ACADEMY OFFICERS

Dr. James G. Apple, President - Former Chief, Interjudicial Affairs Office, United States Federal Judicial Center. During his nine and one-half year tenure at the Federal Judicial Center Dr. Apple directed or co-directed more than 50 seminars and hundreds of briefings for judges and legal officials from 152 countries, in addition to his other duties. He has published numerous articles for both U.S. and foreign publications on judges, courts and court administration and has lectured on those subjects at judicial training institutes and universities outside the United States. Before coming to Washington in 1990 Dr. Apple was a practicing trial lawyer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for 25 years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Law Institute, and holds the rank of Advocate with the American Board of Trial Advocates.He has a B.A. with Honors in Philosophy degree from the University of Virginia, a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia Law School, where he was an editor of the Virginia Law Review, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in international and comparative law from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He was awarded first prize in the British Red Cross national essay competition on international humanitarian law in 1990, for which he received short residential fellowships at the Henri Dunant Institute in Geneva, Switzerland and the Institute of International Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy. He is co-author of A Primer on the Civil Law System and Manual for Cooperation Between State and Federal Courts, both published by the Federal Judicial Center.

Dr. Ricardo Li Rosi, Vice-President - Judge Li Rosi is currently judge of the Court of Appeal (National Court System) in Buenos Aires. He was first appointed a judge in the national courts of Argentina in 1991. He holds teaching appointments at several universities in Argentina, including the Schools of Law at the University of Buenos Aires and the University of Conception del Uruguay, and the School of Law and Social Sciences of University Studies Private School for Corporations Business Management. He is a member of the Committee for Training and Academic Activities of the Association of Magistrates and Officers of the National Body of Justice. Judge Li Rosi has lectured and published widely in Argentina, other countries in Latin America, and in Spain on a variety of topics relating to the effective functioning of judges and court systems. He received his law degree from the School of Law of the University of Buenos Aires, where he was awarded two academic medals for his scholarship. In 1997 he was a Visiting Foreign Judicial Fellow at the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, D.C.

Betty Lupinacci, Treasurer.

ACADEMY STAFF IN WASHINGTON, DC

Dr. James G. Apple, President and Resident Director, North American Office – Former Chief, Interjudicial Affairs Office, United States Federal Judicial Center. During his nine and one-half year tenure at the Federal Judicial Center Dr. Apple directed or co-directed more than 50 seminars and hundreds of briefings for judges and legal officials from 152 countries, in addition to his other duties. He has published numerous articles for both U.S. and foreign publications on judges, courts and court administration and has lectured on those subjects at judicial training institutes and universities outside the United States. Before coming to Washington in 1990 Dr. Apple was a practicing trial lawyer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for 25 years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Law Institute, and holds the rank of Advocate with the American Board of Trial Advocates.  He has a B.A. with Honors in Philosophy degree from the University of Virginia, a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia Law School, where he was an editor of the Virginia Law Review, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in international and comparative law from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He was awarded first prize in the British Red Cross national essay competition on international humanitarian law in 1990, for which he received short residential fellowships at the Henri Dunant Institute in Geneva, Switzerland and the Institute of International Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy. He is co-author of A Primer on the Civil Law System and Manual for Cooperation Between State and Federal Courts, both published by the Federal Judicial Center.

Christine White - Executive Assistant to the President and Office Manager, Washington, DC - From 2005 to 2007 Ms. White worked as an Associate Program Director at Capital Educators, an SAT and college preparation company, based in Rockville, MD. She graduated magna cum laude from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service. She majored in International Politics, with a concentration in international law, institutions, and ethics.

