Monrovia – The Liberia National Bar Association(LNBA) on Friday, June 28 organized a training session for Librarians from all walks to educate them on how to have access to justice by using their pro bono legal aid clinics.
Report by Alline Dunbar, alline.dunbar@frontpageafricaonline.com
The legal aid clinic was established by the LNBA with support from USAID-LPAC to provide legal services and Legal representation to people who cannot afford to pay for legal services or representation in court.
Giving an overview of the training, the Legal aid committee Chair, Cllr Joyce Reeves Woods called on those who are not legal minded to stop acting as such and give their lawyers the chance to do their job properly.
Cllrs Woods said the LNBA was fortunate to meet with a division in USAID called USAID-LPAC in 2016 which recognized the need for access to justice in Liberia and decided to give a helping hand.
She, however, stressed that because of the project, her institution has been able to put out many detainees that were languishing in the prisons for some period of time.
“We have been fortunate to put some people out of jail who were in for a long period of time and were not able to go to court because they didn’t have the money,” she stressed.
The association has five functioning clinics in five counties including Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Bong and Margibi Counties.
Making remarks, the chief of party for USAID legal professional development and anti-corruption program, John Furnani announced that the LPAC program of USAID which has been in Liberia for the past three years would be winding down within a year.
He said that as a citizen of the U.S, he was born in an imperfect but functioning democracy based on the rule of law and called on Liberian lawyers to do their job to uphold its democracy.
“When the lawyers aren’t doing their jobs in a so-called democracy, democracy falls apart,” he said.
Furnani said America’s democracy was saved through citizens who were lawyers.
“But the people that stood up for those citizens, and stood up for the rule of law and its ethics, were the lawyers and they are the guidance of the rule of law.”
Terming lawyers as officers of the court with licenses, he informed the participants that lawyers are the only defenders of their right against any crime.
The one-day training was held at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The Aid Clinics also provide legal representation for pretrial detainees and some services provided by the Bar include Family Law, Domestic Violence Law, Land related matters (landlord and tenant), mediation and litigation.
The LNBA provides legal advice for citizens who do not understand the laws of Liberia by telling them what their rights and responsibilities are and what to do when they come in conflict with the law or when their rights are being violated.
