Official actions
Law School Hosts Russian Legal Delegates
27.01.2012 16:51
http://law.unh.edu/
July 19, 2010
As part of an ongoing exchange between Russia and the United States, eight Russian attorneys, law professors and court administrators from Arkhangelsk and Vologda will be visiting Franklin Pierce Law Center Tuesday, July 20.
During the delegates' afternoon visit, they will hear Professor Peter Wright, Director of Clinical Education, speak about "Access to Courts by Regular Citizens." According to a summary provided the participants, he will share about the "good and the bad of providing the public, and persons without legal representation, with information on legal rights, procedures and court proceedings; issues in providing access to civil courts for all citizens with a particular focus on individuals without lawyers in bankruptcy proceedings."
Afterward, International Student Advisor Elizabeth Webber will give a tour of the law school, including the courtroom outfitted with ForTheRecord software technology. Pierce Law is the only law school in the world that is using the advanced technology also found in Old Bailey and the World Court. This may be of particular interest to the members of the delegation involved with the IT systems of the Russian courts.
The delegates are in New Hampshire through the Russian American Rule of Law Consortium (RAROLC). "RAROLC is a group of legal communities working together to develop legal institutions and to foster the rule of law. Each community is comprised of volunteer legal professionals from an American state who have partnered with professionals from a Russian region. RAROLC improves the capacity of local Russian legal institutions to implement reform," reports the Honorable Jacalyn Colburn who visited Vologda with RAROLC in June.
Although the eight delegates will be at Franklin Pierce Law Center together, they are actually sponsored by two different groups that have different purposes for their visits.
The Honorable J. Michael Deasy, co-host for the Arkhangelsk contingent, explains, "The purpose of this trip is to provide opportunities for Russian court personnel to become familiar with the processes and procedures used in courts in the United States to provide information to the public and parties to court proceedings on activities in the courts and the conduct of individual proceedings." In addition to their visit to Pierce Law, delegates will tour and study work flow at the Manchester Bankruptcy Court; meet with officials of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and discuss means of communication between the state courts and citizens; and explore the ways the Maine Business Court uses its website, data base and case management system.
The group is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development and is co-hosted by the Honorable J. Michael Deasy, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Hampshire; Steven M. Notinger of New Hampshire law firm Donchess & Notinger; the Honorable Thomas Warren of the Cumberland County Superior Court; and Neale A. Duffett, Esq of Portland, Maine.
The Vologda delegates, sponsored by the Open World Leadership Center to enhance the understanding of and cooperation between the United States and the countries of Eurasia, are staying in the state a few days longer than the Arckhangelsk group. The purpose of their trip is to examine many and various aspects of the New Hampshire legal scene by visiting trial courts, prosecutors’ offices, public defender offices, police departments, state crime labs and prisons.
The New Hampshire Committee of the Russian-American Rule of Law Consortium will host the delegation; host coordinators are the Honorable Kathleen A. McGuire, recently retired as Supervisory Judge in the Merrimack County Superior Court; and Mark Larsen, senior, managing attorney with the New Hampshire Public Defender.
In New Hampshire the Open World delegation is scheduled to visit the New Hampshire Bar Association and meet with some it leaders as well as with judges who have served in various positions in the Bar.
Senior Superior Court Justice Kathleen A. McGuire, outgoing chair of the NH Committee expressed her hopes that this visit like the many that have preceded it, will provide a valuable opportunity for colleagues to exchange ideas, concepts and experiences. “In my dozen years working with RAROLC and the Open World Program, I’ve always found that these visits offer the opportunity to learn about what others are doing and how they are solving problems. The exchange of ideas enhances both systems and provides a one-on-one opportunity to learn about different systems and cultures. I will miss my active involvement in this program, but expect I will be invited to join the group in an emeritus status.” Judge McGuire took senior status earlier this year after two decades as a superior court justice and plans to pursue other interests while still contributing to the New Hampshire legal scene.
Home stays will allow the Open World delegates to experience American family life. They will also take part in several cultural and community activities, including touring the New Hampshire coast and a day at a summer resort.
The Open World Leadership Center has awarded a grant to the Russian American Rule of Law Consortium of Colchester, Vermont to administer this and similar exchanges in 2010.
Since its founding by Congress in 1999, the Open World program has enabled some 16,000 current and future Eurasian leaders to experience American democracy, civil society and community life; work with their American counterparts; stay in American homes; and gain new ideas and inspiration for implementing change back home. More than 6,000 American host families and their communities in all 50 states have partnered with Congress and Open World to make this ambitious public diplomacy effort possible. Open World currently operates exchanges for political and civic leaders from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
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