Dr. Sena Afua Dei-Tutu

Category: 
Faculty
Rank: 
Lecturer
 

Dr. Sena Afua Dei-Tutu is an accomplished lawyer with a strong grasp of rule of law, gender and development issues.  Until August 2015, Dr. Dei-Tutu worked as Judicial System Advisor and a Legal Trainer with the United Nations Mission in Liberia.  Dr. Dei Tutu has over 16 years experience in the fields of rule of law, gender justice and security sector reform in international and post conflict settings.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON                                                                    August 2015- present

Lecturer

  • Currently work as law lecturer at the School of Law of the University of Ghana where I teach courses in Criminal Law, Law of Contract, Public International Law and Criminal Law.
  • Serve as Academic and thesis supervisor for Masters’ students at the Law School of the University of Ghana in the field of ADR and Human Rights Law.
  • Currently work in collaboration with a colleague from Howard University to run an interdisciplinary course on Gender, Law and Human Rights for students at the University of Ghana Law School   with funding provided by the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program.
  • Currently researching and writing a paper on Gender and the Judiciary with focus on African women judges working in International Courts.

 

KOFI ANANN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING TRAINING CENTRE       

Adjunct Lecturer                                                                                            October 2015-present

  • Teach a class on Gender Rights and International Law at the Masters Level to students studying for a degree in Gender, Peace and Security.
  • Teach a class in Gender, Human Rights and Conflict in Africa at the Masters Level to students studying for a degree in Conflict, Peace and Security.

 

POLICE PROSECUTOR TRAINING
Consultant/Trainer                                                                                          January 2016-present

  • Work as a consultant and a trainer in Criminal Law for the training of all Police Prosecutors throughout the country.
  • Co-Developed Training manual for use by Police Prosecutor’s on Criminal Law

 

UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN LIBERIA                                                            November 2007- August 2015

Judicial Systems Advisor /Legal Officer/Trainer

  • As the Head of Unit of the Legal Education and Training Section of the rule of  law Division of the United Nations Mission in Liberia, my work involved helping develop a strategy for the consolidation of a national legal framework for post civil war Liberia;
  • Collaborated with national legal and judicial institutions, relevant UN organizations partners to help develop  and establish the rule of law in post conflict Liberia;
  • Aided the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice in establishing a level of functionality by conducting training workshops and seminars; I also aided these organizations by providing them with legal and technical advice.
  • Maintained an ongoing collaborative working relationship with representatives of national legal and judicial institutions.
  • Worked in close collaboration with the Ministry of Gender in Liberia to help develop and implement a national gender policy for Liberia.
  • Was also an active member of a team that worked on developing the national action plan for the Liberian government in addressing sexual and gender based violence in the country.
  • Provided legal and technical assistance to the Liberian National Bar Association and the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia;
  • Developed policies that led to the development and reform of the Security Sector in Liberia.

 

LEGAL CONSULTANCY (GHANA)

Self Employed                                                                                                     January 2007-October 2007

  • Served as a legal Consultant for various local and international NGO’S in Ghana;
  • Conducted research and wrote papers on various national and international legal issues for the organizations with whom I worked, amongst which were the USAID and the GTZ;
  • Travelled to different parts of West Africa to provide legal advice to projects sponsored by these international NGO’s.

 

BARRERA ASSOCIATES (Washington DC)   

Associate                                                                                                      September 2006-November 2006

  • Worked with this Professional and Administrative Management Consultant group in Washington DC.

 

AQUAH SAMPSON & ASSOCIATES (Law Firm) Accra, Ghana                          December 1999- October 2005

Legal Officer/Partner

  • Conducted all aspects of litigation preparation for clients of the law firm;
  • Reviewed and drafted commercial contracts and assisted in the negotiation of such agreements;
  • Prepared legal opinions on various aspects of Ghana Law;
  • Wrote memoranda as to the admissibility of documents at hearings and represented clients in court;
  • Performed general company secretarial duties.

 

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON                                                                     October 2004-February 2005

Lecturer, Business School

  • Taught classes in Business and Commercial law at the Business school;

 

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA

Legal Intern, Trial Chamber                                                                             September 2003- March 2004.

  • Wrote briefs and conducted research on International Criminal Law matters.
  • Drafted motions and wrote various legal opinions.
  • Reviewed evidence that was used in writing judicial decisions.
  • Participated in deliberations with judges on various International Human Rights and Criminal Law issues that were pertinent to the judgments rendered by the Chamber.

 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT, SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI

Judicial Intern                                                                                                   August 2002- October 2002

  • Conducted research on cases pending in court.
  • Wrote memoranda, observed proceedings in court and partook in general legal processes of the court.

 

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYSCHOOL OF LAW                     

Research Assistant                                                                                             August 2002- Dec 2006

  • Conducted Research on various International Law issues for a Professor in the Faculty in the areas of International Investment Law, Foreign Direct Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, Public International Law and Human Rights law.
  • Assisted in the writing of papers and memoranda that were presented at seminars and conferences.
  • Conducted extensive research and writing for the writing of a book on Foreign Direct Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN LAWYERS, Ghana branch                

Legal Officer                                                                                                                December 1998-August 2001

  • Represented clients in court in family law matters.
  • Acted as a mediator in domestic relations and child welfare matters.
  • Researched and wrote papers on legal issues related to domestic law in Ghana
  • Organized various workshops and training seminars throughout Ghana for employers regarding the law on employment and child rights in Ghana.

 

EDUCATION

Washington University School Of Law: August 2001- December 2006

  • Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) Degree December, 2006

Fields of study: Public International Law, Law and Development. Good governance and Institutional reform. The African Union, NEPAD and the African Peer Review Mechanism.

  • Masters of Law (LLM) May 2002.

Concentration: Public International Law, Foreign Direct Investment and International    
           Criminal Law.

GHANA SCHOOL OF LAW: Accra, Ghana:                                                              October 1997- June 1999

  • Professional Certificate for Law Practice in Ghana, Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana.

 

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA LEGON:Accra, Ghana:                                                     October 1993- June 1997.

  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

 

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing, Michigan,                                      May 2001                                                    

  • 1 month course on the internet and networking for African Women Leaders.

 

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Ghana Bar; Admitted in October 1999
  • New York Bar; Admitted in May 2004

 

MEMBERSHIP OF ORGANIZATIONS

  • Ghana Bar Association (1999)
  • Member New York Bar Association (2004)
  • International Federation of Women Lawyers(1999)
  • INPROL (International Network to Promote the rule of law)

 

 

  • Co-Author; “Training Handbook for Democracy and Human Rights Education”. Institute of Democracy and Human Rights Education, WABA. 2005
  • “Foreign Direct Investment in Ghana, A reality or another Pipedream”, (2001) LLM Paper, Washington University School of Law
  • “The New Partnership For Africa’s Development and the African Peer review Mechanism, A means of Good Governance and Development?  The Ghana Case” (2006), SJD Dissertation.