KASSAMA DIBBA
Seattle,WA
Summary
Dynamic legal advocate skilled in trauma-informed support and survivor-centered approaches. Proven success in improving client resource accessibility and drafting impactful legal documents that drive policy change. Collaborative partnerships with community organizations enhance advocacy initiatives and operational effectiveness.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Legal Advocate
Domestic Violence Services Of Snohomish County
Everett, Washington
08.2026 - Current
- Conduct intake interviews to assess client needs and associated risks.
- Provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered legal advocacy to individuals and families impacted by domestic and intimate partner violence.
- Assist survivors with referrals to housing, financial assistance, counseling, legal aid, family law, protection order, immigration, and other community resources.
- Collaborate with community organizations to enhance client resource accessibility.
- Attend hearings with victims to provide emotional support.
- Maintain accurate records of all client communications and interactions.
- Coordinated safety planning and resource referrals for clients in need.
- Provide culturally responsive advocacy and services to survivors from diverse cultural, ethnic, faith, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Participate in community outreach, professional trainings, team meetings, and collaborative efforts to strengthen the community response to domestic violence.
Intern - Social Change Program
New Beginnings- Ending Domestic Violence
Seattle, Washington
02.2025 - 08.2026
- Support violence-prevention and advocacy initiatives by facilitating structured educational sessions on legal rights, consent, boundaries, and conflict resolution within interpersonal relationships.
- Develop legally informed content addressing domestic violence prevention and survivor protection frameworks.
- Support survivor centered engagement using trauma-informed and accountability-based approaches.
- Contribute to program documentation, including attendance records, session reports, and participant feedback summaries to support organizational reporting and compliance requirements.
- Support community outreach efforts promoting awareness of domestic violence prevention resources and support services.
Client Service Professional
HnR Block
Seattle, Washington
11.2025 - 04.2026
- Served as the first point of contact for 50-100+ clients weekly, delivering professional in-person, phone, and email customer service.
- Managed client appointments, maintained calendars, and coordinated scheduling to ensure efficient daily operations.
- Collected, verified, and maintained confidential client records with accuracy and strict attention to privacy.
- Processed payments, assisted with billing, and performed data entry while maintaining accurate financial and client records.
- Supported a high-volume office by managing multiple priorities, responding to client inquiries, and collaborating with staff to provide exceptional service.
Program Coordinator, Women's Leadership Project
United Nations Development Programme
Banjul, The Gambia
08.2023 - 08.2024
- Managed implementation of Women's Political Leadership Programming across multiple stakeholders ensuring alignment with accountability and governance frameworks.
- Managed procurement requests and budget oversight, using Quantum (UNDP ERP), MS Excel and internal systems for financial tracking namely FACE (Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditure) form and ICE (Itemized Cost Estimate) templates.
- Coordinated monitoring and evaluation processes across 10 implementing partners, ensuring compliance with UNDP standards and program objectives.
- Drafted policy briefs, reports, and analytical documents supporting advocacy and institutional reform initiatives.
- Delivered gender policy awareness sessions to over 200 political stakeholders, strengthening inclusive practices within political party structures.
- Facilitated multi-stakeholder coordination between government institutions, political actors and civil society organizations.
Legal Fellow (Part-time)
ANEKED
Kanifing, The Gambia
08.2022 - 07.2023
- Conducted documentation and legal analysis of over 20 cases of enforced disappearances and human rights violations, contributing to evidence based reports used in advocacy processes.
- Drafted legal briefs and informational reports to support litigation and advocacy efforts.
- Coordinated multi-stakeholder consultations with civil society organizations and international partners to support human rights advocacy and documentation initiatives.
- Monitored and evaluated program outcomes for compliance and impact, also ensuring alignment with international human rights standards and donor expectations, helping improve program impact and accountability.
- Supported development of grant proposals and advocacy materials used to advance human rights accountability programs.
Solicitor
Crown Legal Chambers
Banjul, The Gambia
02.2022 - 07.2023
- Interviewed over 100 clients, many survivors of domestic and family-related violence, gathering sensitive histories with compassion and confidentiality.
- Advocated for clients in court, ensuring their voices were represented and protected.
