Skilled attorneys are always in need worldwide, particularly in the areas of human rights, international development, capacity building, land rights, rule of law initiatives, as well as policy and legislation.

In the US, the American Bar Association (ABA) www.abanet.org sponsors rule of law initiatives in five geographic areas, offering both short- and long-term assignments. Its Senior Lawyer Project advances rule of law issues, protects human rights, and promotes equitable economic development worldwide. The Central East Europe Legislative Initiative (CEELI) needs attorneys for year- long stints and will cover some costs for volunteers.

Lawyers Without Borders www.lawyerswithoutborders.org, also sponsored by the ABA, provides a large pool of volunteer lawyers for various international initiatives that “engage civil society and harness resources in a globally collaborative process.”  A sampling of past projects demonstrates the variety of their initiatives. In Liberia, volunteers have trained prosecutors, judges, and public defenders. In a collaborative project with the Rwandan Women’s Rights Network, volunteers worked on land rights issues for women who frequently have lost their husbands to AIDS and have not been allowed to inherit their own family’s land. In Sierra Leone, attorneys have developed programs in the human trafficking area.

Judges Without Borders www.judgeswithoutborders.org is a part of Lawyers Without Borders.  They connect lawyers with in-country NGOs and link attorneys as mentors to lawyers in developing nations.

Many state bar associations in the US also sponsor their own projects through the “Peace Through Law” initiatives. Check your state bar association for more details.

Another resource for finding legal volunteer opportunities is at www.idealist.org. Key in “legal” under the type of work and an exciting array of possibilities appears, several associated with the International Legal Foundation www.TheILF.org. In both Nepal and Afganistan, for example, experienced lawyers are needed to mentor and train lawyers in criminal public defense as these countries establish new, more fair criminal justice systems. In Ghana, Ikando (www.Ikando.org) focuses on human rights issues of young people and marginalized populations.

The needs will continue to be great for experienced lawyers, offering a lifetime of interesting and rewarding chances to serve.