Lex:lead : Lawyers for Economic Advancement and Development

08/08/2026

We have another Ambassador to add to our ranks! Lex:lead is delighted to now confirm Ms Pearl Akosua Pokuaa Pipim (Ghana) to this year's Lex:lead Ambassadors, acting as an on-the-ground resource and representing Lex:lead in their countries. As with each year, we will have our Lex:lead 'Ambassadors' call at the end of September too that affords us an opportunity to get to know our winners and doubles as a resume and cover letter workshop to help as best we can. Website:

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

08/02/2026

Bit by bit we're completing the rebuild of our website. One item not previously posted was our end-of-year newsletter from last year, now up online!https://lex-lead.net/media/publications/The_Lex7_December_2025.pdf Of course we posted last week that this year's winning essays and our contributions to the American Bar Association Year in Review (Africa section) were now up online too, so hopefully you've been able to read those publications alongside now reading this newsletter. More news soon as we inch our way closer to our fundraising goals for this year! Website: www.lex-lead.net

07/25/2026

This week we do have a double feature! First, the International Bar Association Foundation has published our 2025 winning essays, and we've reposted them now to our website for you to read: https://lex-lead.net/winners/ -2025 Second, congratulations to Lex:lead winners Yerro Bah (Gambia), Benson Bandawe (Malawi), Hawi Furgassa Hirpa (Ethiopia), Musenge Prince Kapandula (Zambia), Ijahra Larry (Ghana), Maame Ekua Otenewa Oduro (Ghana), Michael Shayo (Tanzania), Awoke Mitku Tamrat (Ethiopia) and Judges Tyler Holmes and Luís Miranda along with President/Founder Anne Bodley who each contributed to the American Bar Association (ABA) 2025 Year in Review, now published! Also on our website at: https://lex-lead.net/about-us/ Well done all! Website: lex-lead.net.

Lex:lead was founded in 2010 to continue the work of the Global Challenge, a group that had formed in 2001 under the International Bar Association to bring lawyers worldwide to the issue of development focusing on the least developed countries. Joining the Global Challenge in 2005, Anne was named it...

07/17/2026

We nearly had a double feature last week, but by waiting can now relay that we've just forwarded 15 CVs for our first (full) internship opportunity this year! Our thanks to NGO Protimos extend over quite a few years now for the interns to whom they've provided valuable work experience, this year no exception as they take on at least one more. Lex:lead's internship opportunities are open to our Ambassadors, speaking of which we can announce two more from this year's ranks: 1 Mr Nana Osei Acheampong (Ghana) and 2 Ms Winifred Senam King (Ghana). Congratulations all! Website:

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

07/10/2026

And two more pledges! Thank you again to law firm Travers Smith which has come in again to support two more awards this year. Plus, funds have come in from Nancy Kaymar Stafford and a thank you too to past advisory board member Sherri Marie Carr for a donation she's made. We're getting closer to reaching 15 more awards this year, fingers crossed! Website:

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

07/03/2026

Two new pledges! Thank you again to founding member Yev Muchnik whose firm Launch Legal has sponsored our awards for years. We look forward to making the awards next February 2027! And in other good news, we have final copy of this year's winning essays, so they're nearly out and published! Go Lex:leaders! Website:

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

06/27/2026

We've just had our midyear meeting with the nice news (among other things) that we have our new Ambassadors from this year's winners! Congratulations to 1 Mr Prajapati Mabangwe (Malawi); 2 Ms Winfrida Gavana (Tanzania); 3 Ms Nana Yaa Asantewaa Asare (Ghana); 4 Mr Richard Adjei Kyeremateng (Ghana); 5 Mr Jason Kausa (Zambia); 6 Mr Meira Aliye Umer (Ethiopia); 7 Ms Edem Nti (Ghana) and 8 Mr Girma Fekadu Assefa (Ethiopia) on this distinction. We know a few other winners from this year will soon join this list too and look forward to welcoming them just as warmly. Congratulations! Website:

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

06/20/2026

Last week's update: have you checked out our new website? Remember we're at www.lex-lead.net now! More soon! Website: www.lex-lead.net

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

06/07/2026

Hooray! We have finally worked through all 14 winning essays (2025) to get them publication-ready through the International Bar Association Foundation. We look forward to seeing them in print! Among other good news, we have another sponsorship confirmed (thank you again Nancy Kaymar Stafford!) which gets us ever-closer to this year's goal of at least another 15 awards! New website:

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...

05/30/2026

And now, finally, meet our 2025 winners! There's still work to do on our new website, but we can finally introduce you to winners 1 Mr Prajapati Mabangwe (Malawi), 2 Mr Nana Osei Acheampong (Ghana), 3 Ms Winfrida Gavana (Tanzania), 4 Ms Nana Yaa Asantewaa Asare (Ghana), 5 Mr Craig Setor Malex Nafrah (Ghana), 6 Mr Richard Adjei Kyeremateng (Ghana), 7 Mr John Kausa (Zambia), 8 Mr Meira Aliye Umer (Ethiopia), 9 Ms Winifred Senam King (Ghana), 10 Mr Caleb Samson Mkulana (Malawi), 11 Ms Edem Nti (Ghana), 12 Ms Ann Aseya Ama Donya (Ghana), 13 Mr Girma Fekadu (Ethiopia), 14 Ms Pearl Akosua Pokuaa Pipim (Ghana), and our Honourable Mentions this year. We also have our first registration from the new website! Check us out at

Lex:lead is a group of international lawyers and friends who support economic development focusing on the world's least developed countries. We offer an annual essay competition on topics of law and development to students from eligible countries for one-time US$500 awards. In 2015 we also started p...