International

The International Senior Lawyers Project provides volunteer legal services by skilled and experienced attorneys to advance democracy and the rule of law, protect human rights and promote equitable economic development worldwide. Through the pro bono work of retired and active practitioners, working independently and in law firms, ISLP helps governments and citizens develop and implement legal reforms, assists programs that advance the social and economic well-being of people in developing countries, and builds the capacity of local organizations and professionals to meet the needs of their communities. Read Our 2007 Project Report
"I want to thank you for the excellent support and advice which our team received from you throughout the period of negotiations in New York and for your continued support and advice in these last few days that helped us to reach a successful conclusion. . . I know that with your help we now have [an agreement] which we can proudly reveal to the nation that represents a significant improvement in the management of our natural resources and protection of our national interest." -- Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a letter regarding ISLP's pro bono assistance with intensive negotiations of a mining agreement with the Arcelor Mittal steel company "[The ISLP Program] gave a tremendous opportunity to a great number of lawyers in Botswana to have access to training in areas of commercial law which was previously the preserve of a select few. In that regard alone the program is great and ought to be continued. We will do what we need to to ensure that you obtain the necessary support from here to run the program. Thanks once again for coming to share your experience with us." --Kwadwo Osei-Ofei, civil litigator and participant in the 2007 ISLP commercial law training program in Botswana "We will miss tremendously your energy, optimism and good judgment. Your contribution has been invaluable for the successes of the project, and for the speed with which they have been achieved." --Anna Ogorodova, Director of the Public Defender Project in Ukraine to ISLP volunteer Ed Rucker "I just wanted to let you know that the Dutch attorneys have been fabulous. They are all knowledgeable, thoughtful and consistently responsive...Many many thanks!" --Jessica Pena, Assistant General Counsel, Vera Institute of Justice "This [fair-trade chocolate] has been a very interesting project for our team to work on and we greatly appreciate the role that ISLP played in sending it our way." --Chris Herrling, Pro Bono Counsel, WilmerHale "I cannot think of a more interesting and engaging way to spend the remainder of my professional life. I’ve discovered that the skills we develop as attorneys in this country can be used in collaboration with our counterparts abroad to help promote access to justice and the rule of law beyond our own borders." --ISLP volunteer Barbara Putta on her work in India

Board member Natasha Lisman in Strasbourg, France in Feb where she conducted a training for Russian human rights lawyers. ISLP project provides legal resources for media during Beijing Olympic Games ť ISLP volunteer drafts training manual for Liberia's new Sex Crimes Unit to help combat epidemic levels of rape against women & children Media Freedoms in Africa ť Volunteer Dan Byron writes from Ghana: "I am gratified that I was able to be a part of the fight for a free press in West Africa... More More Human Rights Projects>>	Commercial Law Training Program in Africa ť Over 300 attorneys have attended ISLP trainings in South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania since 2004 Trade Negotiation Training ť Akin Gump volunteers lead 2nd training on negotiating skills and techniques in Rwanda Weil Goshal takes the lead in the review and analysis of 4 mining contracts in Sierra Leone Arnold & Porter heads pro bono review of extractive industry contracts for the gov't of Tanzania More Economic Equality Projects>>	Liberian Ministry of Justice ť Blake's partner Jim Dube's 6-weeks with the Solicitor General of Liberia Clifford Chance team supports Liberia's Ministry of Health in contract review Minnesota volunteer heads to Ulaanbaataar, Mongolia for 3 month assignment with grassroots environmental NGO ISLP volunteer returns to Kabul for two weeks in August to work with Afghani legal aid organization More Access to Justice Projects>>
_{"It reminded me of}_w_h_y_I_b_e_c_a_m_e_a_l_a_{wyer in the first place."}