News Releases
Valparaiso Law Dean signs letter on Russia-Georgia Conflict
Monday, August 18, 2008
The dean of Valparaiso University’s School of Law, Jay Conison, has joined 68 other deans of law schools in the United States in signing a letter stating their support of international norms of conduct and the rule of law in the Caucasus region.
In July, Conison and other law school deans who signed the letter traveled to Tbilisi for the Conference on Judicial Independence and Legal Education organized by the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative and the United States Agency for International Development. They remain in close contact with many colleagues in the Republic of Georgia during this most difficult time.
“The actions of Russia threaten…the people of Georgia and the Georgians’ commitment to values we hold fundamental and daily teach to our students,” said the deans in their letter, which was sent to the U.S. Department of State, numerous Congressional delegations and political and academic figures in Tbilisi.
Conison is vice chair of the ABA committee responsible for accreditation of law schools in the United States and was invited to help organize the July conference. His work focused on the part of the conference dealing with legal education and in particular with developing an accreditation system for Georgia’s law schools.
“This Russian aggression can harm so much of what the Georgians have accomplished,” Conison said. “Georgia is a country committed to strengthening its legal and judicial institutions. There is wide recognition that building a strong system of legal education, supported by a system of accreditation, is vital for ensuring a high quality legal system and independent judiciary.”
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