CILS Benefactors Inc.
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I taught in Kosice, Slovakia as part of the volunteer effort of CILS. It was one of the best professional experiences I've ever had. The students were excellent, the faculty and administration were wonderful colleagues for my short visit and I undoubtedly learned as much as I was able to teach. I asked to attend court one day and that proved to be a fascination, perhaps for all of us. It was difficult for them to persuade a judge to allow me to observe, but once I was there the judge warmed to the experience and we had a good exchange. I came away with more questions than I realized I had when I began--and I am still most interested in knowing how Slovakia and other "new" EU nations will incorporate this jurisprudence that is so different from their tradition.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
the other CILS vounteers I met--talented people who love(d) practicing law and so thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of sharing that in a setting so foreign to us.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2007
I taught law school in Ukraine in the fall of 2007 through the CILS Program after attending their orientation in Austria. I met wonderful people to include my host, a young law professor, who recently received a Fulbright scholarship to Georgetown Law where he received his LLM last month. The experience was extremely rewarding as a learning tool and in helping young people in a developing country with gaining the knowledge to help lead their country in the future.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
helping with the intellectual growth of young lawyers in developing democracies.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Spend more time trying to retain those who have volunteered in the past.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Working with young lawyers in a country with a constitution which is only 12 years old.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Very helpful and quick to try and resolve problems.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Assist in deferring the out of pocket costs of the volunteers.
Ways to make it better...
the host organization had been better organized in planning the program.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Coordination of the volunteers and the projects for which they volunteer.
One thing I'd also say is that...
This program needs money because it can't survive in today's economy with volunteers having to pay huge out of pocket costs.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
For our Serbian teaching experience, CILS provided training on the legal egudcational system in Central Europe, We have recieved confirmation that the experience enriched the students' and faculty's understanding of environmenal law and how it is practiced in the United States. Our understanding of Serbia, its people, their history, their legal system, and their environmental problems, was enhanced in a way that is simply not possible otherwise. We have continued our contacts with former students and others, both directly and through USAID. Without CILS this set of experiences would not have been available, either to our Serbian hosts or to us.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
continuing contact between various Serbians and several people and organizations in Portland, Oregon
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Make sure it has 501(c)(3) status maintained, provides a clear path to CLE credit, and provides several paths for continued contact with host countries and the faculties in those places.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Both the intellectual challenges and the people contact have been outstanding. Both my wife and I greatly enjoyed our prepartion time in Salzburg and in Austria generally.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
first rate. I think Carola Wojack and Dennis Campbell did excellent jobs in smoothing our transition into a central European context.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Increase the numer of participating American lawyers, provide assistance to Central European univiserties as to housing,food and other accomodations to make the stays a bit more comfortable, expand the program into Chinese and other Asian law faculties.
Ways to make it better...
Kosovo hadn't decided to declare its indpendence from Serbia while we were in Serbia.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Ongoing support in a down economy.
One thing I'd also say is that...
The training facility at the Schloss Leopoldskron in salzburg could not have been better in terms of recognizing the different history and feeling between cultures in the US and in Europe.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
I am a 1973 graduate of the Temple Univsersity School of Law and a practicing lawyer as a member of the Business and Finance Department in the Philadelphia law firm of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel; in 2004 the Center for International Legal Studies(CILS) advised me that I had been recommended to be an initial participant in the CILS Sr. Lawyer Visiting Professor Program (CILS was originally established to bring students, scholars, lawyers and government officials to Salzberg for conferences; after 1989 they received requests from Universities to send experienced lawyers to them.) After application, submission of a brief and paper, recommendation by the Dean of my law school, and interview by CILS, I attended a week long seminar at the Schloss Leopoldskron (home of the Salzberg Seminars) with other Sr. Lawyer Visiting Professors, for lectures by leading government and academic figures, and to meet law students from some of the countries we were going to, and to discuss what and how we would teach. I subsequently delevoped a seminar, entited "American Entrepreneurship, the Lawyer's Role; the Function of the Attorney-at-Law in the U.S. Economy", which I conducted at the University of Szczecin in Poland in May and June of 2006. I subsequently arranged for one of my students to be an intern at a law firm in the U.S., and arranged for one the other professors in Szczecin to visit the Temple University School of Law. It was a tremendously positive experience, and I strongly recommend full financial support and participation in the Center for International Legal Studies and its programs.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
increased understanding of the American Legal System by professors and students in Eastern Europe.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
make it better known.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
the opportunity to teach and to learn.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
responsive.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
expand its programs into Asia, Africa and South America.
Ways to make it better...
it was easier to communicate with Universities in developing countries.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
the tendency of other legal systems to view lawyers primarily in the judicial/litigative/prosecutorial context.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
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