News
Asian Lawyers and Judges Meet to Discuss Ways to Combat Corruption in Justice Sector
In partnership with the Lawyers Council of Thailand (TLC), the Rule of Law Initiative co-hosted a conference entitled “Anti-Corruption: The Role of Lawyers, the Bar and the Bench in Preventing and Combating Corruption Within the Justice System,” on Feb. 19 - 20, 2007, at the U.N. Conference Centre in Bangkok. Read more »»
Rule of Law Initiative Convenes Bar Leadership Roundtable in Bangkok
In February, bar leaders from 15 countries convened in Bangkok to discuss their activities and exchange thoughts on how to work more closely together to strengthen lawyers and bar associations across the Asia region. The Rule of Law Initiative Asia Division, in partnership with the Thai Lawyers Council, convened the program as an adjunct to their joint conference on combating corruption in the justice system. Read more »»
- ABA ROLI Co-hosts Seminar on Independence of the Judiciary
- ABA ROLI and IPB Publishes Annotation of the Code of Professional Responsibility
Programs
Legal Education Ethics Curriculum Development
The Asia Division has established a partnership with Eastern Asia University and Assumption University in Bangkok. With the pro bono assistance of ethics professors from the U.S., the Asia Division is working with these universities to develop an ethics curriculum for law students. Read more »»
Public Awareness Raising
In conjunction with the Council of Thai Lawyers, the Asia Division has sponsored three live TV talk shows designed to raise awareness of public on legal issues. The first show aired July 19, 2006 and addressed “Lawyers and the public interest.” The Asia Division’s regional anti-corruption advisor and the president of the Thai Lawyers Council addressed fundamentals of attorney-client relationship, conflicts of interest, and attorney-client privilege. Read more »»
Judicial Ethics Seminar
On September 18-19, 2006, the Asia Division, in cooperation with the Office of the Judiciary, conducted a two-day seminar entitled “Judicial Ethics and Professional Responsibility: A Comparative Perspective from the U.S. and U.K.” Read More »»
Prosecutor Ethics Seminars
In cooperation with the Thailand Criminal Law Institute, Office of the Attorney General, the Asia Division hosted the first in a series of five prosecutors ethics seminars in Bangkok in June 2006. Entitled “Prosecutor Ethics and Professional Responsibility: A Comparative Perspective from the US and Singapore.” Read more »»
Lawyers Ethics Seminars
The Asia Division is hosting a series of workshops for Thai lawyers on legal ethics, focusing on a comparative perspective. In recent seminars, experts from the U.S. and Japan have presented information on issues such as conflicts of interest, confidentiality, communication with clients, and attorney advertising. Read more »»
Anongporn Thanachaiary Director of Thailand Integrity Program For more information about the ABA in Thailand, contact:
abaasia@staff.abanet.org
Background
In early 2006, with funding from the U.S. Department of State, the Asia Division began implementing a program to enhance and promote integrity in Thailand’s legal system. Under the program, the Asia Division works in partnership with law faculties, lawyers, prosecutors and judges to improve and strengthen codes of ethics and professional conduct.
The Asia Division will also be working to strengthen the skills and capacity of several newly established institutions, including the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions and the National Counter Corruption Commission. The Asia Division, in partnership with the Kenan Institute Asia, has also worked to support the Thai Council of State in its efforts to develop an effective class action law. Activities included videoconferences, a U.S. study tour for Thai judges, and a workshop in Bangkok.
Meet Our Staff
Wilinwan “Gift” Saengphuang joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s Asia Division in August 2006 as a Program Assistant for the Thailand Integrity Program based in Bangkok, providing logistical and administrative support to the projects. She coordinates with local organizations including the Lawyers Council of Thailand, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Judiciary of Thailand and various universities to organize Lawyer, Prosecutor, and Judicial Ethics seminars. Read more »»
