Rule of Law for Development Program

applications for fall 2026 are officially closed!

Thank you to everyone who applied to PROLAW this year. Our admissions team is now reviewing applications and finalizing our cohort.

We're excited to introduce our incoming class this fall. Stay tuned!

🎓 Capstones: Submitted. Class of 2026: Done.

To the Class of 2026: whether you are back home starting a new job, catching your breath, or exploring before the next chapter, we see the work you put in. Every capstone was a labor of love, and you earned this moment, whatever it looks like for you. We'll see you in September as official PROLAW alumni and we can't wait to keep this journey going with you. 🎉

📸 Grads: tell us how you're spending this season. Tag or comment, whether you're exploring somewhere new, back with family, or already deep into a new role, we want to hear it. Here are a few glimpses of 🇮🇹 from our PROLAW community to kick us off.

The Sharp Edge of Peace: Global Struggle and Local Action for Women's Rights in Afghanistan

🗓️ September 11, 2026, 12-3pm CT
📍Loyola University Chicago School of Law

This year marks 25 years since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, and Afghan women and girls continue to fight for education, safety, and basic rights under Taliban rule.

We are proud to partner with Art Works Projects to present this exhibit, film excerpt, and panel discussion featuring Afghan women’s rights leaders and advocates working alongside Afghan refugees.

Learn more and stay tuned for more updates! https://bit.ly/4x2KBCa

The Sharp Edge of Peace: Global Struggle and Local Action for Women’s Rights in Afghanistan — Art Works Projects The U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan sees its 25th anniversary on 7 October 2026. The stakes remain urgent. For Afghan women and girls, the consequences are not distant or abstract, but present in the ongoing fight for education, safety, public voice, and basic human rights under Taliban rule. In p

Spotlight

Meet Joseph Kisole, an advocate of the High Court of Zanzibar, PROLAW alum from 2020, and Country Program Manager at Lawyers Without Borders (LWOB).

At LWOB, Joseph leads projects on trafficking in persons, wildlife crime, and child protection, coordinating stakeholders and strengthening justice-sector capacity across Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.

PROLAW gave Joseph the practical, comparative toolkit and global network he now applies to strengthen justice systems and drive real-world impact.

His advice to future PROLAW students: "Use every opportunity in PROLAW to connect theory with real-world challenges and to build meaningful networks with colleagues from across the globe. The true value of the program lies in how you apply it to improve justice systems and people's lives through impactful development projects and partnerships."

Sharing reflections from alum Maria Tomak: why Ukraine should rethink communication with non‑Western countries.

Maria, a human-rights defender, journalist, and researcher, has documented war crimes, advanced international advocacy, and defended victims of political persecution. She won Ukraine’s 2017 National Human Rights Award and earned her Master of Jurisprudence in Rule of Law for Development (PROLAW) from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2020.

From 2022–2024 she led the Crimea Platform Department at the Office of the President’s Representation in the Autonomous Republic of . She now works with Truth Hounds as an embedded researcher and advocacy expert, and is a co-organizer of the Crimea Global conference.

Heading to this week? Join our Director Juliet Sorensen for the Keynote at the Shriver Summit on July 17.

Quick reminder: are eligible for the PROLAW program under the Coverdell Fellowship, a powerful pathway to deepen your impact through advanced legal training and service. Applications close August 1. https://bit.ly/PROLAWCoverdellAY27

National Peace Corps Association Peace Corps Women of Peace Corps Legacy

Loyola University Chicago - School of Law Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Questions on the program's career and post-graduate support?
Discover PROLAW's new FAQ page for all the answers! https://bit.ly/4eLSO7a.

Questions on the program's structure and learning experience?
Discover PROLAW's new FAQ page for all the answers! https://bit.ly/4eLSO7a.