Delegation from Russia studied Civil Rule of Law in the US
| April 10th, 2010 | to | April 18th, 2010 |
The Northern Nevada International Center welcomed a delegation of Attorneys and Legal Counsels from Russia to Nevada on April 10 to April 18 2010. The delegation was in Reno as part of the Open World Program of the US Library of Congress.
The Reno program focused upon:
- Representing vulnerable populations and equal access to justice; and
- US judicial systems and legal education.
During the opening of the program, Victor Mercado, regional representative for Senator Harry Reid’s office, met with a delegation of attorneys from Russia at the Joe Crowley Student Union at UNR. Mr. Mercado welcomed the international visitors on behalf of the the Senator to our state as part of the Open World Program which is administered by the US Library of Congress. The visitors will be here from Apr 10th to Apr 17 and will meet with US colleagues, and attend training sessions at the National Judicial College. Mr. Mercado presented the visitors with Wolfpack Football Jerseys provided by UNR’s Associated Student Union of Nevada.
A highlight of the visit was the delegation’s program at the National Judicial College on the campus of the University of Nevada Reno. The visitors met with Chief Judge Jerome Polaha of the Second Judicial District Court (Washoe County). The visitors met with Judge Polaha and discussed the US Judicial System, and in particular the state system in Nevada. Additionally, the visitors and the judge discussed the differences in the legal education between the US and Russia. The visitors noted the lengthy process in the American system which required a Bachelors degree prior to pursuing a jurist doctorate, while in Russia one can go directly to law school. Pictured is Judge Polaha with the Russian attorneys at the Judicial College.
During their visit to the Nevada Supreme Court, the Russian attorneys met with Justice Mark Gibbons of the Nevada Supreme Court and Justice Gibbons discussed the Supreme Courts Access to Justice program; the advancement of women in the judiciary over the last 25 years; and court security. Justice Gibbons and the delegation talked about the recent killing of a Moscow judge who had handled several high profile cases against ultra-nationalists in Moscow and the arrest of the militia members in Michigan.
At the end of the program, Host Family Steve and Nancy Casper hosted a closing reception at their home in Reno. All the host families, friends and NNIC staff were in attendance. At the closing reception, the delegation was presented with certificates by NNIC Board Vice President Claudia Ortega-Lukas for successfully completing the program. Upon their return home to Russia, the Program Facilitator, Yekatrina Alekseeva, commented via email “Now we are all safely home and back to work. So many adventures just in one visit! Please send our best regards to all host families. All my delegates really enjoyed staying with them. They spent great time in Reno. Thank you very much for the program and for all your assistance. The visit was both informative and very interesting. Best regards to everybody we met in Reno.”
For more information, please contact Joaquin Rafael Roces, Program Coordinator, via email at CLICK ME
