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About the Project I Course Information & Syllabi I Country Information I Articles I Discussion Forums |
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NGO Law is taught at four universities in Bulgaria: one theoretical course and three clinical courses. Plovdiv University was the first in CEE to introduce an NGO Management clinical program, which started in 2000, again after a launching seminar held in co-operation with ICNL. The NGO clinic is in its third year now and, like the rest of the clinical components at the university, is operated by the Center for Legal Aid Foundation. The NGO component includes 8-10 students selected on the basis of written applications, including a motivation letter. Students receive theoretical instruction and work with a practising lawyer. They are also trained by a psychologist, mediator, and other specialists. The teaching materials have been compiled by Prof. Kamenova, clinic director, with ICNL’s assistance, and include an international comparative section. Prof. Kamenova is leading a team assigned by BCNL to write a textbook on NGO Law. The textbook should be published by the fall of 2002. Primary contact: Prof. Tsvetana Kamenova. Sofia University added an NGO Law component to its legal clinic program in the spring of 2001 after a launching seminar organized by ICNL. The NGO clinic is in its second year now. It is open to about 5-6 students in their 4th and 5th year selected among all applicants. The students work under the supervision of Prof. Doncho Hrusanov, Legal Clinic Director, and Maria Slavova, Head of Administrative Law Clinic. They also work with the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL) to acquire more practical knowledge on the implementation of the legal framework for NGOs in the country and throughout the CEE region. Students from the NGO Law clinic co-operate with the Commission on Civil Society Issues at the Bulgarian Parliament and participate in the discussion of draft laws related to NGOs. The professors’ team at Sofia University is considering the preparation of a textbook on NGO law. Primary contact: Maria Slavova. Veliko Tarnovo University added a theory course on NGO Law with a strong comparative element. The course was launched after the Academic Council of the University voted its approval, and is about to complete its first year now. The course description and syllabus were prepared by Maria Gerassimova, assistant professor, who teaches the course, after training and consultations and with the assistance of ICNL. She has compiled a set of teaching materials, including translated comparative materials. The course is an optional one; however, all students from the 3rd year have opted to take it, as well as students from the 5th year. Students completing the course and exam earn one credit. The University is considering the creation of a legal clinic that will work with local NGO resource centers and will provide legal aid and consultancy. Primary contact: Maria Gerassimova. Rousse University offers a NGO legal clinic component to about 4-5 students. It started in October 2001 and , like the other clinics, is run by the “Legal Clinic” Foundation. The teaching is conducted at three levels: lectures to all students from all clinics (about 40-50 students) including family law, administrative law, and others, ending with a test and selection of students who will continue the study; simulations (for the selected about 16-17 students); and live-client work under the supervision by practising lawyer. The simulations involve practising hypothetical “real-life” situations – interviews with clients, advising – where all parts are played by students. Although the live-client phase is planned for 10 weeks, in practice it continues through the summer after the end of the academic year because of the constant in-flow of client-NGOs (due to agreements with the local social service offices). The Rousse University has prepared a project to enhance student exchanges among the legal clinics in Bulgaria and in other countries in CEE. Primary contact: Krassimir Dimitrov, clinic director and vice-dean of law faculty. BCNL, ICNL’s affiliate in Bulgaria, works to provide assistance to these courses by organising an internship program for selected students from all four universities. The interns will spend a two-week internship with BCNL and with a local NGO (resource center). To promote closer co-operation and mutual assistance among the universities, BCNL is organizing a seminar in June 2002 where, in addition to substantive issues and administrative problems associated with teaching NGO law, the creation of a clinics’ association will be discussed. The process of bringing together academics and programs from the four universities was enhanced by the recent study tour in the US in which all four courses were represented. The group visited David & Clark Law School, Fordham University, Rutgers and Columbia Universities, as well as organisations including ICNL, ABA-CEELI, the DC Bar Association, the Center of Philanthropy, and Lawyers’ Alliance. The tour helped professors increase their expertise in the creation and management of a law clinic, brought them closer to the particulars of NGO law clinics, and clarified their individual plans for the development of their respective courses. Contact person from BCNL: Monika Kopcheva (legal consultant). Contact information:
Prof. Tsvetana Kamenova:
kamenovat@hotmail.com
Maria Slavova:
mslavova@pc-link.net
Maria Gerassimova:
mary_gerasimova@yahoo.com
Krasimir Dimitrov:
krdimitrov@abv.bg
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