by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
When the Berlin Wall fell in the fall of 1989, the world watched in wonderment as communism eventually made way for capitalism throughout Central and Eastern Europe and parts of Asia.
In the months and years after, citizens of the metamorphosing countries endured the sobering reality of economic restructuring as their business and legal communities struggled to adapt to a new system of free trade. To help these countries promote true legal reform, the American Bar Association founded the Central and Eastern European Law Initiative in 1990. In the last 12 years, CEELI has enlisted over 5,000 lawyers to consult with over 20 countries on a pro bono basis to help the former Communist nations bring their legal systems up to date with Western Europe and the United States. The fall of the wall in Germany may seem like a fading memory, but change is slow and CEELI is still at it.
“It’s still going strong,” said Kamala Mohammed, director of liaisons and legal specialists for CEELI. “Since we started, though, there’s generally been a shift from Central and Eastern Europe to countries in the former Soviet Union. When we started, the Soviet Union had not broken up yet, so there were no opportunities for us to help those countries.”
Attorneys and judges across the nation offered their services in different capacities, from a few hours in their hometown offices to a year’s stay in a participating country.
Judge Jean Johnson donated her legal expertise in 1998 by reviewing a set of proposed Albanian environmental laws.
“They sent me a fairly thick code,” said Johnson. “I evaluated the changes that might have been needed. My concern was with due process. They had, basically, environmental police that could come into your home if they thought you were in violation of their environmental laws.”
While Johnson’s contribution was comparatively small — her responsibilities as a judge precluded her from participating in a more time consuming capacity — she said she enjoyed helping shape the legal system of a developing country.
“What can be more satisfying then knowing the laws have been changed because I had a chance to review them?” she said.
When the Soviet Union splintered into a multitude of nations in 1991, a new land of opportunity awaited CEELI volunteers.
Patricia Vail retired from CSX in 1996 and was looking for a new direction.
“I really wanted to do kind of a Peace Corps kind of a thing, but I figured I’d have to be trained to plant wheat or something,” mused Vail, who is now deputy director of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. “Then I saw the article about CEELI and I thought, ‘Whoa, I can be a Peace Corps person and be a lawyer at the same time.’”
Vail pondered the different volunteer consulting opportunities ranging from 10 days to three months. She submitted her application — and to her surprise — she was offered a year-long liaison position in Kazakhstan, which she accepted. During her year in Central Asia, she learned how to approach the local leaders with a careful and tactful touch.
“You had to be very careful and not be in the face of the people in the parliament because they’ve always had a parliament,” she said. “We may think by our standards it’s not a very good system, but it is an elected system of sorts. They’ve got a judicial system. We may not have thought it was a particularly effective judicial system because it was not independent of the executive department of the government, but they know what a judge is and they know what a judge is supposed to do. So when you’re offering your services, you have to be careful and not say, ‘You poor benighted souls, you know nothing and we’re here to help.’”
The CEELI program is still accepting applications from eager lawyers looking for a change from the law firm life, mid-career lawyers searching for a change in pace or retired judges who are want to share their legal knowledge. There are a few basic requirements, including a minimum of five years of legal experience in the United States and U.S. bar membership. Most positions are pro bono, although CEELI provides support for food, lodging and other relevant expenses. Further information can be found at www.abanet.org/ceeli.