

L.L.M., London School of Economics, University of London, England                                              1993-1995

American Constitutional History, International Protection of Human Rights,

Constitutional and Institutional Law of the European Union, Juvenile Justice

Dissertation: The Juvenile Death Penalty – Evolving International Standards of Decency

 

J.D., University of Tulsa College of Law, Tulsa, Oklahoma                                                                  

      Law Review: Wrongful Death of Children in Oklahoma, Tulsa Law Journal, 1975

 

B.A., Colorado Women’s College, Denver, Colorado, Political Science and European Studies       

 

University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia                                                                                       1997

   Course: The Emerging World (Dis)Order, a study of post Cold War politics

Harvard Law School, Program of Instruction for Lawyers,                                                                 1993, 1994

   Constitutional Law and Theory, International Human Rights, State and Local Government Law

 

Legal, Writing, Teaching Background

• Staff Writer, International Affairs Review, www.iar-gwu.org
• Member, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, www.wfpg.org
• Admitted to Texas and D.C. Bar Associations
• Adjunct Lecturer, previous positions

                2007: Taught 2 classes of Government at Montgomery College in Texas

                2002: University of Houston Pol. Sci. Dept., Lecturer in Introduction to Constitutional Law

                2001, 2000: UH Pol. Sci. Dept., Law and Society, used First Amendment Law and Constitutional Law texts

• Lecturer, Supreme Court Term 2006-07, The Chief Justice Roberts Court                                             2007

                Juvenile Death Penalty – Evolving Standards of International Decency              

• Other Articles: Supreme Court Term 2006-2007, Chief Justice Roberts Court, July 2007

Recent Developments in Medical Malpractice Defense Law, Newsletter, GHSHRM - 2005              

                                The Controversial Juvenile Death Penalty, presented to First Court of Appeals, Texas, Aug. 2005

                                Update on Medical Malpractice and Tort Reform – House Bill 4 and Proposition 12