CWRU Law Academic Exchange Experience (AXE): Inaugural Student Symposium

Ali Morgan

The PBM Problem and Its Federal Fix: Evaluating the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-morgan/

Ali Morgan is a 2L at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and is originally from Mentor, Ohio. She earned her undergraduate degree in Comprehensive Science from Villanova University in 2024. At CWRU, she is a Gerber Law-Medicine Fellow, an Associate Editor of Case Western Reserve Law Review, and the Vice President of the Student Health Law Association. Ali has a strong interest in health law, with particular focus on pharmaceutical regulation, as well as litigation more broadly. Following her 1L year, she completed a federal judicial externship with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where she developed a strong interest in federal litigation. She will be working at Jones Day in Summer 2026, where she hopes to gain practical experience across a range of litigation matters.

Li Yang (Eric) Low

Scarcity by Design: Why the Law Must Respond to the Physician Shortage on Two Timelines

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlylow/

Li Yang (Eric) Low is a first-generation college graduate from Brunei Darussalam. He did his B.Sc. in Molecular Biotechnology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and MS in Biotechnology at New York University Tandon School of Engineering. While in Hong Kong, he was a Business Development intern at Hong Kong's first Biotechnology Unicorn. In New York he worked for a Boutique Intellectual Property firm which catalyzed his transition into Law. Currently, he's a 2nd Year Law student at CWRU completing a joint J.D. and Masters of Compliance and Risk Management. Last summer, he was the I.P. Extern for Cleveland Clinic Innovations and is currently the Legal Extern for the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. His legal research interests lie in how the Law shapes healthcare systems. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career in medicine, while using his legal experience for advocacy in the healthcare space.

Mary Abrahamyan

Petition to Promulgate Binding Rules Codifying the FTC Green Guides (16 C.F.R. Part 260)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mabrahamyan/

Mary Abrahamyan is 2L at CWRU School of Law and comes here from Boston, MA. Before law school, she earned her Bachelors of Science in Economics from Northeastern University and then worked in Credit Risk Management and in Data Analytics. Her favorite classes in law school so far have been Torts, Property, and Wills.

Kassidy Burke

The Patent Prosecution Highway: Bridging Efficiency and Sovereignty in International IP Law

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidy-burke5/

Kassidy Burke's interest for Intellectual Property Law began by obtaining her B.S. in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh and researching in hospital labs. Ultimately, this passion is how she decided to leave Pittsburgh and attend CWRU School of Law, for their robust Law, Technology, and The Arts program. In January, she became a registered Patent Agent with the United States Patent & Trademark Office. It was the conjunction of her law school IP curriculum and studying for the Patent Bar that led to her research on International IP reform. Kassidy's goal is to become a patent attorney and work in both IP prosecution and litigation, potentially in-house someday!

Maria Blough

Voiceless Victims: Using the Rules of Usufruct to Prosecute Russian Environmental Crimes in Ukraine

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-blough/

Marie Blough is a 2L from a small town outside of Grand Rapids, MI. She is excited to share my passion for international law at the Academic Exchange Experience. Within this area of law, her focus is on international criminal law and how international courts/entities can balance the need for accountability with preserving the due process rights of the accused.

Sawsan Almzaian

Fortifying and Guarding Against Organ Trafficking: Evaluating Ohio's Legal Framework to Prevent and Deter the Crime - A Comparative Study

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sawsan-almzaian-3409a7134/

Sawsan Almzaien is an S.J.D. candidate at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, specializing in human trafficking with a focus on organ trafficking. She practiced law in Jordan with over 13 years of legal practice in criminal law, and is preparing to sit for the New York Bar Exam next year. Sawsan's research adopts a comparative and practice-oriented approach, examining legal gaps in U.S. federal and state frameworks, particularly in Ohio, New York, and Massachusetts. It also incorporates a pioneering empirical component based on stakeholder perspectives. Her recent academic visit to The Hague, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, has significantly deepened her understanding of international criminal law. Sawsan's work bridges criminal law, public health, and human rights, with a focus on advancing legal reform and strengthening responses to organ trafficking.

Natalie Eighmey

When Sanctions Become Starvation: Venezuela, Class Disparities, and the Limits of Humanitarian Exemptions

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-eighmey/

Natalie Eighmey grew up in Troy, Michigan. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2023 with degrees in Social Relations & Policy and Comparative Cultures & Politics, along with minors in Spanish and Asian Pacific American Studies. After taking a gap year working as a Global Procurement Associate in Metro Detroit, she began my legal studies here at Case Western, where she is now a 2L and a Vattel International Law Scholar. Natalie currently serves as President of the Women’s Law Association and as Secretary of both the Student Bar Association and the National Lawyers Guild.

Nyla Williams

How West African Countries Use Geographical Indications to Protect Products of Origin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyla-williams-1b1a4b1b6/

Nyla Williams is from Douglasville, Georgia and attended George Washington University, where she completed a B.A. in International Affairs - Comparative, Political, Economic and Social Structures. She is interested in International Law and Intellectual Property, and enjoys cooking, vintage shopping, laughing, and walking in her spare time. Nyla has previously held roles with the United States Senate, NALP/PSJD, Escobedo- Bohorquez & Associates (Peruvian Law Firm), and April's Southern Bistro & Bar (Family Restaurant). She has also been to the Equator.

