Sylvia Kang'ara
Assistant Professor of Law
Professor Kang'ara joined the UW law school faculty in 2006 and teaches first year property and international law. She also teaches in the African Studies program at the Jackson School of International Studies. Professor Kang'ara graduated from Harvard Law School with an LL.M. and an S.J.D in Comparative Private Law and Property Theory and holds an LL.B. from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Her research focuses on the interaction of ideas that shape our understanding of property, poverty, and difference.
As a doctoral fellow, Professor Kang'ara taught a workshop on comparative property law at the European Law Research Center, Harvard Law School. She also received academic awards during her doctoral research including the American Association of University Women International Fellowship in 1998, the Institute for the Study of World Politics Fellowship in 2000, and a research grant from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in 2001.
Prior to undertaking advanced legal studies, Professor Kang'ara was a legal consultant on law reform for the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya). After graduate studies, Professor Kang'ara worked in the project finance and equipment leasing department of the New York law firm of White & Case, LLP before joining the faculty of Oklahoma City University Law School as a visiting assistant professor.
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Joel Ngugi
Associate Professor of Law
Professor Ngugi joined the faculty in 2004. His research interests include the role of law in economic development, the role of governments in market regulation and wealth allocation, and legal reforms in transition and developing economies. He teaches Contracts Law and Contracts Theory, Public and Private International Law (including courses in Law and Development, International Business Transactions, Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples Rights, International Economic Law), and Business Organizations. Professor Ngugi was selected by the students as a Philip A. Trautman Professor of the Year for 2004-05.
Prior to joining the faculty, Professor Ngugi practiced law with the Boston law firm of Foley Hoag, LLP, as a corporate and international litigation associate. He also practiced law with the Kenyan firm Kariuki Muigua & Company Advocates. Professor Ngugi has worked with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and conducted research work for the Global Coalition for Africa/World Bank, Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at Harvard University and at the Global Trade Watch Division of the Public Citizens, Inc. in Washington, DC.
At Harvard University, he was one of two recipients of the John Gallup Laylin Prize in International Law in 2002. At Harvard, his many fellowships and grants included the Clark Byse Fellowship (for academic distinction among graduate students) and the European Law Research Center Seminar Fellowship. Professor Ngugi was also awarded dissertation fellowship grants from the Institute for the Study of World Politics, Washington, DC and the MacArthur-Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
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