ACADEMY STAFF IN ARGENTINA

Dr. Ricardo Li Rosi, Vice-President and Director of Latin American Programs, Buenos Aires – Judge Li Rosi is currently judge of the Court of Appeal (National Court System) in Buenos Aires. He was first appointed a judge in the national courts of Argentina in 1991. He holds teaching appointments at several universities in Argentina, including the Schools of Law at the University of Buenos Aires and the University of Conception del Uruguay, and the School of Law and Social Sciences of University Studies Private School for Corporations Business Management. He is a member of the Committee for Training and Academic Activities of the Association of Magistrates and Officers of the National Body of Justice. Judge Li Rosi has lectured and published widely in Argentina, other countries in Latin America, and in Spain on a variety of topics relating to the effective functioning of judges and court systems. He received his law degree from the School of Law of the University of Buenos Aires, where he was awarded two academic medals for his scholarship. In 1997 he was a Visiting Foreign Judicial Fellow at the Federal Judicial Center in Washington, D.C.

Hon. Gustavo Bossert, President of the Academic Committee of the Latin American Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Justice Bossert is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Argentina, a position to which he was appointed in 1994 and which he held until he resigned from the Court in 2002. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court he was a judge in the National Court System for ten years. He is Professor of Civil Law at the National University of Buenos Aires and was a guest professor in the Universite Pantheon-Asas in Paris from 1992 to 2003. He has published over one hundred articles in legal publications on a variety of legal subjects and has lectured widely in Argentina, other South American countries and in Europe on judicial and legal issues. He is co-author of the Argentina revised laws on the subject of marriage, divorce, child custody and parental rights. He is a member of the Institute of Civil Law of the Argentine Academy of Law, the Institute of Law in Rosario, and the Argentine Foundation of Arbitration and Conciliation in Buenos Aires. Justice Bossert has published four books of short stories and two novels, for which he has received awards in Argentina and Spain. One of his novels is currently being made into a film in France.

Dr. Javier Fernández, Director, Argentine Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Dr. Fernandez is currently First Instance Civil Court (National Court System) in Buenos Aires. He is a professor on the Faculty of Law of the University of Buenos Aires. He also teaches law at the Law School of the University of Concepcion del Uruguay and has held academic appointments at other universities in Argentina. He has engaged in legal research at the National School of Magistrates in France. Dr. Fernandez is a graduate of the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires.

Dr. Gabriela Scolarici, Deputy Director. Argentine Office – Dr. Scolarici is currently First Instance Civil Court (National Court System) in Buenos Aires. Specializes in Procedure Law. She is a professor on the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Buenos Aires. She has taken courses oriented to European Law in Salamanca University (Spain). She has published articles in legal publications on a variety of legal subjects. She had participated in national and international conferences. Member of the MERCOSUR´s Commission of the Association of Magistrates and Officers of the National Body of Justice (1998/2000). Member of the Management Commission of the Court of Appeal (National Court System) in Buenos Aires (2008). Member of the Information Technology Commission of the Court of Appeal (National Court System) in Buenos Aires (2008).     

Dr. Aldo Álvarez, President of Development and Support Board of the Latin American Office, Buenos Aires – Dr. Aldo Álvarez is an Argentine lawyer and businessman whose main areas of expertise are insurance and reinsurance. In 2003, Dr. Álvarez founded Noble S. A. Aseguradora de Responsabilidad Profesional, a casualty insurance company. He is the controlling shareholder and, since 2004, President of Noble. Since 1987, Dr. Álvarez has also been the senior and managing partner of Estudio Dr. Aldo A. Álvarez, a law firm which specializes in insurance and reinsurance cases, handling both national and international clients. He is also a member of Eagle International Associates Inc., ADEAA (Association of Argentine Insurers) and a member of Buenos Aires city and San Isidro city Bar Associations. In addition, he maintains a close working relationship with HONIG METTETAL NDIAYE, Paris, one of the largest European law firms. Dr. Álvarez has been a Professor of Constitutional Law at Buenos Aires University and Lecturer of Political Science at the Catholic University of Argentina. He was also Academic Coordinator and Director of the first Seminar on Justice and Insurance organized by the International Judicial Academy in Buenos Aires in November, 2006. In November 2006, the International Judicial Academy appointed Dr. Álvarez as President of the Development and Support Board for South America. In February 2007, el Dr. Álvarez was appointed as Member of the Academic Board of the Insurance Master of University del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He obtained his LL.B. degree in 1987 at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Dr. Julián Herrera, Executive Assistant to the Resident Director, Buenos Aires – Dr. Herrera is currently clerk of a First Instance Civil Court in Buenos Aires. He is a professor of civil law at the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires. He has a law degree from the University of Buenos Aires.

