Ginger Without Borders

Hello!

Here is a little about myself: I’m a biologist-turned-lawyer, who specializes in public international law (aka the law related to how governments interact with one another). At a very young age, I caught the travel bug. Ever since, I have been traveling the world to learn more about diverse cultures, and spread that knowledge to those willing to listen.

Born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, I lived in Canada for 6 years, until I moved to Washington, DC in 2018 (semi-permanently) with my Toy Australian Shepherd, Phantom. Our little family has since expanded to include my partner, Kingston, and another dog—a ginger-haired mini-labradoodle named Ember.

I have a degree in Biology from the University of British Columbia, and two law (so called “juris doctor”) degrees—one in the United States of America and one in Canada. I also have an Advanced LL.M. (legal masters degree) in international dispute settlement and arbitration from Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Why such a strange mixture? I began law school with the goal of working on International Policy on Biological Weapons of Mass Destruction (cool right?), then learned how much I love litigation. So now I’m working on combining my favorite subjects into a career.

After COVID-19, my partner and I planned to move to Canada (hence the Canadian law degree), but life has taken us on another path. We since lived in Europe while I finished my (hopefully last) graduate program, and have recently returned back to North America. Where we’ll end up next? Who can say. I certainly am not sure.

And, obviously, I’m a ginger.

Why Do I Blog?

For years, I have been known to talk for hours with friends, family, and often even complete strangers about the stories I’ve made throughout my life – most of which were made while traveling. This blog is my attempt at following through with friend’s advice.

As I always say: “Life is neither good nor bad, as long as there is a story to tell.”

Other Publications

• Author, Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs: Article 27 Practice from 2016 to 2020.
• Seizing Responsibility: International Investment Law’s Shifting Understanding of Jurisdiction in Occupied and Annexed Territory, forthcoming in the Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, Vol. 58.
  • Presented at the 2025 ASIL Mid-Year Meeting Research Forum.
• Jurisdiction Ratione Loci: the Effect of the Crimea Cases on Analyzing Territorial Jurisdiction in Situations of Occupation and Annexation, 7 ITA in Review 1 (2025).
  • Winner of the 2025 Young ITA Writing Competition.
• Contributor, How the International Investment Law Regime Undermines Access to Justice for Investment-Affected Stakeholders, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (2024).
• Responsibility after Succession: The Work of the International Law Commission and its Effects for Seeking Redress after the Breach of Investor-State Agreement, 88 Journal of International Arbitration, Mediation, & Dispute Management 356 (2022).
  • Winner of the 2021 CIArb-NAB Young Members Group Writing Competition.
• A Dormant Solution: the Consequence for Nuclear Security of Failing to Implement the 2005 Amendments to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.
  • Winner of the 2021 IAEA International Essay Competition on Nuclear Law.
  • Presented as a TedEx style speech during the 2022 IAEA First International Conference on Nuclear Law: The Global Debate (available on the IAEA Conference website).
• A Region Unprotected: the Caribbean’s Failure to Implement the 2005 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, 34 International Law Practicum 52 (2022).
• A Dangerous Loophole: the Biological Weapons Convention’s New Interpretation that Better Addresses Potentially Deadly Biological Research, 49 International Journal of Legal Information 102 (2021).
• Prosecution of Terrorism: Utilizing Domestic Court Systems to Address the Shortcomings of International Criminal Law, 12 Criminal Law Practitioner 25 (2021).

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