Meti Z.

About Meti Z.

I am a senior legal and compliance professional with over 15 years of experience navigating regulatory risk, ethics oversight, and institutional compliance across public sector and donor-funded environments. My work spans procurement integrity, appropriations law, interagency coordination, and program implementation in fragile and high-risk settings. I have advised on public–private partnerships, reviewed trust fund governance structures, and contributed to the legal dimensions of donor programming during periods of regional crisis and institutional transition. I bring a grounded, risk-aware approach to legal advising—focused on safeguarding institutional integrity, ensuring compliance with both U.S. and host-country law, and enabling complex operations to move forward responsibly. My background includes legal and advisory roles with USAID, HUD, the World Bank, and the IMF. I am currently completing a certification in Nonprofit Law from Georgetown Law and hold an LL.M. in International Legal Studies.

Experience

1. Foreign Service Attorney

   USAID

   Apr 2020 — Present · DC, US

   2020 – Present | Cairo, Egypt & Remote/VirtualServe as senior legal advisor and designated Ethics Official for USAID/Egypt, providing legal oversight on operations, cross-border partnerships, procurement, and regulatory compliance for a mission of 150+ staff. Advise on personnel conduct, lead misconduct investigations in coordination with the Office of Employment Labor Relations (ELR), and deliver mission-wide training on ethics, EEO, and standards of conduct.In addition to my Cairo-based role, I supported the Office of General Counsel’s Acquisition & Assistance team, responding to procurement and regulatory inquiries from the Africa Bureau. Provided legal coverage for USAID/Indonesia during the COVID-19 crisis, drafting bilateral donation agreements with the Government of Indonesia for ventilator delivery and negotiating a multi-country Regional Development Objective Agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Supported the Afghanistan portfolio by advising on the American University of Afghanistan and institutional transition planning.Key Contributions:• Led modernization of USAID/Egypt’s ethics and compliance framework, including policy drafting and training.• Negotiated high-level agreements with UNDP, WHO, and private sector partners on blended finance and program implementation.• Provided counsel on procurement instruments, eligibility, and award structures under FAR and 2 CFR 200.• Delivered confidential guidance to leadership on disciplinary actions and workplace conflict resolution.

Education

• American University, Washington College of Law

  J.D.

  2007 — 2010

• American University Washington College of Law

  LLM

  2011 — 2012

• Ohio Wesleyan University

  BA

  1998 — 2002

• American University School of International Service

  MA

  2002 — 2004