Zenab Ali

Competition Law and Market Dynamics: A Comparison Between the U.S., EU, and GCC Systems with Focus on Big Technology Companies

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zenab-ali-772962300/

Zenab Ali is an SJD candidate and legal researcher specializing in the intersection of law and technology. She is from the United Arab Emirates and holds an LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis. She has an established record of academic excellence, including published research, conference participation, and research awards. Her research and interests focus on big technology companies, competition law, and artificial intelligence, with a particular emphasis on comparative approaches to consumer protection. She is also the author of one of the first studies in the Middle East on medical reporting and its legal liability, which has been cited in legal scholarship and journals. Zenab is currently pursuing her doctoral research under the supervision of Professor Eric Chaffee, with a commitment to developing forward-looking legal frameworks for rapidly evolving technologies.

Samantha Ready

Separate and Still Unequal: Educational Privatization, School Vouchers, and the Fragmentation of Civil Rights Protections Under Federal Law

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-ready17/

Samantha Ready grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas and graduated with B.A. degrees in Ethnic Studies and Geography in 2022. She currently a fourth year JD/MSW dual degree student. During my time at CWRU, she has had opportunities to intern with Community Legal Aid Services and The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland in both housing groups; the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Public Defender's Office in the parent division; Equality Ohio's Legal Clinic; and now completing her capstone with the Kramer Health Law Clinic. After graduation and passage of the bar, she will be working as a Regional Staff Attorney with the Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Olivia Thomas

Never-ending Work: Addressing Underutilization of the T Nonimmigrant Visa for Victims of Labor Trafficking

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-carolina-thomas419/

Olivia Thomas is a 2L, Associate Editor on the Journal of International Law. Raised in Toledo, Ohio, Olivia completed her undergraduate studies at Miami University (OH), where she earned a Bachelor's degree in International Studies, Spanish, and Latin American Studies. She is passionate about immigration law and currently work as a legal assistant at Costas Law Firm in Independence, Ohio.

Kayli Bardy

Turning the Page on Government Speech: How Modern Judicial Approaches are Rewriting Library Law and Why They're Wrong

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylibardy/

Kayli Bardy is from Seven Hills, Ohio and loves being back near her hometown for law school. Kayli graduated from the Ohio State University in 2022 with a dual-degree in Political Science and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies. After college, Kayli worked at the Cincinnati Bar Association as an Events Coordinator and lived in Germany for 9 months as an au pair. Kayli is interested in pursuing appellate-level litigation this summer at Jones Day and is thrilled to serve as the incoming Editor-In-Chief of the Case Western Law Review.

Kennedy Jester

The Eighth Amendment’s Reach Beyond the Cell: Healthcare Obligations for Compassionate Release

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennedy-jester/

Kennedy Jester is a second-year student at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Prior to this, they attended Trine University, earning a B.S. in Exercise Science with minors in Psychology and Spanish. Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, they have two years of experience in the nonprofit industry during their undergraduate career. Their legal interests are public defense and health law.

Mindi Week

Discrimination through the Direct Threat Defense: A Case Study on Healthcare Providers with HIV

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-week-mph-913433244/

Mindi Week is a 3L, Chicago-native, interested in heading home to practice litigation related to healthcare. They have a BA in biology and Master's Degree in public health. Most of Mindi's legal research focuses on topics related to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and discrimination generally as it relates to public health topics.

Gina DeCesare

Calibrating Contract Interpretation: Matching Method to Need

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-d/

I am a second-career law student from Cleveland, Ohio with a background in law enforcement and intelligence analysis. I am interested in transactional law, including contracts, commercial and sales law, and intellectual property, with an emphasis on how legal frameworks facilitate business operations and innovation.

Aabid Shivji

Teaching an Old Law New Tricks: Adapting the WARN Act and NLRA to Better Address the Needs of Workers in a Post-AI Worker Ecosystem

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aabidshivji/

Aabid Shivji is a 2L from Grapevine, Texas. Previously working with state government public benefits agencies as a technology consultant, he hopes to transition to a career in the legal field focusing on labor & employment practice, as well as technology policy on emerging solutions such as artificial intelligence.

Evan Coons

A Jury of Your Peers? An Analysis in the Composition of Military Jury Panels

https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-coons-a68159189/

Evan Coons is a current 3L at CWRU Law originally from Scranton, PA. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 2023 with a BA in Economics, Government/Legal Studies, and a minor in Visual Arts. Evan's interest is primarily in criminal law, highlighted by his past internships with the Army JAG Corps., U.S. Attorney's Office (Criminal Division NDOH), and Summit County Legal Defenders. After law school, he plans to commission into the Army JAG Corps., as he accepted this offer at the start of his 2L year through the Army's Early Decision Program. Additionally, he currently serves as the Publishing Editor for the Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet.

Jennifer Parrish

Narrative Fidelity and the "Perfect" Plaintiff: How Strategic Storytelling Shapes Doctrine and Public Perception

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennieparrish/

Jennie Parrish is a 2L at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Originally from Rocky River, Ohio, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in Public Relations, along with Certificates in Music Business and Legal Studies. At CWRU, she is a Legal Writing Teaching Assistant, Executive Online Editor of Case Western Reserve Law Review, President of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, and Vice President of the Student Federal Bar Association. Following her 1L year, she completed a federal judicial externship with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, and served as a research assistant for Professor Maxwell Mehlman. She is particularly interested in intellectual property, data management, and litigation, and looks forward to gaining experience in these areas as a summer associate at BakerHostetler this summer.