NYU Law Intesa Sanpaolo Junior Scholars Program

 

Grant Overview

Intesa Sanpaolo, one of the leading financial institutions in Italy and Europe, offers a prestigious research grant opportunity for up to three members of the NYU Law community.

Selected scholars receive a research grant to support research in one of the following areas:

• Antitrust laws and compliance policies as triggering factors for the development of innovative and sustainable markets
• Impact banking as a new development platform where business meets community needs and perspectives
• Green and circular economy as transition paradigms for mature economies

In addition to financial support, Intesa Sanpaolo Junior Scholars are encouraged to publish their work in scholarly journals.

Applications for the 2026-27 program closed March 23, 2026. 

2025-26 NYU Law Intesa Sanpaolo Junior Scholars

Aidan Arasasingham JD '27

Aidan Arasasingham is interested in the intersections between financial regulatory, antitrust, and national security law. His Intesa Sanpaolo research will focus on how expansive competition considerations in US and EU bank merger law could inspire more robust screening for national security, sustainability, and innovation risks in defense mergers. Arasasingham holds a Bachelor of Arts in global studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master of Science from the London School of Economics. Prior to law school, he was a researcher with the Economics Program of the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC. At NYU Law, Aidan serves on the boards of the Antitrust & Competition Law Society, Asian Pacific Allied Law Students Association, and Art Law Society and is a research assistant for Professor Emerita Linda Silberman.

Kahaari Kenyatta JD '26

Kahaari Kenyatta’s interdisciplinary interests include antitrust and competition policy, administrative law, infrastructure, and macroeconomics. His research will explore the viability of legacy energy companies’ favorite sustainable technologies amid the regulatory uncertainty of the second Trump administration. Kenyatta graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts in health and societies with a concentration in public health. Prior to law school, Kenyatta worked as a strategy consultant and lobbyist on health policy issues in Washington, DC. At NYU Law, Kenyatta is President of the Student Bar Association and serves as an Articles Editor on the Law Review and as a research assistant for Professor Noah A. Rosenblum.

Scott Overbey JD '27

Scott is a joint Juris Doctor/Master in Public Policy student at NYU School of Law and Harvard Kennedy School interested in tax law and policy. His research focuses on the role of tax incentives in climate change mitigation, especially investment in renewable energy. He graduated from Princeton University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and urban studies with a minor in statistics and machine learning. Prior to law school, Scott worked as an economic consultant performing data analysis on a variety of financial, tax, and antitrust lawsuits. At NYU, Scott is co-president of the Tax Law Association, a student editor on the Tax Law Review, and a teaching assistant for Professor Daniel Hemel's Federal Income Taxation course. He has also worked as a research assistant for Professors Arpit Gupta (NYU Stern) and Florencia Marotta-Wurgler (NYU Law) on projects related to the use of AI in legal research.

2026-27 NYU Law Intesa Sanpaolo Junior Scholars

Federico Garzón Espinosa LLM '27

Federico Garzón Espinosa is a lawyer whose work focuses on financial regulatory law, fintech, payments, and open finance. His Intesa Sanpaolo research explores the impact of open finance on banking competition, with particular emphasis on reciprocity, compliance, and the institutional design of mandatory data-sharing systems. Through a comparative analysis of Colombia’s regulatory transition and international models, including the United Kingdom and Brazil, his work examines how legal and regulatory frameworks can foster more innovative, sustainable, and inclusive financial markets in emerging economies. Prior to joining NYU Law, Federico worked at Brigard Urrutia and Garrigues in Bogotá, where he advised domestic and international clients on banking and financial regulation, payment systems, fintech structuring, and cross-border regulatory matters. He also previously worked on regulatory and corporate matters related to the launch of the first Colombian authorized crowdfunding platform in operation.

 

Shelby Hobohm JD '27

Shelby is interested in the intersection of clean energy technology, regulatory policy, and financial incentives. Shelby earned her BA in government, BS in mechanical engineering, and MSE in nuclear engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. Prior to law school, she worked as an applied research engineer studying radiation effects on electronics while completing the coursework and qualifying exams portion of her in-progress PhD in Nuclear Engineering. At NYU Law, Shelby is a clinician in the International Transactions Clinic, an Articles Editor on the Law Review, a Tepper Fellow with the Grunin Center, and a research assistant for the Institute for Policy Integrity, Professor Katrina Wyman, and Professor Erin Murphy. Shelby also has been recognized as a Next Generation Leader by the American Constitution Society and is a part of the North American Regional winning NYU Law Manfred Lachs Moot Court Team.

Anton Kandalin JD '28

Anton Kandalin is interested in the application of economic analysis to legal frameworks, particularly in the areas of market regulation and antitrust enforcement. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Law, Letters, and Society from the University of Chicago, where he conducted research with faculty at the Booth School of Business on how disclosure requirements influence corporate behavior. Prior to law school, Anton worked in the Antitrust & Competition practice at an economic consulting firm, supporting law firms on merger filings before the DOJ and FTC. He also served as an Economics Ambassador for the American Bar Association's Section of Antitrust Law.