Legal Professional Development and Anti-Corruption Activity in Liberia (LPAC) Monthly Report April 2019

The Professional Magistrates Training Program Cycle III (PMTP III) concluded a two-week mentoring program with 60 magistrate candidates at several courts in Montserrado County, Margibi County, and Bomi County. The candidates interacted with various actors in the courts and other governmental institutions, including prosecutors, police, and prisons, and enhanced their first-hand skills and knowledge. All candidates completed their LPAC End-of-Course Satisfaction Surveys, and PMTP III Magistrate Graduation Day will take place on May 10, 2019, with U.S. Ambassador Christine Elder delivering the keynote address. The JI and LPAC designed and organized two quarterly trainings in April. The first, the Quarterly Public Defenders Trainings, held from April 29-May 1, included the delivery of a Public Defender Trial Advocacy and Ethics session to 36 attendees. The second training of 50 judges and magistrates will be held from May 2-May 4. Regarding a potential Professional Magistrates Training Program Cycle IV (PMTP IV), the USAID Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and staff, and the LPAC Chief of Party (COP) and Legal and Judicial Education Advisor met with Chief Justice Korkpor and the JI Management to discuss potential USAID/LPAC support. The USAID COR stressed the need for the Supreme Court to positively confirm its interest in Cycle IV and the Court's intention to hire the proposed 60 trained magistrates following the year-long training endeavor. The Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law (Law School) began the second semester of the 2018-19 school year in mid-April, and LPAC's Legal and Judicial Education Advisor commenced her new curriculum development and teaching responsibilities by lecturing on Children's Law. Following its 2019 Assembly from March 29-30, the new Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) Executive Committee welcomed the new LPAC COP to the LNBA headquarters for an acquaintance meeting and exchange of views on progress made at the Bar and future challenges. The COP has since met with Cllr. G. Moses Paegar, immediate past President of the LNBA, and several prominent LNBA leaders to exchange views on recent LNBA progress and challenges ahead. The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and related agencies completed two weeks of LPAC training on investigation and operations leadership at the LPAC training room. The purpose of the training was to familiarize LACC officers and officers from other law enforcement agencies with a connection to economic crimes in leading and managing investigations and operations. Three new staff members joined LPAC this month. The new COP arrived in Liberia on April 3. The Law School Administrative Assistant, a new position at the Office of the Dean and Associate Dean, began working on April 23. She arrived in time to support the Law School's delivery of first semester grades to all students. The Communication and Events Specialist, also a new position, joined the project on April 25 and was able to immediately assist the LPAC and JI team in implementing the Quarterly Public Defenders Training. The LPAC M&E team and the Legal Education and Judicial Advisor developed a survey and conducted an assessment of the candidates' and faculty's performance for the fourth quarter of the program. The M&E team will share survey results with the JI to assist in designing PMTP Cycle IV. LPAC worked with the Judicial Institute to organize and conduct the graduation ceremony of the PMTP III magistrate candidates taking place on May 10, 2019. U.S. Ambassador Christine Elder will deliver the keynote address. The Judicial Institute (JI) management reiterated the Supreme Court and judiciary's intention to implement a new PMTP Cycle IV with support from USAID/LPAC. The JI.02 Professional Magistrate Training Program, Cycle III (PMTP III) continued through April, with the JI placing candidates in twelve magisterial courts in Margibi, Bomi, and Montserrado Counties where they received advice and supervision from JI residential trainers and the Chief Magistrate of each court. The mentoring program provided opportunities for the candidates to interact with various actors in the courts and other governmental institutions and to enhance their first-hand skills and knowledge. The Judicial Institute (JI) management and faculty, and the National Association of Trial Judges and Magistrates (NATJM), designed the Quarterly Judges' Training Program