A 2013 graduate of the LLM in Rule of Law for Development program (PROLAW), David Saldivar is leading policy and advocacy efforts on closing civic space for Oxfam in the United States. After graduating from Stanford Law School, Saldivar spent 10 years in state and federal government working on open government and access to information in Texas and on sentencing, habeas corpus, and asylum appeals in California. Saldivar volunteered in Jordan with the Peace Corps, which led him to enroll in Loyola's PROLAW program to transition his career to international development.

What inspired you to pursue an LLM in PROLAW at Loyola?
After my wife and I completed our Peace Corps volunteering in 2012, I thought about the transition I wanted to make in my career as a lawyer and advocate.  International development, with a focus on the law and justice sector, seemed like a natural next step. PROLAW jumped out as an interesting opportunity to explore that path.

How did your experiences with Peace Corps lead you to transition your career to policy and advocacy?
I had always worked on or around policy development and implementation and wanted to continue after Peace Corps. The experience of living in another society and culture definitely drove my interest in further exploring how principles of rights, justice, good government, and participation are borne out by the different legal structures and systems around the world.