ABA ROLI Continues to Support Vietnam's National Bar Association

On December 4–5, 2008, ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s (ABA ROLI's) Vietnam Country Director Allison Moore presented at a conference entitled,"Legal Development in East Asia: China-VietnamCompared." The event was co-sponsored by the Universityof Hong Kong and Monash University. Participantsincluded scholars, lawyers and development professionals. Attendees tackledquestions of whether legal institution reforms in China and Vietnam, which have accompanied theireconomic transition and rapid growth in recent decades, are in keeping with therequirements to support the rule of law. 

Ms. Moore drew upon herexperience as former ABA ROLI China country director, as well as her currentposition, to discuss the different stages at which China and Vietnam findthemselves with respect to legal profession development and its role inpromoting justice within administrative and judicial institutions. She saidplans to establish a self-managed national bar organization and to attract astrong crop of new advocates would help Vietnam accomplish its announced judicialreform strategic goals of rapid expansion and professionalization for theVietnamese bar by 2020. ABA ROLI and other foreign bar associations anddonors are offering technical assistance and collegial support, with the aim ofaiding Vietnam’snew national bar association with integration into the international legalcommunity. Other goals include building its capacity for continuing legaleducation and for promoting professional responsibility and public service tomeet society’s growing legal needs.

To learn more aboutour work in Vietnam, contact the ABA Rule ofLaw Initiative at <rol@staff.abanet.org>.