Steven Budlender (South Africa)

Steven Budlender obtained his B.A. and LL.B. degrees, both cum laude, from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, in 2000 and 2002 respectively. He ranked in the top 2% of his law class. He was the student editor of the South African Journal on Human Rights, the country's leading human rights journal, and President of the Law Students Council. In 1999, he was the best individual oralist at the All-Africa Human Rights Moot Court Competition and in 2002, was a member of the team that won the World Championship round of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Steven has conducted first-hand research into the litigation strategies of marginalized communities in South Africa and has also been extensively involved in development work amongst historically disadvantaged South African youth. Most recently he served as a law clerk to Justice Arthur Chaskalson, President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He has also lectured part-time at the University of the Witwatersrand and is currently authoring two chapters for inclusion in South Africa's leading work on constitutional law.