LOURDES ESCAFFI VENES
USA 

President, Inter-American Bar Association D.C. Chapter 
Lourdes Venes is an attorney-at-law with knowledge of civil law and common law legal systems. She has been admitted to the D.C. Bar, New York State Bar, and the Lima Bar. Lourdes earned a Master of Law in International Legal Studies from Georgetown University Law Center, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Political Sciences from the University of Lima. She also has a Certificate in International Development Project Management from the Monterrey Institute of International Studies. Lourdes is a legal and organizational development professional with valuable public sector, international development, and project management experience. She volunteers coordinating a Tech Forum in partnership with the Tysons Corner Microsoft store, representing McLean Newcomers & Neighbors. 

She has served on leadership roles and is the President of the Inter-American Bar Association D.C. Chapter, and has represented the IABA as an observer in UNCITRAL meetings on international arbitration. Lourdes is a member of the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees. Prior to those appointments, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of Airline Ambassadors International AAI, supporting the NGO’s mission of human trafficking awareness and prevention, and humanitarian aid, while promoting strategic management and partnerships. Currently, she volunteers for the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force Outreach and Awareness Committee. She has also participated as a legal and organizational development consultant on corporate governance and business-related family governance for a major Peruvian manufacturing company. 

Previously, she served as Chief of Staff to the Peruvian Minister of Labor and Promotion of Employment and, in that capacity, was instrumental in developing legislative proposals to improve the department’s organizational law and to promote an efficient inspection system to ensure compliance with labor standards and on capacity-building for the implementation of the FTAs with the US and Canada; led a multidisciplinary expert team that successfully designed and secured approval of a new civil service legislation; and, the establishment of a new entity to manage government human resources. She also represented the Ministry of Labor at international events, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Developing Effective Public-Private Partnerships Symposium in Singapore, as a panelist; and, at the European Union Employment Sector’s III International EUROsociAL Network Meeting in Mexico City. 

She was the Chief of the Technical Secretariat of the High-Level Working Group for the Peruvian National Justice System Modernization Project, a council lead by the Peruvian Chief Justice; in that capacity, she led a multidisciplinary team which, under challenging deadlines and budgets, developed a strategic plan for judicial reform that reached consensus among several governmental organizations related to the administration of justice; additionally, she secured World Bank support for continuing operations of the Technical Secretariat. 

Lourdes worked as the Coordinator of the Americas Fund at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Peru, being instrumental in the successful design and implementation of the Americas. 

Fund from its inception to its inauguration; and, opened the first solicitation process in record time through a participatory process. The Fund’s objective was to support environmental, child survival and child development projects. The efficient design and the fund’s success later on led to the use of its platform to implement the Tropical Forest Conservation Act Fund. Lourdes also worked as the Chief of Staff to the first Peruvian National Ombudsman, and was part of the leading team that founded the institution, participating decisively in the organization’s design, strategic planning and management, legal framework and programs implementation. Previously, she served as Law Clerk for Justices of the Peruvian Supreme Court, working in different areas of law, with particular focus on constitutional, administrative and civil law cases; she was also an ad-honorem Legal Advisor to the President of the Justice Commission of the Peruvian National Congress, and helped draft parts of the Peruvian. 

Constitution of 1993 and legislation oriented to implement constitutional norms. Among others, she participated in the drafting of the organic laws of the Constitutional Tribunal and the National. 

Ombudsman. She was also instrumental in the drafting and approval of the organic law of the national superintendence of public registries. 

Lourdes’ academic experience includes having taught estate law at Sacred Heart Women’s University, as well as constitutional law at the University of Lima, and Constitutional Law and Political Science at the 

Peruvian Air Force War College Senior Command Course. 

Lourdes is a life member of the Inter-American Bar Association; member of the D.C. Bar Association, the New York Bar Association, the Lima Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She also appreciates participating and volunteering in community organizations and is currently in her eight year as a Board Member of McLean Newcomers, and has been leading their Tech Forum for several years. 

She has served as a Board Member of Capital Speakers Club of D.C. Chapter II, having worked in the club’s bylaws committee contributing to redefining policies and rules. She is also a member of the Arlington Chapter of Zonta International, an NGO that supports women by working to end violence affecting women and to promote women empowerment and leadership.