Dr. Adrián Pablo Ricordi, Executive Assistant to the Resident Director, Buenos Aires, Argentina - Dr. Ricordi is currently clerk of a First Instance Civil Court in Buenos Aires. He is a professor of civil law at the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires, of the University of Morón and of the University of Lomas de Zamora.

ACADEMY STAFF IN CHILE

Hon. Haroldo Brito Cruz, Academic Committee – Justice Haroldo Brito Cruz is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Chile. President of the Judicial Study Institute “Hernán Correa de la Cerda”. He has been president of the Association of Magistrates of the National Body of Justice, Latin American Federation of Magistrates. He has also been Vice President of the International Union of Magistrates. He is a professor of the Center University of Chile.

Hon. Héctor Carreño Seaman, Academic Committee – Justice Héctor Carreño Seaman is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Chile. He is a professor on the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile and of the Judicial Academy of Chile. Scholarship Holder Fulbrigth for the study of Law in the Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, California (1994). Internship on Paris and Burdeos about Evaluation System, Scholl of Magistrates (1997).

Dr. Diego Sempértegui Limare, Academic Committee – Judge Sempértegui Limare is currently judge of the Court of Appeal in Concepción. He has been president of the Association of Magistrates of the National Body of Justice. He is currently president of the Regional Association to Bio- Bio. He is university professor and director of the Judicial Study Institute.

Dr. Carlos Zepeda Hernández, Academic Committee – Lawyer. He also has education on industrial civil engineering.  Dr. Zepeda Hernández is managing partner of Estudio “Espina, Zepeda & Acosta”, a law firm which specializes in business and corporative issues, handling national and international clients as D&S, McDonald Chile, Pfizer Chile, ING, Reebok Chile, Ernst&Young, Viña Tarapacá, Jucosa, Bancard, Corporación Educacional Pedro de Valdivia, Metalpar e Inmobiliaria Simonetti.

Dr. Raúl Tavolari Oliveros, Academic Committee – Lawyer. He is a profesor on the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile. He also teaches law at the Law School of the University of Valparaíso and of the Center University. He is co-author of the Criminal Law Procedure, co-author of the First DRAST of the organic law to the Public Department and Advicer of the Executive Authority in the DRAST of the Arbitration Law. He has published articles in legal publications on a variety of legal subjects. He is member of the International Association of Procedure Law. He is also honorary member of the Uruguayan Institute of Procedure Law. He is currently president of the Ibero American Institute of Procedure Law. Dr. Tavolari is the main managing partner of “Estudio Tavolari Abogados”, founded in Valparaíso on 1915 y and partner of “Estudio Tavolari Abogados & Rodríguez y Compañía” (Santiago).

Dr. Luis Francisco Avilés Mellado, Executive Director – Dr. Mellado is currently criminal magistrate judge in the city of Santiago.  Previously he was a clerk for the Santiago Court of Appeals. He is a law graduate from the University of Chile and post graduate in criminal law in the University of Barcelona an Pompeu Fabra, Spain. He is also a litigation professor in the University Adolfo Ibáñez in Santiago and he is an assistant in the same area in the University of Chile. He cooperates with the Justice Study Center of the Law Faculty of the University of Chile and in the Judicial Studies Institute, and has also participated in several courses as an instructor in the Chilean Judicial Academy. 

Dr. Mauricio Olave Astorga, Executive Vice Director.  Dr. Astorga has a degree in Criminal Law in the North Catholic University (Chile). Dr. Olave Astorga is currently judge of the Criminal Court in Santiago.