Legal Reform Across Borders
International Lawyer & Legal Reform Expert Nathalia Berkowitz brings a rare combination of courtroom experience, legislative drafting, and international advisory work to the MGIS faculty. Over the past two decades, she has worked across four continents in post-conflict and transitional countries, including Cambodia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Moldova, Somalia, and Iraq—shaping legal frameworks in environments where institutions are fragile and justice urgently needed.
While her biography reflects the depth of this global practice, her publications provide a complementary window into how her expertise has influenced international debates on gender, migration, and justice.
Judicial Practice in Moldova (Council of Europe, 2020)
In Judicial Practice in Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Cases in the Republic of Moldova, Berkowitz examined how courts handle sensitive cases involving child victims, highlighting gaps in judicial practice and the challenges of building systems that protect the most vulnerable.
Legislative Reform in Post-Conflict Settings (European Journal of Law Reform, 2019)
Her article Legislative Reform in Post-Conflict Settings: A Practitioner’s View reflects her first-hand experience advising governments and parliaments. It offers a candid account of the difficulties and opportunities of rebuilding justice systems after conflict.
Migration and Labor Across Borders (2006)
In An Unhappy Triangle – Labour Migration in Spain, Morocco, and Gibraltar, Berkowitz analyzed how migration law and economic realities intersect across borders, exposing dynamics that remain highly relevant in today’s Mediterranean migration debates.
Gender and Asylum Law (2000–2006)
As co-author of the UK Immigration Appellate Authority’s Gender Guidelines (2000) and contributor to Gender & EU Asylum Law (Brill), she anticipated the now mainstream recognition of gender-sensitive asylum procedures.
Refugees and Human Rights (2000)
Her early chapter in Circle of Rights (Forum Asia) connected refugee protection with economic, social, and cultural rights—pushing the boundaries of how refugee rights were conceived at the time.
Looking Ahead
Much of Berkowitz’s recent work has been confidential, carried out for governments and international organisations. By the end of 2025, she will be a named key contributor to an OECD report, extending her long-standing role in shaping international policy.
Why this matters for MGIS:
Nathalia Berkowitz embodies the bridge between scholarship and practice. From gender and asylum law to post-conflict legal reform, her career and publications demonstrate to MGIS students how legal research, policy design, and hands-on reform intersect to impact global governance.
