International Pro Bono Legal Assistance

The ABA Senior Lawyers Division (via its International Committee) established a unique private-public partnership (“PPP”) with the U.S. Department of Commerce and its Commercial Law Development Program (“CLDP”). Given the range of legal expertise in the membership of the ILS Section, we are enlarging the potential partnership involvement to include ILS members as potential pro bono legal assistance contributors to CLDP projects. With this announcement, we are sending out notice to ILS members of the exciting current projects for which the CLDP needs pro bono volunteers. Periodically, new projects develop in different parts of the world, and the ILS will continue to bring these opportunities to your attention for your consideration. (A detailed description of the CLDP partnership with the ABA Senior Lawyers is here.) 

The CLDP–founded in 1992 as a program of the DOC’s Office of General Counsel– works primarily with developing and post-conflict country governments around the world to develop and reform their commercial law frameworks. It relies on the expertise of its lawyers who are often supplemented by outside experts that include USG officials and VOLUNTEER PRO BONO SENIOR LAWYERS WITH EXPERTISE DEVELOPED FROM THEIR PRIOR OR CURRENT LEGAL PRACTICES.

OPPORTUNITIES:

Today, we announce the following several pro bono CLDP opportunities for Senior Lawyers—

1. Bangladesh: We need attorney(s) who specialize(s) in or has worked on PORT CONCESSION AGREEMENTS for participation in a program (with the Bangladesh Private-Public Partnership Authority and the Ministry of Shipping) on July 27-28 in Dhaka, Bangladesh (expenses normally covered) on drafting and negotiating port concession agreements to join an expert from the Port of Tampa, FL. If interested, please submit application indicating interest no later than June 17, 2022.
   
2. Nepal: We need attorney(s) to participate in five-day capacity-building trainings related to LONG-TERM CONTRACT MANAGEMENT for the Nepal Bar Association, the Nepal Office of Investment Board, Nepal Department of Roads, and Karnali Province with the goal of providing foundational, comprehensive knowledge on managing a project after financial close. Trainings will take place in-person in Kathmandu, Nepal, (travel expenses normally covered) from 9:00 to 14:30 each day with a practical exercise requiring attendee participation from 15:00 to 17:00. The program will include an overview of contract management and progress through actions to be taken after financial close of a project, and cover topics related to issues that may arise throughout the contract term, including how to mitigate and manage disputes. Topics to be addressed also include: establishment and training of a contract management team, transitional management (from financial close to construction, operations, administrative changes), monitoring performance (performance indicators, payment), stakeholder management, information management, claims, refinancing, renegotiation, dispute mitigation techniques, negotiation, mediation, dispute resolution boards, expert determinations, litigation, arbitration, insolvency, default and termination. If interested, please submit application indicating interest no later than June 17, 2022. 
   
3. South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa: We need attorney(s) to work with governments in South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa on UNDERSTANDING PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS, which are new to many emerging market governments that may lack resources to develop infrastructural priorities. CLDP’s PPP programs need pro bono senior lawyers to assist foreign country focus on the full life-cycle of a PPP—from planning and project identification through procurement to contract management. Pro bono attorneys would support CLDP’s various PPP projects that take place in-country, virtually, or in the U.S. Such topics would include risk allocation in PPP contracts, terms and conditions in PPP contracts, and procurement of PPP projects. If interested, please submit application indicating interest no later than June 24, 2022. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

1. To indicate your interest in being involved in any (or all) of these CLDP projects, please email a copy of your CV to Robert Lutz at rlutz@swlaw.edu. Application deadlines noted above for each project. 
2. Accompany your CV with a cover note highlighting any applicable expertise you have for the project(s) of your interest.
3. While non-membership is not preclusive of consideration, it would be helpful for you to note whether you are a member of the ABA-SLD, and/or other ABA entities, and the ILS. 
4. You will receive a receipt confirmation and notice of any follow-up required.