Allen & Overy advises Rwanda on shift to common law system

Allen & Overy is engaged in a pro-bono initiative advising Rwanda as it moves from a civil law system to a common law system in a bid to boost foreign direct investment. The firm has sent a 12-lawyer team to Rwanda to provide training on the common law system for legal staff in the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice, as well as the Rwandan Bar Association. The program involved two years of preparation and is expected to run for at least three years and to be transferable to other jurisdictions in the future. Allen & Overy's senior pro bono manager, Chris Marshall commented: "An initiative like this is crucial to Rwanda as the genocide left the country without that generation of older lawyers to provide new lawyers with this knowledge. One of the most important factors for foreign direct investors is the certainty that there is a fair and just judicial system."

Allen & Overy advises Rwanda on shift to common law system legalweek.com Mon, May 31, 2010