Geonomics Institute of Middlebury College Aids

Ukrainian Legal Reform Efforts With Community Connections Program

Is the development of democracy in the countries

of the former Soviet Union possible without the enforcement of

a rule of law?

Nine Ukrainian legal professionals donít think

so. Throughout the month of March, they are thoroughly examining

Vermont’s legal and judicial systems. Armed with this knowledge,

they will contribute to the design of a legal reform program in

their home city of Dnepropetrovsk in southeastern Ukraine. Through

the Community Connections program, which offers three-week internships

designed and implemented by Geonomics Institute of Middlebury

College, The Snelling Center for Government, and the Vermont-Karelia

Rule of Law Project, the visitors will learn from their Vermont

counterparts.

Internships and professional meetings will expose

the Ukrainian visitors to the practice of commercial and criminal

law, legal research, and case management. Vermont professionals

will provide guidance in developing a code of ethics for the Ukrainian

judicial system and its attorneys. The interns’ daily participation

in the democratic free-market economy of the United States reflects

the program’s goal to support the development of democracy in

Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union.

Prior to the internships, Community Connections participants

will undergo intensive training at Middlebury’s Geonomics Institute.

The program also will offer the Ukrainians the chance to establish

personal connections through homestays with Vermont families,

and opportunities to engage in local cultural and community activities.

Vermont organizations providing internships during

the legal program include Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Montpelier,

Chittenden Bank of Burlington, Green Mountain Power of South Burlington,

March & Associates law firm of Middlebury, Vermont Law School

of South Royalton, Vermont Police Academy of Pittsford, and the

Office of the Secretary of State of Vermont and Vermont Bar Association,

both of Montpelier. The Ukrainians will spend a day at the United

States Federal Court in Burlington and will attend the 41st annual

midwinter meeting of the Vermont Bar Association.

Community Connections is a nationwide program sponsored

by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United

States Information Agency. Vermont’s program receives additional

funding from the Middlebury College Geonomics Institute, The Snelling

Center for Government, the Vermont-Karelia Rule of Law Project,

Vermont businesses, private and government organizations, and

individuals.

For more information on the Community Connections

program, please contact Chris Beattie, program coordinator, at

the Geonomics Institute of Middlebury College at 802-443-2300.