News
University of Pristina’s Law Faculty Introduces a Student Honor Code
On October 6, the University of Pristina’s Faculty of Law introduced a student honor code to the student body. The code, which was launched at the beginning of the 2009–2010 academic year, was developed by ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), in consultation with the faculty and groups of students. Read more »»
Kosovo Chamber of Advocates Joins the International Bar Association
In May, the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) received notice that it had obtained full membership in the International Bar Association (IBA). This membership represents a tremendous organizational success, as the application process took two years as a result of the country’s unresolved political status. Read more »»
KCA Representatives Attend ABA Annual Meeting
Two Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) representatives attended the American Bar Association (ABA) annual meeting in Chicago from July 30 to August 4. The representatives, Tome Gashi and Yll Zekaj, met with ABA members and leadership to discuss developing and managing a bar association. Read more »»
ABA ROLI Board Member Visits Kosovo, Meets with Legal Professionals 
On June 22, Martha Barnett, ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) board member and former American Bar Association president, visited ABA ROLI’s Kosovo office for discussions with the country’s legal professionals. Barnett, who also serves as chair of ABA ROLI’s Europe and Eurasia Council, attended a roundtable addressing the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates’ (KCA’s) role in the justice system and its mandates under the revised Kosovo constitution. Read more »»
Programs
The fostering of well-prepared law graduates is necessary to the development and maintenance of an independent, efficient, effective and accountable legal system. There is broad consensus among actors in the Kosovar justice system that legal education in Kosovo is in need of reform.
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI’s) focus is to improve legal education by developing a mandatory ethics course, an analysis and writing seminar series and a student honor code; by institutionalizing piloted legal clinic and legal methodology courses; and by assisting the deans and faculty in accomplishing these reforms to have their schools and programs properly accredited. ABA ROLI organizes and supports various workshops—addressing issues including trial advocacy skills and ethics—and moot court programs, which also involve local and international experts. To date, more than 600 students have completed ABA ROLI-assisted courses. Read more »»
The ABA has developed and begun implementing a public awareness program to increase public understanding of the legal system. The program aims to inform individuals of their rights and how lawyers and the courts are responsible for enforcement.
TeenLaw for Kosovo High School Students
TeenLaw is a course which introduces information about the Kosovo legal system to high school students and it was first introduced to Kosovo high schools by the American Bar Association/Kosovo in May. Since then, the course has reached some 1500 high school students in Kosovo. Read more »»
Law and Human Rights Education
The ABA recently partnered with the Kosovo Education Center (KEC) to publish three books to help teachers fill a gap in the existing school curriculum in civic and legal rights. Read more »»
Public Service Announcements for Television
The ABA, in collaboration with the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates and the Kosovo Judges Association, produced three live-action and three animated PSAs for television. Read more »»
Regulatory Bar & Chamber of Advocates Development
Regulatory bar research
ABA ROLI intends to help develop a bar that regulates the practice of law to ensure competency and ethical standards. We assess the legal framework to identify the needs for regulating the legal profession in Kosovo. Read more »»
Establishing mandatory continuing legal education (CLE)
ABA ROLI develops continuing legal education (CLE) courses and assists the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) develop a practical and realistic CLE program for their members, including establishing a financial plan for sponsoring the program. Read more »»
KCA's Code of Ethics and Disciplinary Measures
ABA ROLI provided legal and technical support to the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates Ethics Committee for a new disciplinary model and ethics code. ABA ROLI’s support for this reform included a study visit to Ireland for eight members of the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates’ (KCA) Ethics and Discipline Committee. Read more »»
Bench-bar cooperation
In December 2007, ABA ROLI published a Bench-bar brochure aimed at promoting the rule of law in Kosovo. The brochure represents a summary of 30 issues identified by Kosovo judges and attorneys during a series of roundtable discussions organized in five regions. Read more »»
Supporting women and minorities
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) supports the Gender and Minority Committee of the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) to assist Kosovar women and minorities in attaining equality in the legal profession. Read more »»
Publications
- Kosovo Legal Ethics Handbook (2008). Also available in Serbian and Albanian.
- Judicial Reform Index for Kosovo - Volume III (August 2007). Also available in Serbian and Albanian.
- Kosovo Chamber of Advocates Organizational Assessment 2007 (January 2008) | in Albanian, English & Serbian
- Kosovo Bench-Bar Brochure (December 2007). Also available in Serbian and Albanian.
- Legal Profession Reform Index for Kosovo - Volume II (April 2007). Also available in Albanian & Serbian
- TeenLaw - A Course for High School Students about the Law, Rights & Responsibilities, and the Kosovo Legal System (September 2007). Also available in Albanian.
- Kosovo Judges Association (KJA) Strategic Plan 2007- 2009. Also available in Albanian & Serbian
- Kosovo Judges Association (KJA) Organizational Assessment 2007. Also available in Albanian & Serbian
- Interactive Teaching Techniques. A Handbook for Law Professors at the University of Prishtina, Law Faculty (May 2007). Also available in Albanian
Gina Schaar
Country Director
Prishtine, Kosovo
Phone: +381-38-243-161;+381-38-232- 540
Fax: +381 38-243-161
Email: office@ceelikosovo.org
Background
In 1999, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) established an office in Pristina to implement a technical legal assistance program in Kosovo. ABA ROLI representatives assessing the status of the post-conflict legal system were some of the first legal advisors on the ground. This year, ABA ROLI celebrates 10 years of rule of law promotion in Kosovo. Click here to view a publication about ABA ROLI's 10 years work in Kosovo. Also in Albanian and Serbian.
In February 2008, Kosovo announced its independence from Serbia. By the end of 2008, 52 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and other EU members, have recognized Kosovo’s independence. The declaration of independence was passed unanimously by the Kosovar Parliament, which also selected a new flag, showing the shape of the country in gold, on a blue background, with six white stars. On April 9, 2008, Kosovo’s Parliament adopted a new constitution. On June 15, 2008, the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo entered into force. (You can access the constitution in English, Albanian or Serbian).
Since commencing its program in Kosovo, ABA ROLI has been primarily focused on the establishment of basic legal institutions in the post-conflict environment; on the promotion of self-sustaining training for judges, attorneys and prosecutors; and on conducting a war crimes documentation project. ABA ROLI has worked on several major projects including:
- training for all newly-appointed judges in Kosovo and the creation of the Kosovo Judges Association in May 2001.
- the design of a two-week, intensive course on human rights standards and on Kosovar criminal and criminal procedure laws conducted in Prague.
- capacity building projects with the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates and Kosovo Judges Association through the Regional Institution Building Advisor program.
- publication of the Judicial Reform Index (Volume I in 2002, Volume II in 2004, and Volume III in 2007), of the Legal Profession Reform Index (Volume I in 2004 and Volume II in 2007), and of the first Legal Education Reform Index (Volume I in 2008).
- continuing legal education programs.
ABA Rule of Law Initiative in Kosovo focuses its work primarily in two areas: Legal Education Reform and Civic Education, and Legal Profession Reform.
Click here to view a brochure about the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s work in Kosovo.
Meet Our Field Staff
Tim Hazen is a Legal Specialist who joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI’s) Kosovo team in July 2009.
Tim’s first comments about Kosovo were that it seems a young country in so many ways—the people are young and energetic and many institutions are new or are renewing themselves. While in Kosovo, Tim’s work will focus on organizational development issues with the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) and the Kosovo Public Prosecutors Association and finding safe roads for cycling. Read more »»
