Press Release - New Perimeter concludes 10-years of pro bono legal assistance in Kosovo

New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s nonprofit affiliate that provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world, is pleased to announce the completion of a ten-year partnership with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) in Kosovo.

Lisa Dewey, director of New Perimeter and pro bono partner, and Mary Gately, co-managing partner of the firm’s Washington, DC office, participated in the team’s most recent trip in February, traveling to the Kosovo cities of Pristina, Prizren, Mitrovica and Peja. They assisted with developing a pro bono policy and three-year strategic plan for female lawyers of the Kosovo Bar Association (KBA). They also worked with local law students, sharing their insight into the legal system and professional development strategies.

For the past 10 years, New Perimeter has partnered in Kosovo with NCSC, an international nonprofit organization, on various rule of law projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development. The assistance has included helping to draft the laws creating the court and prosecutorial systems in Kosovo. The most recent project involved a team of DLA Piper lawyers training Kosovar jurists on legal ethics and consulting on ways to improve the country’s professional disciplinary system and methods for continuing legal education. The team also conducted an extensive review of all the laws and regulations governing the legal sector in Kosovo and provided comments and suggested revisions. 

New Perimeter also worked closely with the KBA Gender Committee in Pristina to develop strategies for increasing female bar membership and helping it draft a strategic plan aimed at increasing the number of women entering into and working in the legal profession.  In addition, New Perimeter delivered workshops to the KBA Minority Committee and helped it develop a plan for increasing the number of minority members of the bar. 

“We are very pleased with the work New Perimeter has accomplished in partnership with NCSC,” Dewey said. “This was one of the first projects that New Perimeter undertook when DLA Piper started the nonprofit affiliate in 2005, immediately after the historic merger of Piper Rudnick, Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, and DLA that formed our global firm.  It is hugely exciting to see the impact we’ve had in Kosovo over the last 10 years. We’ve met lawyers who have benefited tremendously from the program and training, and developed many personal relationships with the people we’ve met there.”

“NCSC is greatly appreciative of New Perimeter for the decade of pro bono service,” said Mary McQueen, President of NCSC. “Today, many of the leaders of Kosovo’s judiciary and legal profession are past beneficiaries of New Perimeter and NCSC assistance. That kind of influence is unmatched in our line of work.”


About DLA Piper

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, positioning us to help clients with their legal needs around the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.

About New Perimeter

New Perimeter is a nonprofit organization established by global law firm DLA Piper to provide pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world to support access to justice, social and economic development and sound legal institutions. Founded in 2005 as a result of our firm’s commitment to support legal advancement worldwide, New Perimeter’s vision is to harness the skills and talents DLA Piper lawyers to further a more just world for all.

Contacts

Josh Epstein, Media Relations, DLA Piper, T. 212.776.3838