News

Chadbourne DC Office Hosts Two Middle East and Africa Lawyers in State Department Summer Program

July 18, 2007

WASHINGTON — Chadbourne & Parke LLP's DC office is hosting two interns this summer through a State Department program that enables young professional women from the Middle East and North Africa to work in U.S. companies and law firms.

Bothayna Al Romaihi from Qatar and Ines Zantour of Tunisia began working at Chadbourne's DC office following a month-long LL.M.-level academic program at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. They came to Chadbourne through the Legal and Business Fellowship Program, part of the State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).

Both are working in the Firm's project finance practice, with mentors Ken Hansen, partner, and Mark Sigrist, associate. This is the first time Chadbourne has taken part in the program, which concludes in late August.

Al Rohmaihi said her work has focused on an energy project for the World Bank, along with presentations, agreements and reports. Project finance is a new area for Al Rohmaihi, who has worked as a legal researcher for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar. “I’ve never done this work before, and that’s the whole point, to do something that’s different,” she said.

She has been pleased by the friendly reception at the office and the opportunity to pitch in, noting, “Everybody’s happy to have us here. I’m so glad I’m at Chadbourne.”

Before coming to Chadbourne, Zantour worked for over two years as an attorney for El Ajeri & Associates, a law firm in Tunis. She has appreciated the chance to learn about international contracts regulated by U.S. and U.K. law. “It’s important for me to see how contracts are drafted. I am not used to working on these kinds of finance agreements in Tunis,” she explained. “It’s also important to learn U.S. legal jargon.”

Chadbourne became involved in MEPI through Sigrist, who previously worked for the non-profit firm that administers the program, America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST). He had been AMIDEAST’s Syria director and also worked in its Washington headquarters. He knew the program was seeking to place lawyers and he mentioned the possibility to Hansen, a project finance partner, who liked the idea. “It’s a great program and a great opportunity for all involved,” said Hansen, who expects Chadbourne to take part in the program again.

Once the program ends, Zantour plans to stay involved in project finance, perhaps through internships in either Europe or Dubai. Al Rohmaihi will begin work at the Qatar Foundation as a senior legal officer.