Law Students Intern at Kosovo’s Legal Aid Commission

November 2010

On September 30, six University of Pristina Faculty of Law students completed a three-month internship program with the Legal Aid Commission. The ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) and the Faculty of Law, with support from the U.S.Agency for International Development, coordinated the program, which allowed the participants to intern in six of the commission’s regional offices. Theprogram afforded the students an opportunity to enhance their client counselingand legal service provision skills.

Yll Xhiha, who interned in Gjakova, said, “The experience was fantastic, we had real cases to deal with and were involved in advising on future steps tounder take.”

The program is part of a pilot career services center the Faculty of Law is implementing. Shqipe Kastrati, who interned in the Peja regional office, said,“This internship program made it possible for us to see practical matters. Somehow what we got in theory and in class lectures, we got to practice daily, in real cases, by working with this institution.”

During an October event marking the completion of the three-month long program, Bajram Ukaj, the dean of the faculty, said that internships are a newapproach. “This is one opportunity for our students to complete their practical work with professional institutions,” he added. The faculty is reaching out to potential partners to provide more students with internship opportunities.

Gina Schaar, ABA ROLI country director in Kosovo, said that ABA ROLI is working closely with the faculty to expand this program to as many students and institutions as possible. She said, “We strongly believe that practice is the best opportunity for students to learn.”

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