In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (“CLDP”), SLD-International Senior Lawyers Committee is making opportunities for senior lawyers to participate (at this time remotely) in projects that provide legal assistance to developing and transitioning, post-conflict countries around the world.
CLDP is a division of the DOC that helps achieve U.S. foreign policy goals in countries through commercial legal reform. “CLDP’s unique, government-to-government technical assistance seeks to engage senior lawyers who are experienced regulators, judges, policymakers, business leaders and practitioners from both the public and private sectors to deliver results that make meaningful and lasting changes to the legal and business environments of host countries.” CLDP operates worldwide on a pro bono basis and offers senior lawyers opportunities to contribute efforts that advance the rule of law through commercial law reform.
Volunteer senior lawyers under this new cooperative program may be assigned to do work, including to:
- Make presentations in seminars for foreign officials in-person or virtually;
- assist the development of negotiation skills of foreign officials through in-person or remotely-conducted simulations;
- review draft laws and regulations to ensure they are compatible with best international practices and help revise national investment laws ensuring they are conducive for foreign investors; and
- serve as arbitrators or judges for international moot court competitions.
Some current projects also include:
- Revision of national investment laws to make them more conducive to foreign investment;
- the legal structuring of specific infrastructure projects to meet foreign investor criteria;
- modernization of foreign country insolvency and company laws to foster entrepreneurship; and
- revisions of laws to facilitate small and medium enterprises’ access to financing.
In this replay of International Senior Lawyers April 7 program, CLDP personnel discuss this new relationship and explore the ways SLD members (and other cooperating entities) can contribute their knowledge and skills to CLDP. Those interested in additional information about CLDP may consult the CLDP website at https://cldp.doc.gov.
Read Robert Brown's notes on CLDP program and how SLD members can contribute their knowledge and skills globally.