2010 Highlights BABSEA CLE’s Year of 

“Access to Justice Champions“ 

Dear Supporters of BABSEA CLE, 

As we launch into 2011, we find ourselves full of optimism and gratitude for the wonderful work achieved in 2010, the Year of “Access to Justice Champions.” 

With this email we linked the BABSEA CLE 2010 End of the Year Newsletter (click on the word “Newsletter” to open it). It is full of highlights, successes, reflections and personal challenges many of us went through during last year. Although the newsletter is a little lengthy we urge to look through it and take some time to read the articles that grab your attention. If you cannot do so in one reading, please come back to it, bit by bit.  We assure you it is worth it.  

We are very proud of the people and the articles that have been compiled and hope after reading an article or two, you will feel similar optimism and gratitude. 

So here we are in 2011 – what lies ahead for this year for CLE in Southeast Asia? BABEA CLE predicts law students will be directly working with more than 20,000 community members throughout Southeast Asia. We anticipate this being achieved through the expansion of CLE programs throughout Malaysia and the soon to be newly established Faculty of Law and Political Science based In-House Clinic in Laos. Viet Nam will also substantially contribute to this figure, with university based legal clinics opening their doors to give free legal advice as well as the launching and nationwide use of the Training Manual on the Law on HIV Prevention and Control in Viet Nam. Throughout Thailand, we fully expect to see a nationwide expansion and strengthening of CLE programs as so many universities are contacting us with requests for assistance in setting up CLE programs. Other countries we directly work in, or support, are expected to follow suit.

Parallel to this, in North Thailand, training of community based paralegals on the Thai law for statelessness, birth registration and work papers will commence in just 2 weeks.

Perhaps the use of “optimism” in the opening sentence is a little clearer now. BABSEA CLE is committed and supportive of all this happening. While at the same time we are mindful of the quality and professionalism required of the students and programs we work with.  Therefore, a strong focus for the BABSEA CLE partner supported programs will be partner participation in the Intensive CLE Supervisor Training Program; CLE Best Practices as well receiving in-depth trainings focusing on CLE applied research and needs assessment methods.

It is good quality CLE programs that instill law students with an ethic to provide legal services for those who are poor, those who are being discriminated against, and those who do not have real access to the legal process. 

2011 will be the year that BABSEA CLE challenges and supports the legal community in Southeast Asia to further develop pro-bono initiatives and standards to accommodate these CLE graduates as they enter the legal profession.

In closing we hope that you will continue to support our work. It is good work, real work and we do it on small contributions from many people. If you wear one of our BABSEA CLE t-shirts you promote the Margaret Mead quote and our core belief which states, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

As you will see in the attached newsletter, we had more than 200 people working directly with us in 2010, either as direct team members, volunteers and/or interns. We had more than 150 partners and donors and more than 200 supporters and/or participants in our Trio for Justice; legal awareness raising event.

We hope you will enjoy the newsletter and if you do, we also hope you consider supporting us by making the Gift of Social Justice. Your help will make a real difference in people’s lives all around Southeast Asia. Remember: even a small amount of money can help BABSEA CLE and our partners, train increasing numbers of young law students and lawyers dedicated to improving access to social justice.

Thank you so very much for your commitment and support of CLE in Southeast Asia.

Bruce Lasky, Wendy Morrish & Kevin Morley

Directors of BABSEA CLE

On behalf of our Team and Partners of BABSEA CLE

www.babseacle.org