chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
December 31, 2009

ABA ROLI Trains Moldovan Judicial Trainers

December 2009         

From December 2–4, Judge Judith Chirlin, recently retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge and member of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) board, conducted a three-day workshop on identifying and adapting new teaching techniques and designing an effective judicial course. The training was held at the Moldovan National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in Chisinau. More than 20 judicial trainers, including Constitutional Court Judge Valeria Sterbet, NIJ Director Eugenia Fistican and Moldovan State University law professors, participated.

Judge Chirlin discussed the need for and process of identifying the best teaching method for specific students, which should suit their learning styles. The training covered various teaching approaches, developing course objectives and identifying content. The participants, working in smaller groups, practiced developing a mini-course, which they then taught to the group. Emil Darii, ABA ROLI institution building advisor in Moldova, assisted with the training.

At the end of the training, Fistican said that they have already had queries from other trainers—some 65 people—who want to take this training if it is offered again. She said she would like all NIJ trainers to receive similar training since it was “extremely useful in making us more effective at conducting trainings and understanding our students”.

The NIJ provides both initial training to judicial and prosecutorial candidates and continuing legal education to sitting judges and prosecutors. ABA ROLI’s work to improve the quality of the justice system in Moldova is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

To learn more about our work in Moldova, contact the ABA Rule of Law Initiative at <[email protected]>.