Emerson J. Sykes
Emerson J. Sykes
5 Spencer Court, Apartment 2C
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: (650) 804-0234
EDUCATION
New York University School of Law, New York, NY
Candidate for J.D., May 2011
Honors:Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship for public service, academic merit, and leadership
Activities:African Law Association, Founding Board Member, 2008-10
Islamic Law Students Association, Admissions Committee Chair, 2009-10
Black Allied Law Students Association, Admissions Committee Co-Chair,
2009-10
Alternative Spring Break 2010, No More Deaths, Arivaca, AZ
Alternative Winter Break 2009, Orleans Public Defenders, New Orleans, LA
Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs, Princeton, NJ
Candidate for Master in Public Affairs (M.P.A.) - International Affairs, June 2011
Activities: Journal of Public and International Affairs, Co-editor
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
B.A., Political Science, African History and French Minors, June 2005
Honors: Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence- Exceptional Achievement, 2 years
Laurence C. Franklin Prize for Best Original Undergraduate Paper in French
National Achievement Scholarship Recipient
Activities: Sauti: Stanford Journal of African Studies
East Palo Alto Stanford Academy - middle school tutoring program
Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
EXPERIENCE
New York City Council, New York, New York
Legal Intern, Office of the General Counsel, June- August 2010
Drafted memoranda of law on separation of powers issues, conflicts of interest, legislative investigation and disciplinary procedures, and other topics. Drafted advisory memoranda in response to Council Member legal inquiries. Researched, planned, and executed a training on best practices in nonprofit political activities with the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services.
Open Society Justice Initiative, New York, New York
Intern- Legal Researcher, International Justice, Spring Semester 2010
Researching doctrine of command responsibility in international legal jurisprudence and scholarship. Preparing primer on command responsibility as it relates to the trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba before the International Criminal Court for the OSJI website. Preparing background memoranda on command responsibility doctrine and jurisprudence for OSJI staff files.
Search for Common Ground (SFCG), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Intern, Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC) Program,
June- August 2009
Revamped monitoring and evaluation regime in consultation with program staff and local partners. Formulated and translated logical framework for year three of programming. Produced and revised databases for program activities. Created monthly and quarterly reporting templates. Adapted SFCG’s military human rights training guide for use with the national police.
Government of Liberia, Ministry of Justice, Monrovia, Liberia
Intern, Economic Affairs Division, June-August 2008
Drafted laws, treaties and contracts for the Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs. Represented the Ministry of Justice in the drafting of the revised Revenue Code. Prepared comments on treaties and legislation including the African Union draft treaty on internally displaced peoples and the draft Children’s Bill of Liberia, which were presented to the national legislature.
The Century Foundation, New York, NY
Intern, January- June 2006
Program Assistant in International Affairs, July 2006-July 2007
Executed research for Senior Fellow Jeffrey Laurenti, including for his chapters in The Oxford University Handbook on the United Nations (Oxford University Press, 2007) and Power and Superpower: Global Leadership in the 21st Century (The Century Foundation Press, 2007). Published numerous opinion articles on American foreign policy towards Africa, including “What Next for Somalia?”, published in The Daily Monitor of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
National Democratic Institute (NDI), Washington, DC
Project Assistant, Central and West Africa Team, June- December 2005
Sole Washington, DC staffer for the 20-member NDI/ Carter Center joint International Election Observation Delegation during the historic 2005 Liberian presidential election. Prepared research and other materials for NDI democracy promotion program initiatives in Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Proficient in French. Player for the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club.
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