Uche Okorie is the President of the Nigerian Association in the ACT and inaugural CONAPA Council Member. He graduated from the University of Ibadan Nigeria in 2006 with a Bachelor of Law degree (First Class Honours) and holds dual (Master of Law) LL.M degrees from New York University (Global Business Law, 2012) and the National University of Singapore (Maritime Law, 2012).
Uche is passionate about individual liberty and human rights in democratic societies and has a global community services history and mindset. He was President of the Legal Aid Clinic, NYSC, Oyo state Nigeria (2007) and an International Law and Human Rights Fellow at the Centre for Justice and Human Rights, New York University (2011), where he was awarded a competitive fellowship to intern at the Legal Resources Centre, Johannesburg South Africa. At LRC Uche was mentored by the late legendary George Bizos (One of Nelson Mandela’s lawyers at the Riviona trials). In Australia, Uche was Coordinator of the Celebration of African Australians, working hard to consolidate the ACT chapter before handing over to the present team. Uche has also being the General Secretary of the Nigerian Association in the ACT and the General Secretary of the Igbo Community Canberra amongst other roles.
Uche has over 15 years’ experience practicing law in countries with a common law tradition. He also specializes in migration and refugee law, maritime law and policy with a broad interest in surface transport and aviation policy. He is enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (2007); Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand (2015) and enrolled as a Solicitor in Australia (2015).
In addition to APS roles, he is a sessional academic and PhD researcher at the Faculty of Law, Australian National University. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Research (Distinction) from the University of Tasmania (2016) and a Graduate Certificate of Public Administration from the Institute of Governance and Public Policy, University of Canberra (2021).
Outside of law, research and public policy, Uche is a keen entrepreneur in search of a meteoric start-up. He loves music, soccer, walking, travelling and hiking.
