KCA Representatives Attend ABA Annual Meeting

October 2009

Two Kosovo Chamber of Advocates (KCA) representatives attended the American Bar Association (ABA) annual meeting in Chicago from July 30 to August 4.

The representatives, Tome Gashi and Yll Zekaj, met with ABA members andleadership to discuss developing and managing a bar association. They also metwith two former ABA presidents, Martha Barnett and Michael Greco, and former ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) legal specialist in Kosovo, DawnSchock.

The representatives said their experience will help the KCA function more efficiently and better serve its membership.

“This experience will help me in my practice,” said Gashi, “The conference has given me a perspective and opportunity to learn about a justice system built based on highest international standards.”

Zekaj said that the meeting was one way that members become more involved inand connected to their organization since many members attend it. The meetingalso allowed members to take multiple continuing legal education courses and to simultaneously fulfill their mandatory requirements, he added.

The representatives said they would like to incorporate features of the ABA annual meeting into future KCA annual meetings. ABA ROLI continues to work with theKCA to build their organizational capacity and to encourage legal professionals to assume an active role in boosting the country’s legal profession.

To learn more about our work in Kosovo, contact the ABA Rule of Law Initiative at <rol@staff.abanet.org>.