Summer Experience: Anika Maan ’24L Anika Maan spent her summer working for the United Nations: Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Suva, Fiji.

Anika Maan ’24L

Anika Maan is a second-year law student at W&L and is originally from Loudoun County, VA. At W&L, Anika serves as a Junior Editor of the German Law Journal and is a Co-President of the International Law Society. Outside of the law school, you can find her hiking mountains, hanging with her friends’ dog (Tilli), or planning her next trip.

What did you do for work this summer?

I worked for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Suva, Fiji. I was also a research assistant for Professor Matthew Boaz (Visiting Director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic).

How did you find/get this position?

I worked with W&L Law’s Transnational Institute (huge thank you to Professor Mark Drumbl and former Professor Speedy Rice) to scout for the internship and then applied directly to the Southeast Asia office.

Describe your work experience.

I was conducting an analysis of three separate legal systems in the Pacific: Fiji, Palau, and Kiribati. We were assessing the prosecutorial ability of each country to prosecute white-collar corruption crimes (money laundering, embezzlement, abuse of office, etc.).

What were some skills you developed this summer?

Two of my primary ways of gathering data were by combing through court case dockets and meeting with important organizations to assess and identify shortcomings or issues. From these methods, I quickly became familiar with the differences between the U.S.’s legal system and legal systems within the Pacific, which gave me the comparative analytical skills to quickly translate between regulations and procedures in the U.S. and abroad.

What surprised you about the work you did this summer?

I was surprised by how quickly I took to the local experience in Suva. Also, I got a glimpse into diplomatic interactions in the Pacific, and I was surprised by just how different diplomatic relations are in person versus how they are presented in media and movies!

What was your favorite aspect of this summer work experience?

The 51^st annual Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat summit happened in Suva while I was there, so I was given the chance to sit in conversations with the Heads of State of 10 countries, including Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. Hearing about their vision for the Pacific region reinvigorated my passion for transnational collaboration.

Has this experience helped you figure out post graduate plans, and if so, how?

Ultimately, this helped me narrow down the type of law that I want to work with post-graduation.

How do you think this experience will shape the rest of your time at W&L Law?

I am excited to bring this experience to the International Law Society’s meetings this year and highlight what “international law” can be! I will also continue taking classes in this subject area to further navigate which type of law I want to practice post-graduation.