“Law doesn’t travel well?" Allard Law alum Paige Morrow proves otherwise.

Responding to Ebola outbreaks. Negotiating agreements with governments. Advancing global health programs across dozens of countries. 

It’s not the career path most people imagine when they think of a law degree, but for Paige Morrow (JD ’09) these challenges are part of a typical day as legal counsel for the Global Fund, an international financing organization that raises and invests approximately US$4 billion each year to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. From her home in Geneva, Switzerland, she spoke with us about her unconventional path from Allard Hall to global health law. 

A common refrain about law as a career is that it “doesn’t travel well.” Your career shows that isn’t always the case! What skills or mindsets have allowed you to move across sectors, institutions and countries?

I actually didn’t realize going into law school that it might be difficult to practice internationally! I’m called to the bar in British Columbia, but nowhere else. 

Throughout my career, I gravitated toward opportunities where broad legal skills mattered more than accreditation in a specific jurisdiction. Working for international organizations allows me to use my legal background, without necessarily being licensed everywhere I work.

Do you have any advice for students who might be considering working internationally?

My advice to students is to move generally in the direction of your interests, even if each opportunity is not perfectly aligned with your long-term goals. I knew I wanted to work internationally, so I chose opportunities that gave me transferable skills. Practical experience, strong mentorships, and transferable skills can open unexpected doors later on.

During law school, the Law Students Legal Advice Program was the best practical experience I could have hoped for, because it involved working with real people and real problems. Looking back, that clinical experience gave me concrete legal skills that later helped me access more international opportunities. 

What does your day-to-day look like as legal counsel for the Global Fund?

My work involves everything from responding to emergencies like Ebola outbreaks to negotiating grant agreements and supporting implementation challenges across different countries. 

I also help negotiate contracts and privileges and immunities agreements with countries where the Global Fund operates, ensuring the organization has the legal recognition and protections it needs to function effectively.

Throughout your career, you've worked on issues ranging from freedom of expression to global health. What challenges seem to cut across all of these issues?

Across issue areas, I’ve seen how cyclical funding and political attention can be. Whether in human rights or global health, there are periods of strong support and periods of uncertainty. Because of that, I think it’s important to maintain enough energy and resilience to sustain a long career without burning out.

One lesson I’ve learned personally is that sometimes you simply have to put your head down and do the work, trusting that good work will eventually be noticed and lead to opportunities.

Do you think our current international institutions are equipped to handle significant global challenges like pandemics and climate change? Or do they need to evolve in significant ways?

International organizations are definitely trying to evolve. Institutions like the UN, WHO, and the Global Fund recognize that they can’t continue operating exactly as they have in the past.

A major challenge is ensuring broader representation and making sure diverse voices are meaningfully included in decision-making. Large institutions can be slow to adapt, but there is growing recognition that change is necessary.

One of the Global Fund’s greatest strengths is its emphasis on country ownership. Rather than imposing solutions from outside, the organization works closely with governments and local stakeholders to ensure programs are shaped by the people most affected.

If you were looking ten years ahead, what makes you the most optimistic about our ability to solve complex global problems collectively?

What makes me optimistic is that meaningful progress often comes from supporting positive alternatives and grassroots initiatives.

For example, combating misinformation isn’t only about banning harmful content. It’s also about funding independent journalism, supporting NGOs, and ensuring access to reliable information and legal support. Those smaller projects can create meaningful long-term change.

What’s your favourite Swiss snack?

There’s this thing called “monk’s head” cheese (Tête de Moine). You shave off the cheese and eat it. It’s fun and doesn’t involve a monk’s head, in case you were wondering.