Irina Sivachenko ’13, a Russian-born graduate of Yale University and Boston College Law School, has been accepted as a Stephen M. Kellen Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). This five-year program gives young professionals in a variety of fields access to the upper echelon of foreign affairs and the opportunity to be part of the conversation on international relations and policy.
She was nominated by Professor David Wirth, a life member of the organization, who praised her as “singularly outstanding” in his International Law course. “Irina is one of the liveliest and quickest students I have had the pleasure of teaching at BC Law School,” said Wirth. “Her varied life experience informed her work in the classroom, as I’m sure it will at the council, to which she will be a tremendous asset.”
Now a senior associate at Latham & Watkins in New York representing clients in international arbitration proceedings and complex global investigations, Sivachenko participated in the Law School’s London Program in 2013, where she worked closely with Cherie Blair at the legal consultancy Omnia Strategy. In 2016, she spent time in the Global Conflicts and Risk Governance Group at JP Morgan.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining CFR’s term member program. It will be an invaluable learning experience and I look forward to meeting other CFR members. Many thanks to Professor Wirth for his incredible class, inspiration, and encouragement, and to BC Law for providing me with so many opportunities to further expand my horizons.”
Sivachenko is also dedicated to pro bono work and in 2018, along with two of her Latham & Watkins colleagues, received the Sanctuary for Families’ 2018 Above & Beyond Pro Bono Achievement Award for advocacy and representation of victims of gender-based violence. This year, she joined the organization’s Pro Bono Council.