8/29/01-The Boston College Law School's Legal Assistance Bureau (LAB) recently hosted a group of distinguished international visitors, traveling in the United States under the auspices of the International Visitor Program of the United States Department of State. Boston was the second stop on the group's tour. The group's national program was organized by the Institute for International Education; their Boston program was arranged by WorldBoston. The group's focus was to study the U.S. legal system.

"In many of their countries, efforts to reform the administration of justice are planned in partnership with legal education," said Professor Alan Minuskin, Director of the LAB, who helped coordinate the visit. "They see the connection as a healthy symbiosis, and they see clinical legal education as sitting squarely in the middle of the model they conceive."

The group walked through the Legal Assistance Bureau during which they asked lots of great questions to the staff and the students about clinical education, the services LAB provides, the relationship with the courts, organized bar, and legal services network.

After the tour of LAB, the group moved to the Waltham District Court, where they had a tour, heard remarks from the Presiding Judge, Gregory Flynn, and then heard descriptions of the BCLaw Criminal Justice Clinical Program and Immigration Clinic from faculty members. "They were an extremely inquisitive and appreciative group," Minuskin said. "[Professor] Jo Ross and [Professor] Dan Kanstroom gave fabulous presentations and answered some wonderful questions from the group."

The rest of the group's Boston itinerary included a meeting with Barbara Dortch-Okara (BCLS'74), Chief Justice for Administration and Management of the Trial Court; a meeting with Sal Ricciardone (BCLS'93), Executive Director of the Flaschner Judicial Institute; a meeting with Chere Auguston, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Council; observing trials in the Superior Court in Suffolk County; and a meeting with Charlotte Whiting of the Public Information Office of the Supreme Judicial Court.

A full list of the participants follows.

Bangladesh Mr. Amar Kumar ROY Deputy Secretary Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs

Cambodia Mr. Ang Vong VATHANA Secretary of State Ministry of Justice

Egypt Mr. Amel Farouk Basta EL DEWIRY Chief Attorney Supreme Court

Gaza Mr. Ayman Sabhi BUSHNAQ Prosecutor in the Criminal Court Office of the Attorney General

India Ms. Marlim VANKUNG Judicial Magistrate Aizawal, Mizoram

Israel Dr. Daphna AVNIELI Judge Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court

Jordan Mr. Ammar AL HUSSEINI Head of International Office Ministry of Justice

Mauritius Ms. Hima Nalini MATADEEN President Industrial Court

Mozambique Mr. Juliao NHACA Chief Provincial Attorney Pemba Cabo Delgado

Nepal Mr. Shre Prasad PANDIT Registrar Supreme Court

Nigeria Mrs. Constance Douye GREEN Partner Green and Akinbiyi, Solicitors

Philippines Ms. Carina J. DEMAISIP Associate Legada Ignacio-Jose Ramirez & Associates Law Firm

Romania Ms. Roxana Maria TRIF Judge Brasov District Court

Rwanda Mr. Jacques MUDENGE Judge Supreme Court

Senegal Mr. Serigne Bassirou GUEYE Deputy Public Prosecutor Regional Court of Justice

South Africa Mr. Samuel Mulalo MABOHO Senior Magistrate Department of Justice and Constitutional Development

Swaziland Ms. Thandie Sybil MAZIYA Deputy Registrar High Court of Swaziland

Tanzania Ms. Victoria Benjamin MANDARI Advocate of the High Court and Corporation Secretary National Housing Corporation

United Kingdom Ms. Mandy Elizabeth KILPATRICK Business Manager Belfast Crown, County, Magistrates’ and Coroners’ Courts

Mr. Mohammed Jaffer KASSIM Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs Ministry of Justice

Zimbabwe Mr. Herbert MANDEYA Regional Magistrate Ministry of Justice, Legal & Parliamentary Affairs