Got this note from April Rinne about the change in her career: As of the new year, I will no longer be at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Although the law firm has been (and fully plans to continue to be) very supportive of and engaged in microfinance-related activities, the time has come for me to transition directly back to the microfinance sector itself. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to bring the legal community closer to microfinance while working in private law, and expect to continue to do the same moving forward - albeit in a different capacity.

Beginning on January 1, 2008, I will join Unitus as part of their business strategy and new ventures team. Unitus seeks to catalyze financial innovations and systems for the poor, and the organization is known for its “early stage growth” approach and focus on combined financial and social returns. This new position will allow me to use my legal skills in certain respects, but mostly will involve more business-type engagements and a chance to craft my role over time. I will remain based here in San Francisco and work with Unitus’ team members globally.

In addition I have agreed to teach several more law-and-microfinance courses for, and collaborate on microfinance curriculum development with, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) . These engagements will take me to at least India, Romania and Tanzania in the course of 2008, and then may see me participating in a series of follow-up dialogues beginning in 2009. I am very excited about these ongoing projects which build upon the efforts of IDLO, myself and others undertaken to date.

I also plan to stay abreast of legal developments with respect to microfinance, and to liaise with OMM and other law firms as appropriate moving forward. I remain as convinced as ever that the amount of legal and other work to be done in the international microfinance sector will continue to grow, and that there will be ample ways to become and stay involved.