Celebrating the first-ever General Assembly of the ELSA IE University

On January 19, 2023, IE Law School hosted the inaugural General Assembly of ELSA IE University. The event commemorated a successful start of activities at the school, bringing together both faculty and student leaders of the chapter to chart a way forward for the organization.

ELSA IE University is the official chapter of the European Law Students Association (ELSA) at IE Law School. ELSA International is the largest, most influential association for law students in the world. In essence, it aims to help its members collectively hone and expand their skill set. The association also provides a platform for students to connect with one another, as well as with seasoned legal practitioners operating in various countries and within different legal systems in Europe. What’s more, the independent nonprofit is entirely member-led, with current students and recent graduates driving the push for legal excellence, both in academia and the professional world.

Opening the first General Assembly was the president of ELSA IE University, Jacob Dane Chilton, who offered a heartfelt message of welcome to the attendees. “I am absolutely honored to be entrusted by IE Law School to lead this thriving student organization, and I am so thrilled to see what our members can accomplish through ELSA IE University.”

Jacob paved the way for the opening remarks, presented by faculty leaders from the school. Led by Soledad Atienza, dean of IE Law School, and Mercedes Blanco, associate director of undergraduate programs, their respective addresses marked the start of this groundbreaking event.

“This initiative shows the entrepreneur profile that IE University students obtain. You’re ambassadors of our school, and you represent the diversity of the IE Community.”
Soledad Atienza, Dean of IE Law School

Next, the chapter’s student leadership team took the stage to give an in-depth presentation of ELSA IE University’s main areas of operation. For this, Jacob was joined by Elizabeth Sánchez, the chapter’s VP for professional development, and Jorge Sanjuán, its secretary general. Jorge echoed earlier sentiments, reflecting on the regional reach and global impact of the initiative. “I feel truly honored to be able to promote European law at this level. To serve this network of diverse academics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

From their address, it is clear that the association is set to unlock a breadth of benefits for its membership. From opportunities to sharpen their research and legal writing expertise through the ELSA Law Review to internships and international placements in top multinational law firms with ELSA Traineeships or the chance to travel globally and gain exposure to a plethora of legal systems, association members can enjoy a vast array of career-building perks.

Apart from welcoming new members, the central purpose of the inaugural assembly was to hold elections for various leadership positions and appoint members to the board.

According to every metric, the first-ever ELSA IE University General Assembly was a rousing success. As Elizabeth put it, “A big congratulations to the newly welcomed members of ELSA IE University’s first year in operation. We are very excited to see what the new year brings!”

Read on for a list of ELSA IE University officials:

ELECTED ELSA IE UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS

• President: Jacob Dane Chilton
• Secretary-General: Jorge Sanjuán Femenía
• Treasurer: David Jacques Grechez-Elkoubi
• VP, Professional Development: Elizabeth Sánchez Chang
• VP, Academic Activities: Karim Kiwan
• VP, Human Resources: Cecilia Seiko Nakao
• VP, Seminars & Conferences: Rose M. Van den Ende
• VP, Marketing: Dalia Mursi Del Puerto

APPOINTED ELSA IE UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS

• Director, Undergraduate Programs: Yara Ayman Anis Yousef
• Director, Standards and Ethics: Sabrina Kiara Damm
• Director, Membership: Patricia Riera Ripoll
• Segovia Campus Director: Jade Maria Toledano
• Segovia Campus Associate Director: Louis Alexander Schmitz