
Michele Law
Diplomat and Private Secretary to the Foreign Minister

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About me
Director, Cerno
Education

Massey University
1997 - 1999Masters of Business (Mediation, Arbitration, Negotiation)
Victoria University of Wellington
1999 -Bar Exam (Barrister and Solicitor of the New Zealand High Court)
University of Canterbury
1996 - 1996Masters of Law (Human Rights, International Law)
University of Canterbury
1991 - 1995Law Degree (Human Rights, International Law, Mediation)
Experience

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade
Jan 1997 - Jan 2000Diplomat and Private Secretary to the Foreign MinisterEconomic Adviser (APEC/WTO)Private Secretary to the Foreign Minister

The Commonwealth
Jan 2000 - Jan 2004Deputy Director and Legal Adviser to the Secretary General, Office of the Commonwealth SecretariatLegal and Economic Policy Adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary GeneralAide to SG Special Envoy to Fiji Islands (South African Head of the Constitutional Court, Justice Pius Langa) post 2000 coup.

Intelligence Capital
Jan 2004 - Jan 2005Vice President (Negotiation)Private equity firm. Control of deal negotiations.

United Nations
May 2005 - Jun 2008Legal Adviser, Constitutional Team, Iraq MissionLegal Adviser to the Iraqi government on the drafting of the Iraq Constitution. Design of public consultation process for 2005 draft constitution and advice into Human Rights Chapter and on Transitional Justice issues. Legal Adviser in the UN Electoral Assistance Team during the 2005 election and design of electoral complaints procedure. Baghdad peace building initiatives, negotiations with warring factions.As interim manager of my section I provided leadership to our team operating within a war zone, including mentoring and general trauma support. Show less

Department for International Development
Jun 2008 - Jun 2014Conflict Adviser (Security Sector Reform, VAWG)HQ SSR ROL policy developmentSSR, ROL, Transitional justice, legal empowerment, constitution making advisory support to DFID Country OfficesContact point for UN/OECD/ISSAT/EC on SSR ROLCivil Society support on SSR ROLHQ policy development and Advisory support to DFID country offices on VAWG

Cerno Solutions
Jun 2016 - nowDirectorCerno was established by a group of like minded senior lawyers and development experts. We work in contexts of conflict for governments or NGOs on issues of justice, human rights, and psycho-social support. From the macro-level focussed on justice sector reform or conflict-resolution I have worked the entirety of my career at a senior level to assist people experiencing psychological trauma. Building on this experience now as a therapist I run a successful psychotherapy practice providing 1-1 psychotherapy for adult clients in London in Marylebone on Harley street and Islington on Upper street. My clinic is made up of clients with 'any issue' that might bring them into therapy. I like to work with clients who want to affect transformational change through open-ended psychotherapy. In my experience this is entirely possible. Please contact me at hello@michelelaw.co.uk or see my website michelelaw.co.uk if you are thinking of starting in therapy. Show less

UNDP
Aug 2016 - nowRule of Law Expert Roster (Access to Justice)I am on the pre-cleared UNDP Roster of Rule of Law Experts that UNDP Offices can draw upon for services, mainly providing support for ongoing programmes being delivered in conflict and post conflict settings, e.g. security, justice, conflict resolution, psychosocial support.

DCAF
May 2017 - nowISSAT Roster (Security, Justice, Human Rights)I am on a Panel of Experts ISSAT (The International Security Sector Advisory Team) can draw down to undertake activities for member governments (for example programme evaluation and design) on issues to do with how citizens in the country concerned can most effectively access justice through state and non-state based security and justice institutions, mechanisms and processes.

UK Government's Stabilisation Unit
Jul 2017 - nowDeployable Civilian ExpertI am on a pre-cleared list of UK Government experts who are able to work for HMG on issues under their expertise.

Global Rights Compliance
Feb 2020 - Feb 2023Head Of StrategyWhether in the fields of international criminal law, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, environmental law, public international law and international trade, engaging with GRC will provide a clear-sighted means of managing these risks.We provide comprehensive and tailored advisory services to ensure that legal risk is effectively managed, and gaps in knowledge and capacity are filled. With decades of on-the-ground experience with national, regional and international law, we design and deliver an array of reform, implementation, and training on international law to ensure that our clients meet legal challenges head on.GRC is currently working / has recently worked in international humanitarian law, human rights, or environmental work in the following countries: (i) Ukraine; (ii) Bangladesh; (iii) Yemen; (iv) South Sudan; (v) Mali; (vi) Sierra Leone; (vii) Syria; (viii) former Yugoslavian states; (ix) Rwanda; (x) Somalia; (xi) Cambodia; (xii) Maldives; and (xiii) Viet Nam; (xiv) Armenia; (xv) Hong Kong; and (xvi) Japan.Within this role I was part of the senior leadership team managing the strategic direction of the foundation/law firm. I led on providing trauma support for our staff suffering primary and secondary trauma. Show less
Licenses & Certifications

Community mediation
Mediation U.K
Employment Mediation
ConcensioJan 2016
CEDR Mediator
CEDRJul 2002
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