Maike M. Lara Espinal LL.M.

Maike Miguel Lara Espinal, born on January 25, 2002, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, is a distinguished legal scholar with an outstanding academic and professional track record. He completed his LL.M. in Transnational Legal Practice at St. John’s University School of Law, graduating as Valedictorian in May 2024. During his time at St. John’s, Maike was recognized with multiple scholarships and awards, including the Saavedra Family Scholarship awarded by the Dominican Bar Association in 2023, and several Dean’s Excellence Awards in International Law, Business Organizations, Legal Writing II, and Applied Legal Analysis. He has worked as a law clerk in the New York State Assembly, collaborating with Assemblymen Jake Blumencranz and George Alvarez, where he led legal and legislative research initiatives. He also served as the international programs coordinator at the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic, overseeing the coordination of international projects. At the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission of the OAS, he evaluated legal and regulatory frameworks in Latin America. Maike has authored various publications in legal journals, including “The Need to Promote Technical-Scientific Diplomacy in Central America and the Caribbean” and “The Escalation of the Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Towards a New Paradigm in Human Rights.” His latest article for the New York International Law Review is awaiting publication. He has represented the Dominican Republic in numerous international forums, including the 52nd OAS General Assembly in Lima, Peru, the 9th Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, CA, and the 10th World Bank Youth Summit in Washington, D.C. Fluent in Spanish, English, and French, Maike is a passionate advocate for the role of international students in LL.M. programs in the United States. His commitment to social justice and human rights, combined with his international and academic experience, makes him a highly skilled professional dedicated to promoting a fair and equitable legal framework globally.