President – Hildur Hjörvar
Hildur is a Fulbright scholar and LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees summa cum laude from the University of Iceland, and a second Master’s degree in European Human Rights Law with honours from the University of Strasbourg. She is admitted to the Bar in Iceland.Vice-President – Alexander Canetta
Alexander Canetta, an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School, is originally from Belgium. He holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Ghent. During his studies, he spent a semester at Panthéon-Sorbonne University in Paris and interned at various law firms in Brussels.
Alexander’s academic interests include law and economics, legal theory, and antitrust law. He is also actively involved in the Harvard University Belgian Student Society. Previously, he has been a board member for MUN Society Belgium, a group of Belgian motivated students participating in Model United Nations conferences around the world
In his free time, Alexander enjoys cooking, reading, and running.
Conference Co-Chair – Justine Haekens
Justine holds a Master’s degree in Law from KU Leuven and is currently pursuing an LL.M. at Harvard Law School. Her primary focus within European law is EU competition law, a subject she explores in depth through her PhD research at KU Leuven. In her doctoral work, Justine analyzes various manifestations of economic power and examines the role of EU competition law in addressing them.
Conference Co-Chair – Pieterjan Heynen
Pieterjan is a Belgian LL.M. student at Harvard Law School. Prior to joining HLS, Pieterjan obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degree of laws at the University of Leuven (Belgium). Upon graduation in 2021, he started to work as a Ph.D. Researcher in Financial Law, also at the University of Leuven. His dissertation is concerned with the expanding remit of central banks, which have assumed ever more tasks and responsibilities following the financial crisis. Not surprisingly, his academic interests encompass European financial law and regulation, central banking and monetary policy.
Academic Events Committee – Florence Seghers
Florence is an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School from Belgium. She holds a Master’s degree in Law from KU Leuven (2021) and an LL.M. in European Legal Studies from the College of Europe (2022).
Before attending Harvard, Florence worked at the European Commission (DG CNECT). In September 2023, she was admitted to the Brussels Bar and practiced in the TMT/IP department of Linklaters, focusing primarily on the new European digital regulations, including the AI Act, Data Act, Data Governance Act, and GDPR.
Florence’s main academic interests lie in technology and competition law. At Harvard, she is also actively engaged in pro bono work with the Harvard Law Recording Artists Project (RAP) and the Berkman Klein Center.
In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and engaging in meaningful conversations with friends over a beer.
Academic Events Committee – Julius Baum
Julius is an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School from Germany. He earned his primary law degree from Humboldt University of Berlin. After completing his degree, he worked as a research and teaching assistant, focusing on private and corporate law. Julius’ doctoral project examines the relationship between corporations and partnerships as well as the protection of minority shareholders, focusing on the right to contest resolutions.Academic Events Committee – Natasza Gadowska
Natasza Gadowska is an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School from Poland. She holds her primary law degree from Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where she is also currently pursuing a Ph.D. in new technologies law. Natasza’s academic journey has taken her across five universities on three continents, including the University of Melbourne, the University of California San Diego, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LUMSA University in Rome, and the University of Basel.
Her research focuses on privacy, data, and AI governance from a comparative EU-US perspective. Before joining Harvard, Natasza gained professional experience at the OECD, the United Nations, the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics at the University of Melbourne, and various law firms, contributing to projects on AI, privacy, international trade, and competition law.
At Harvard, she serves as Class Marshal and is actively engaged in the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology, and the Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project. Natasza is passionate about art and can often be found at the theater, ballet, or an art gallery. Otherwise, she enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, surfing, or undertaking new adventurous activities.
Academic Events Committee – Pietro Baravelli
Pietro is an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School from Italy. He holds a J.D. from the Catholic University of Milan.
Before attending Harvard, Pietro worked at the Milan office of Latham & Watkins and then moved to the Italian law firm Chiomenti, where he gained experience in both the Milan and London offices, focusing primarily on M&A, private equity, and corporate law.
Pietro’s main academic interests include corporate law, securities regulation, private equity, and startup law. At Harvard, he is also involved in pro bono work with the Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project (HELP), where he serves as a Team Leader.
Pietro enjoys playing soccer and cooking in his spare time and is a passionate dog enthusiast.
Academic Events Committee – Thomas Van Gerven
Thomas is an LL.M student at Harvard Law School from Leuven, Belgium. After receiving a Master’s degree in Law from KU Leuven in 2022, he completed a Specialized Master’s in European law at the Institut d’études européennes (IEE-ULB). In September 2023, Thomas was called to the Brussels Bar. He practiced as an antitrust attorney at Belgium’s largest independent law firm, Eubelius. As a teaching assistant at the KU Leuven Institute for Private International Law, Thomas supervises students writing their master’s thesis in the area of Conflict of Laws. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, swimming, and reading.
Communications Director – Alex Casey
Alex Casey is an LL.M. candidate at Harvard Law School from Ireland. He holds an LL.B. in Law Plus (Politics and International Relations) and an LL.M. in International Commercial Law from the University of Limerick. Prior to this year, he has been working as a Teaching and Research Assistant across numerous Irish law schools. His research primarily explores the outer boundaries of antitrust law and where this discipline intersects with intellectual property, technology and contractual freedoms.
Alex is a European enthusiast and has held various roles within the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA). At Harvard, Alex is also currently involved in the Harvard International Law Journal, Human Rights Journal, Harvard Rugby Team and HL Central. Most importantly, Alex is a self-confessed sportsaholic (his favorites including rugby, soccer, American football and basketball).
Faculty Sponsor – David Kennedy
David Kennedy is Manley O. Hudson Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Harvard Law School where he teaches international law, international economic policy, legal theory, law and development and European law. He joined the Harvard Law faculty in 1981 and holds a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a J.D. from Harvard. He is the author of numerous articles on international law and global governance. His research uses interdisciplinary materials from sociology and social theory, economics and history to explore issues of global governance, development policy and the nature of professional expertise. He has been particularly committed to developing new voices from the third world and among women in international affairs.