Press Release - New Perimeter and Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative complete first clinical legal education workshop in Myanmar

NEWS: For Immediate Release

August 19, 2013 – New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s nonprofit affiliate dedicated exclusively to global pro bono work, and Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEA CLE) recently completed a first-of-its-kind clinical legal education (CLE) workshop in Yangon, Myanmar. The inaugural workshop took place July 12-14, 2013 at the University of Yangon and included faculty from 14 universities in Myanmar.

The workshop was organized as part of a longer term project by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support CLE as a key dimension of strengthening rule of law and access to justice in Myanmar. Developed in consultation with the Ministry of Education, the workshop highlighted the benefit of CLE programs for enhancing legal education curriculums and utilizing interactive teaching methods to provide law students with skills-based training in such areas as legal analysis, legal drafting and client advisory skills.

“We were thrilled to have an opportunity to work with BABSEA CLE, UNDP and the many committed local university partners to help introduce interactive and practical skills-based legal training in Myanmar as a means of strengthening legal education and ultimately improving access to justice for underserved populations,” said Elizabeth Dewey, director of New Perimeter and US pro bono partner for DLA Piper. “We look forward to working with UNDP and BABSEA CLE to develop future workshops and support local universities as they implement CLE programs.”

Workshop sessions introduced the rationale for developing CLE programs, detailed various models, and provided demonstrations of CLE lessons. Participants also received practical guidance for developing and strengthening CLE programs, as well as monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness. Sessions were facilitated by regional and international CLE experts and pro bono lawyers, including Professor Thomas F. Geraghty, New Perimeter advisory board member and the director of Northwestern University School of Law’s Bluhm Legal Clinic; Bruce A. Lasky, co-director of BABSEA CLE; and Marguerite Angelari, senior attorney for the Open Society Justice Initiative.

BABSEA CLE is a not-for-profit organization that has been working in the Southeast/South Asia region for more than 10 years assisting universities to establish and strengthen CLE programs. As Bruce Lasky observed, “based upon our years of experience in the region, the enthusiasm and support for this event in Myanmar demonstrates a nationwide desire and commitment to build sustainable clinical legal education programs throughout the country.”  Similar optimism was voiced by Dr. Khin Mar Yee, head of the Law Department, Yangon University, “Myanmar needs such programs and I am proud to see that this important event – giving us the opportunity to establish a network on clinical legal education among fellow universities – is hosted here in Yangon University.”

A unique initiative in the legal industry, New Perimeter provides pro bono legal assistance primarily in developing and post-conflict regions. New Perimeter draws on the skills and talents of more than 4,200 DLA Piper lawyers globally and focuses its projects in the areas of legal education, access to justice and law reform, women and children’s rights, environmental protection, economic development and food security.

As part of its broader commitment to providing pro bono support in Myanmar, New Perimeter, in partnership with Perseus Strategies and the Jacob Blaustein Institute, conducted a broad rule of law needs assessment in the country in 2012. Based on meetings with government officials, non-governmental organizations, embassy staff and local lawyers, the team released a written report, “Myanmar Rule Of Law Needs Assessment,”detailing their findings, which included an opportunity to enhance Myanmar’s legal education system.

About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com)
DLA Piper is a global law firm with 4,200 lawyers located in more than 30 countries throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, positioning it to help companies with their legal needs anywhere in the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.

About Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (www.babseacle.org/)Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEA CLE) is an international access to justice, legal education not for profit organization that focuses on ethically oriented legal capacity development and community empowerment. BABSEA CLE has been working collaboratively with universities, law students, law ­faculties, lawyers, members of the legal community, and justice related organizational partners since 2003 to develop Clinical Legal Education (CLE) programs throughout Southeast Asia. These programs and clinics assist communities, provide legal aid services and simultaneously help to build the next generation of social justice, pro-bono minded champions.

CONTACTS:

Josh Epstein, Media Relations, DLA Piper, 212.776.3838

Wendy Jane Morrish, Co-Director, BABSEA CLE, wmorrish@babseacle.org 

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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