Joanna Brooks
Joanna Brooks is a barrister who works with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Serbia and the surrounding region.
'I helped with the first democratic elections in Kosovo as an international polling station supervisor'
I read history in London, with special reference to Eastern Europe and specialising in the former Yugoslavia, then took my Common Professional Examination (conversion course to law) at the College of Law and my professional bar examination at the Inns of Court School of Law.
From there, I did my pupillage at 4 King’s Bench Walk. During this period, I also helped with the first democratic elections in Kosovo as an international polling station supervisor.
At the beginning of 2001, I had the opportunity of moving to the then-Yugoslavia to set up four legal rehabilitation programmes, helping refugees with legal issues ranging from obtaining identity documents to the return of property and war crimes.
In 2004, I started working with UNDP on access to justice, the rule of law and judicial reform in both Serbia and the Western Balkans. I provide policy advice to UNDP and the government on justice issues; draft laws; develop projects and programmes; undertake research and analysis; and deal with stakeholders including government officials, diplomats, donors and the judiciary.