In conversation with Ben Klein

Enhancing the Skills of Women<br> Lawyers in Nepal
In conversion with Ben Klein

What inspired you during the project?

Teaching – and learning from – a group of 60 bright, talented and outspoken women lawyers from across Nepal, and meeting some of the country’s legal luminaries, including two female Nepalese Supreme Court Justices and Nepal’s Attorney General. I am grateful for having participated in this boots-on-the-ground justice sector development project, and I look forward to seeing many of these women occupy positions of power, prominence, influence and impact in the years to come. 

What was the most fulfilling aspect of the work?

Guiding the women lawyers in lively classroom debate – so lively that the interpreters could barely keep pace with the students. We packed the curriculum with hypotheticals and other active learning experiences and had fun teasing out the differences between domestic (Nepalese) and foreign (eg, United States) legal systems.

Another highlight was watching the women lawyers deliver elevator pitches on the final day of the training. During the course of the week, we helped them hone soft skills ranging from professional networking to brand building, and the delivery of the elevator pitches – presented in front of their peers – was the culminating event.

What one word describes your New Perimeter trip?

Empowerment. The women who participated in this program became more confident and outspoken with each passing day, and left the training feeling energized and excited about their careers.  During the closing ceremony, Nepalese Supreme Court Justice Sapana Malla Pradhan commended the women for their commitment to and investment in the legal profession, noting that when she attended law school, five percent of her graduating class were women. Today, seventy percent of the graduating class are women. Collaborations like this project – which brought together international trainers (DLA Piper and Women Lawyers Joining Hands), national trainers (Nepal Bar Association attorneys) and the other project partners (UNDP) – help to level the playing field for these women and build bridges for future generations of female lawyers.

About Ben Klein

Ben is a lawyer in DLA Piper's Washington, DC office.

Full bio

"I am grateful for having participated in this boots-on-the-ground justice sector development project, and I look forward to seeing many of these women occupy positions of power, prominence, influence and impact in the years to come."