Press Release - New Perimeter and BABSEA CLE successfully conducts Myanmar National Continuing Legal Education workshops

New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s nonprofit affiliate that provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world, Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEA CLE) and law firm Herbert Smith Freehills recently led a pair of Clinical Legal Education (CLE) and legal ethics workshops from December 15-21, 2014 in Mandalay, Myanmar.

In consultation with the Mandalay Attorney General Office, the first workshop brought together 20 law officers and focused on legal ethics and mock trial skills. The second workshop, held at Yadarnabon University over three days, involved roughly 80 legal educators, predominantly women, from four local universities. This interactive training was held to prepare the law teachers for Myanmar’s first inaugural National Mock Trial event which will be in February.

The members of DLA Piper’s New Perimeter team who led the training were: Jerald Hess (Washington, DC) and Ben Sanderson (London). The project leaders were Kristen Leanderson Abrams, New Perimeter program manager and international pro bono counsel (Washington, DC), and Andrew Valentine (Silicon Valley).

“The training during both workshops involved role playing and small group sessions that created a high-energy interactive experience for the participants,” Hess said. “Both the law teachers and law officers are accustomed to lecture-style training, but the interactive component was well-received and impactful.”

These workshops are part of a larger program, jointly funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that supports the development of clinical legal education in Myanmar. 

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 New Perimeter (www.newperimeter.org)

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 of more than 4,200 DLA Piper lawyers to further a more just world for all.

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.

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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