College of Law Honors December LL.M. Graduates and Exchange Students

At the conclusion of the fall 2021 semester, five LL.M. students graduated from the College of Law. These graduates, from Brazil, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, join more than 200 foreign-trained lawyers from around the world who are now College of Law alumni.

“These students worked through so many challenges and stayed adaptable and positive throughout what was an exciting and rigorous academic experience under the shadow of a pandemic. While some began their studies in courses offered fully online, I’m thrilled that all were eventually able to join us at the College of Law to take in-person classes in Dineen Hall,” says Andrew S. Horsfall L’10, assistant dean of international programs.

The fall 2021 graduates are:

• Ahmed Al Shattawi (Iraq): Al Shattawi obtained his bachelor of law from Al-Nahrain University in Baghdad, Iraq. Soon after his LL.B. studies, he emigrated to the United States, settling in Syracuse, where he obtained a degree in electrical engineering and works for Anaran, a local engineering and technology company. During his LL.M. studies, he chose to focus on courses in American criminal law and procedure as well as subjects tested on the New York Bar Exam.
• Saad Alqahtani (Saudi Arabia): Alqahtani obtained a bachelor of law from King Saud University in Saudi Arabia in 2010. He has worked as a legal investigator in the Public Administration for Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Transportation in Riyadh since 2011. Alqahtani focused his studies on corporate compliance, negotiation and real estate law. While at Syracuse, he earned an Excellence for the Future award in Real Estate Law for Business from the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Education.
• Samuel Alvarenga Goncalves (Brazil): Alvarenga obtained his LL.B. from the University of Itaúna and a master of laws from Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paolo, both in Brazil. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in law from Brazil’s Federal University of Minas Gerais. Alvarenga serves as a state prosecutor in the state of Rondônia where he specializes in public health matters. He pursued courses in class actions and civil procedure.
• Hugo Carrasco Soulé López (Mexico): Carrasco obtained an LL.B. and Ph.D. in law from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He is a professor of law at UNAM, where he teaches civil procedure, contracts, class actions and health law. He has published law review articles and books. He is also in-house counsel for Johnson & Johnson. He enrolled in courses such as constitutional law, negotiation skills, European Union law and courses that will prepare him for the New York Bar Exam.
• Sebastian Valenzuela (Mexico): Valenzuela is finishing his LL.B. at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) and comes to us under a dual-degree program. During his studies, he has worked as a legal assistant for a casino management company as well as with a federal court. He pursued coursework in tax, regulatory and administrative law during his LL.M. studies.

In addition, four exchange students are returning to their home institutions having spent the fall semester at the College of Law. They are:

• Jakub Domanski (Poland): Domanski is enrolled in the University of Bialystok. During his semester in Syracuse, he pursued courses in business law, administrative law and European Union law.
• Costanza Giuntini (Italy): Giuntini is enrolled in the University of Florence. She focused her studies on evidence and criminal law and the law during her semester in Syracuse.
• Matilde Manfriani (Italy): Manfriani is enrolled in the University of Florence. She studied courses related to business law and corporate finance during her semester in Syracuse.
• Federico Paganelli (Italy): Paganelli is enrolled in the University of Florence. He studied subjects in banking law, negotiations and business law during his semester in Syracuse.

In January, the College of Law anticipates a cohort of approximately 10 LL.M. students, one exchange student and three new Visiting Scholars.