- Managed high-volume confidential case files, drafted official legal documents, and maintained accurate records.
- Effectively communicated with courts, clients, and legal teams, maintaining strict confidentiality and professionalism.
- Balanced multiple high-pressure caseloads and deadlines, while maintaining trusted relationships with clients, demonstrating strong organizational and time management skills.
Program Assistant
International Center for Transitional Justice
Banjul, The Gambia
12.2019 - 11.2020
- Interviewed over 50 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, ensuring trauma-informed documentation of experiences.
- Interviewed over 50 individuals, both men and women, to document diverse personal experiences for the ICTJ report Women's Experience of Dictatorship in The Gambia, providing crucial qualitative data that informed policy recommendations and program design.
- Supported program coordination by developing and disseminating informational materials, including press releases and policy briefs on transitional justice issues that informed stakeholders.
- Facilitated public outreach initiatives to raise awareness about transitional justice and SGBV issues, including mobilizing traditional communicators to break taboos and engage communities in justice processes.
- Coordinated regional consultations on the Victims' Reparations Bill, amplifying women victims' perspectives to shape gender-responsive reparations legislation.
- Conducted comprehensive archival and field research on human rights violations in The Gambia (1994-2017), contributing to evidence-based programmatic recommendations and policy advocacy initiatives.
- Developed and implemented strategies that supported the establishment of the Women's Affairs Unit within The Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC), facilitating the inclusion of gender-specific concerns in transitional justice processes.
- Led grant seeking and proposal development efforts, successfully securing funding by writing and winning over 15 grants from donors, UN agencies, and international partners which supported key activities such as interviewing over 50 individuals for the Women's Experience of Dictatorship in The Gambia report, and facilitating public outreach that mobilized traditional communicators (kaneleng) to engage communities and break taboos around SGBV and justice.
- Coordinated the Our Nation Our Voice youth artist collective's 11-day nationwide tour, stopping in 11 villages and towns to hold community dialogues and concerts, culminating in a free event attended by over 1,000 young people from greater Banjul, raising awareness about transitional justice.
Education
Master of Laws - Sustainable International Development
University of Washington School of Law
Seattle, Washington06-2025
Barrister-at-Law - BL
The Gambia Law School
Banjul, The Gambia02-2022
Bachelor of Laws - LLB
University of The Gambia
Banjul, The Gambia05-2020
Skills
- Social justice advocacy
- Policy advocacy
- Legal document drafting
- Legal Research
- Policy writing
- Impact assessment
- Analytical writing
- Trauma-informed support
- Records management
- Document management systems
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Program management
- Detail-oriented
- Ethical compliance
Service And Professional Affiliations
- Student Liaison, Washington State Courts Minority and Justice Commission, 10/24, 06/25
- Form Filler, One America Citizenship Day: Student Advocates for Immigrant Justice (SAI Justice), University of Washington School of Law, 10/19/24
Languages
- English, Fluent
- French, Intermediate
Hobbies and Interests
- Social Justice
- Human Rights
- Programme Coordination
- Community Engagement
- Youth Empowerment
- Cross-Cultural Communication
- Legal Research & Policy Reform
- Survivor Empowerment
- Community Education & Outreach
- Volunteerism and Mentorship
Bar Admission
The Gambia, 2022
Professional Development
- Professional Diploma in Executive Assistance and Management, Udemy, 03/25
- Domestic Violence Advocacy Training, New Beginnings - Ending Domestic Violence, 08/25
Timeline
Legal Advocate
Domestic Violence Services Of Snohomish County
08.2026 - Current
Client Service Professional
HnR Block
11.2025 - 04.2026
Intern - Social Change Program
New Beginnings- Ending Domestic Violence
02.2025 - 08.2026
Program Coordinator, Women's Leadership Project
United Nations Development Programme
08.2023 - 08.2024
Legal Fellow (Part-time)
ANEKED
08.2022 - 07.2023
Solicitor
Crown Legal Chambers
02.2022 - 07.2023
Program Assistant
International Center for Transitional Justice
12.2019 - 11.2020
Master of Laws - Sustainable International Development
University of Washington School of Law
Barrister-at-Law - BL
The Gambia Law School
Bachelor of Laws - LLB
University of The Gambia