September 2009
In May 2009, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) published a text book its legal education advisor in Cambodia, Steven Austermiller, authored. The publication, Alternative Dispute Resolution: Cambodia A Textbook of Essential Concepts, is the country’s first legal textbook on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and focuses on new laws and techniques. Since publication, more than 1,000 copies of the textbook have been distributed to students, lawyers, judges and non-governmental organizations throughout the country. As requests continue to pour in, the office is considering another print run to keep up with demand.
Recently, a number of Cambodian government institutions have asked for copies. In June, the Cambodian Arbitration Council made a request, and in July,the Ministry of Labor inquired about using the tome as a training device for its mediators. In August, the National Cadastral Commission requested the publication for use in its land dispute resolution program. Also, the United Nations requested copies for its justice service centers, where local Commune Councils mediate civil disputes.
The textbook was used for the first time in a law school program in late August, when ABA ROLI’s legal clinic, located at Royal University of Law and Economics, made the book part of its advocacy skills classes. The clinic held16 hours of classroom instruction on ADR using cases and techniques from the textbook.
The textbook is part of ABA ROLI’s wider legal education program in Cambodia. The program features many groundbreaking areas of assistance and is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Program on Rights and Justice (PRAJ) that is jointly implemented in Cambodia by East West Management Institute and ABA ROLI.
To view the book, click here: http://www.abanet.org/rol/publications/cambodia_adr_book_english_01_19_09.pdf.
To learn more about the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s programs in Cambodia, contact [email protected].