We had the pleasure to speak with Genoveva Ferrero, a recent international graduate of GW Law’s LL.M. program in government procurement law. Genoveva is from Argentina, where she is making waves in the judiciary branch of the City of Buenos Aires and assisting the government with reforming its public procurement law. Genoveva spoke with us about her GW Law experience and its practical impact on her work. She also provided helpful insights to international attorneys considering an LL.M. in government procurement law.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Could you please tell us about your professional background and the experiences that led you to enroll in the LL.M. program in government procurement?
From a very young age, my upbringing was linked to law. My father and uncle are lawyers so we spoke a lot about the law in my home. Growing up, I was also an active member of community service group in Buenos Aires. During this experience, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in law and that would help people in need.
In 2018, I graduated from the School of Law at the Argentine Pontifical Catholic University. I also hold a master’s degree in Crisis, Emergencies and Security Management from the “Rey Juan Carlos” University in Madrid, Spain. I am currently finishing a PhD. in Economy and Government at the International University “Menéndez Pelayo” from Madrid, Spain, and a Postgraduate Diploma in State Contracts and Public Infrastructure at the Austral University in the City of Buenos Aires.
My professional legal experience has been primarily focused on government work and local politics. In 2015, I was elected representative to the Legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires as vocal to the Political Tributary Budget Commission and Finance Administration, among other representations that followed. Also, in the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, I served as General Director of Supplies of the Metropolitan Police. Later, I held the position of Secretary of Administration of the Security Forces of the Government, being the head of the public procurement office of the City’s police forces. Also, for two years, I held the position of Secretary of Administration of the Judiciary, overseeing the public procurement of that branch.
I also have experience in academia. I teach law in several faculties but primarily at the law school of the University of Buenos Aires. There, I teach Public Contracting in the Administrative Law Department and Electronic Public Contracting in the Oriented Professional Cycle program.
I wanted to keep growing in the field in public procurement, and also, my future and my country’s future are very important to me. So, I decided to pursue an LL.M. in government procurement law at GW, the law school with best and most well-known academic study of public procurement. I knew that this degree would help me make an impact in improving my country’s circumstances.
Please tell us about your current role in the judiciary branch of the City of Buenos Aires.
I am the Vice President of the Council of the Judiciary of “CABA”, i.e., the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. The Council of the Judiciary is a body in charge of the selection of judges, government and administration of the Judicial Branch, whose function is to ensure its independence, guarantee the efficient provision of the service of administration of justice, promote the optimum level of its members, and achieve the satisfaction of social demands on the jurisdictional function of the State.
Before this, I was appointed as the Secretary of General Administration and Budget of the Judiciary of CABA, with the approval of the absolute majority of the Congress of CABA, where my main role was to be the head of the public procurement office of the Judiciary.
I am also the Secretary General of the Federal Forum of Judicial Councils and Trial Juries of the Argentine Republic. Its objective is to defend the rule of law, the division of powers, the independence of the Judiciary, federalism and the supremacy of the National Constitution, the International Treaties and to strengthen the independence, pluralism, transparency, and impartiality of the selection processes of magistrates.
You have had a unique opportunity to directly apply what you are learning in the LL.M. program to your work with the legislature in Buenos Aires regarding the city’s procurement law reform. Could you explain what classes and experiences at GW Law contributed to this important work?
The government procurement coursework I have taken at GW Law fundamentally changed the way I thought about our reform process. I was able to incorporate into our legal reform foundational principles of the U.S. procurement system that have been tested, successful practices, such as Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) provisions and statutes related to transparency, anti-corruption, protection of the State’s interests, bidder participation, negotiated purchases, best-value purchasing, to name a few. For example, my office most recently submitted to the Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires an amendment to Law 2,095 of the City of Buenos Aires on Procurement and Contracting, which is a bill that incorporates the best international practices to the procurement and contracting of the government of the City of Buenos Aires.
It is not uncommon for our LL.M. program to attract academics from other institutions, and this year, there were several professors enrolled in our program. Could you explain what it was like to have three professors (including yourself) as students in Professor Chris Yukins’ Comparative Government Procurement class (Law 6508)?
Professor Yukins has a vast knowledge of comparative public procurement law so it was such an honor to have taken his course. Additionally, it certainly was a unique and transformative experience to be in that class with other leading international academics in public procurement law. It really is an “only at GW Law” experience. We all come from different countries and cultures and we were able to share our knowledge every week. Not only did I broadened my knowledge of comparative public procurement law butI learned about my classmates’ academic experiences.
Could you explain your experiences in the classroom and online? You spent the first semester in residence and then moved to online classes for the second semester upon your return to Buenos Aires. What were some of the benefits you experienced with each teaching style?
I am a mother of two very young children, and I have multiple activities related to my work and my university professorships in Argentina. However, it was important to me to experience life on campus, engage with my classmates and international colleagues and profit from the vast contributions of the professors delivering the courses on campus. So, I spent my first semester in-residence in D.C.
My classroom experience was fantastic and exceeded my expectations. My interactions with my classmates was a highlight of my time here. Also, the commitment of the professors and their dedication was one of the things I most valued and took advantage of.
I then transitioned to distance-learning for my second semester, after moving back to Buenos Aires given my work and family commitments. I was pleasantly surprised by the convenience of the online semester. Even though you are not sitting in the classroom, it feels like you are there. Every week I met with my classmates and professors online. Also, the online portal of lectures and reading is very accessible and easy to navigate. I really enjoyed the online format.
What were some of your favorite aspects of the LL.M. in Government Procurement program?
The program has a great formative quality since it quickly covers the different situations of public procurement with a global vision. My favorite courses were contract formation, contract administration, suspension and debarment of suppliers, negotiations, comparative public procurement, and transparency and anti-corruption. I was particularly interested in US legislation related to the use of public procurement power to strengthen vulnerable sectors such as veterans, people with disabilities, women, and the elderly, among others. Also, my fellow students in the public procurement program were one of my favorite aspects as we were able to put together an extremely nice and nurturing study and work group.
What advice do you have for attorneys who may be interested in pursuing an LL.M. in public procurement law?
If you want to study an LL.M. in public procurement, you should study it at GW Law, which has the best program in the world. It has the most updated curriculum, an incredible library for research, and the most qualified professors, who are leaders in each of the courses they deliver and are simply great people.
Getting an LL.M. in public procurement law has been one of the best experiences of my life. I would definitely recommend it to professionals from different countries around the world interested in this field.