News
New Judicial Training Institute Will Ensure Quality of Courts in Liberia
The US Agency for International Development, in consultation with the Liberian Supreme Court has tasked the ABA Rule of Law Initiative with planning and developing a new Judicial Training Institute for the country’s judges, magistrates, and court personnel. This initiative is part of a long term strategy for improving the administration of courts and the provision of justice in Liberia. Read more »»
ABA ROLI Completes Renovation of University of Liberia Arthur Grimes Law School
In order to safely and effectively implement a legal aid program with the Law School, under extraordinary circumstances, the Rule of Law Initiative, with support of USAID recently completed the renovation of the top floor and roof of the University of Liberia Arthur Grimes Law School. Read More »»
Rule of Law Initiative Adds Boost to the Capacity of the Liberian National Bar Association
Further to ABA’s mission to promoting the rule of law through their support for legal institutions and legal professionals, the Liberia program, with support from USAID, has procured office equipment and resources to rebuild the capacity of the Liberian National Bar Association and to enable it to efficiently function and meet the growing needs of its population. Read More »»
Programs
Access to Justice
The main goal of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative Liberian office is to promote access to justice. This is achieved through a wide range of programs. Firstly, the ABA is currently operating two legal aid centers in Liberia. As part of the program at the Louis Arthur Grimes Law School, support has been given to both public prosecution and public defense, as well as to other projects. Read More »»
Mediation Reform and Training
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative recognizes that legal proceedings in a court of law may sometimes be prohibitively expensive or otherwise out of reach to many in post-conflict countries. Therefore, the ABA has a robust training program designed to improve the prevalence of mediation as a means of managing minor legal issues, as well as the proficiency and knowledge of existing mediators. Read More »»
Legislative Reform
The Liberian Minister of Labor has asked the ABA Rule of Law Initiative to aid in reforming the current Liberian law. The Minister of Labor is seeking to modernize the labor law, and was thus seeking criticism and suggestions on how this might be accomplished. The ABA has been able to draw on its vast membership of attorneys to provide this. Attorneys from around the world worked pro-bono to deliver criticism and suggestions on the entire span of the Liberian labor law. Read More »»
Anthony ValckeCountry Director
American Bar Association
Africa Rule of Law Initiative
Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law (Top Floor)
University of Liberia
Monrovia - Liberia
Phone: +231-655-3216
Email: avalcke@staff.abanet.org
Background
The Africa Division of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative began its Liberia operations in January of 2006. Based in Monrovia, the Liberia office is committed to promoting access to justice in Liberia. Read more »
Under the direction of Mr. Anthony Valcke, the office has been involved in a wide diversity of activities, including 1) the establishment of a legal aid center in the Louis Arthur Grimes Law School; 2) the establishment of a victim support clinic for victims of gender based violence; 3) the development of training materials and the training of mediators; 4) the creation of scholarships for promising law students involved in public service law; and 5) the provision of legal advice to the Liberian Minister of Labor in his endeavor to update the labor law.
