From the Nerve Center of Africa to the Commercial Nerve Center of the World: Meet the American Bar Association's Vice Chair, International Law Section, Kerry Anakwenze, JD
What is your personal story?
I always wanted to be a lawyer. I realized early on the importance of education in an increasingly globalized world, and the relevance of a lawyer that has international viability and visibility. Prior to law school, I attended an immersive French Language School for a year to attain bilingual proficiency in French. Afterward, I applied and was admitted to law school, upon completion of which I wrote the qualification exams and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2015. My legal experience started at a law firm in Lagos, Nigeria, where my focus area was in commercial Litigation in the law firm of Babalakin and Co. Legal Practitioners. I applied to the American Bar Association as an International legal practitioner and upon approval, I had access to a wealth of resources and access to lawyers and law firms that operated globally which inspired me to expand my practice area from litigation to corporate practice.
To properly make this transition, I realized gaining further education in the field I was interested in was relevant, so I applied and was admitted to Columbia Law School for a Master's in Global Business Law with a specialization in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Columbia Business School. This marked a pivotal moment in my life as I made the move from Lagos, the commercial nerve center of Africa to New York, the commercial nerve center of the world. I was appointed Chair of the American Bar Association International Law Section (ABA-ILS) Cross Border Practice Management in 2023 and in this role, my team and I regularly seek opportunities to enable both US and foreign lawyers to offer their services in multiple jurisdictions and review policies that affect global legal practice.
We also regularly interface with other organizations such as the United Nations to stay abreast of global policies and stakeholder decisions that affect the development of the Rule of Law in several jurisdictions. In my capacity, I take every opportunity to coach students who are interested in pursuing a career in law in a bid to create direct access to mentors and sponsors within the legal community. I am most excited to be completing my Master's program and I look forward to graduating in May 2024.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
There have been several personal and professional key moments in my life that have led me to this exact point, and while those pivotal moments are important, I believe what has been more interesting were the values I held on to that remained constant: unwavering faith and unbridled curiosity.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
A need to do more. I believe that every person, given the right opportunities and the right support can optimise themselves and serve others. Society works by holding up every member at every level, to ensure that they recognize their innate value, and are able to refine that value to its best form to benefit themselves and in service of others. I have been given opportunities that the younger me could only have imagined, and I hold myself to the duty of paying it forward.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
With the amazing work GlobalMindED does to promote people from various walks of life and industry, I believe that GlobalMindED and the ABA can work closely towards improved access to legal education that will develop the next bright minds to define the next generation.
Kerry will be attending and speaking at GlobalMindED this June in Denver. Join us! Registration information below.
