Law & Democracy Initiative Success Stories

Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi Law Firm Features Books For Africa in Community Service Report

The Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa recently was featured in “Share A Dream: A Summary of Sharing 2010,” a document that summarizes the incredible charitable work performed last year by the law firm Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi (RKMC). RKMC provides the most financial support of any of our supportive law firms to the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative. They have been our top donor since the program was created three years ago.

In June of 2010 the RKMC Atlanta office hosted a welcome reception at the City Club of Buckhead to celebrate the opening of Books For Africa’s second warehouse/office in the Atlanta area. At the reception, Lisa Heller, managing partner for the firm's Atlanta office, said: “We are delighted to welcome and introduce Books For Africa to the greater Atlanta community. Our firm has supported BFA in Minnesota for many years, and we are committed to continue helping this life-changing organization here locally.”

RKMC has held two book drives at their Minneapolis office and one at their Atlanta office. Additionally their Atlanta office staff also volunteered at the warehouse this year. Thank you, RKMC!

 

Thomson Reuters and the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa Formalize and Celebrate Partnership

On November 29, 2010, supporters of Thomson Reuters and the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa gathered to formalize and celebrate their partnership. (View slideshow of reception.) Thomson Reuters has pledged to provide up to 15 core law libraries for BFA shipments each year for the next several years and will fund one shipment a year, a donation worth $1.2 million a year. (Read the TR press release.) Thomson Reuters hosted the reception, which featured a keynote address by former Vice President Walter Mondale, a co-chair of the Initiative. “This partnership will help Africa’s emerging democracies strengthen their governments by giving the next generation of lawyers, civil servants, and government leaders the tools necessary to create and sustain the stable democracies we take for granted,” said former Vice President Mondale.

Read Pioneer Press editorial about the donation.

View video produced by Thomson Reuters celebrating their partnership with BFA.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, also a co-chair of the Initiative, sent greetings via a recorded message, which you can listen to here. "Thanks to the generous commitment of Thomson Reuters, we can further the rule of law across Africa," said Secretary-General Annan. Chief Judge Michael Davis of the U.S. District of Minnesota spoke of the commitment to diversity of his mentor, the late Jack Mason, the inspiration for the Initiative. Judge Davis expressed enthusiasm for a possible shipment to Somalia next year funded by the Federal Bar Association.

Thomson Reuters and Books For Africa have collaborated to send books to African law schools for the last two years thanks largely to the efforts of Lane Ayres (Director of the Law & Democracy Initiative) and Tom Pfeifer (Senior Vice President at Thomson Reuters), but the partnership was made official with the signing of an MOU at the reception. To date, Thomson Reuters has contributed more than 3,500 new legal texts and 50,000 general interest books to legal and public schools across 12 African nations through its work with Books For Africa. "We are grateful to be a part of this important initiative to provide Africa's future lawyers, civil servants and leaders with the information and tools needed to establish stable and prosperous democracies," said Peter Warwick, chief executive officer of Thomson Reuters, Legal.

 

 

Books For Africa Stocks Congressional Library in Liberia with New Books

Congressman Keith Ellison (MN) spent the 4th of July recess in Africa as part of the House Democracy Partnership Commission, which sends members of Congress to mentor the leaders of developing democracies. While in Liberia, Congressman Ellison took part in the unveiling of the upgraded Congressional Library at the University of Liberia in Monrovia. The Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa provided many of the law books in the library and also at the Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia. The West law books were generously donated by Thomson Reuters. Congressman Ellison delivered additional BFA books during his visit to other locations in Liberia.

 

 

The National Bar Association Sends Law and Human Rights Books to Ghana

In June of 2010, a delegation from the National Bar Association, led by NBA President Mavis T. Thompson, witnessed the distribution of a BFA shipment of books sponsored by their organization. The Ghana Bar Association received a West core law library, and the Ghana Human Rights Commission received a collection of new human rights books, all generously donated by Thomson Reuters.

The shipment also contained over 18,000 BFA text and library books, which were distributed to schools and libraries in the central region of Ghana. For NBA President Mavis Thompson and other members of the delegation, the highlight of their trip was a visit to Abiriw, Ghana, a small village that received enough BFA books to fill their entire library. Thompson tells the story:

“We were received by the Village King and other dignitaries in a libations ceremony and then led through the streets of Abiriw with our delegation and villagers to the town library, where we were greeted by many of the children who would benefit from the book donation. When we walked into the library, to our delight we saw boxes marked ‘Books For Africa’ stacked to the ceiling. It was at this moment that we realized we were not only making a donation of books there, but would be filling their entire library with new books. The village leaders were so excited to have us that they invited the local press and we were interviewed and photographed for a story. For many of us this was the highlight of the NBA International Affiliates Meeting and we will remember it for years to come.”

 

Law & Democracy Initiative Delivers Books to the University of Malawi Law School

Tammie Follett, representing Thomson Reuters, recently visited the University of Malawi – Chancellor College Faculty of Law, which received law books through the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa. Thomson Reuters generously donates core law libraries for BFA shipments. Follett made this trip in conjunction with Africa Classroom Connection.

Follett met with the Dean, Dr. Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo, who spoke of the great need for attorneys and legal resources in Malawi. Follett also chatted with some of the law students, who currently do not have enough books to buy their own, but instead share books in the library. The law school has received funding to buy new shelves to display the new Thomson Reuters books.

Read Tammie Follett's blog post about her visit.

 

  

BFA’s Director of the Law & Democracy Initiative Visits Recipient Schools in Ghana and Liberia

In February 2010, Lane Ayres, director of Books For Africa’s Law & Democracy Initiative, visited law schools and legal organizations in Ghana and Liberia. In Ghana he met with the Dean of the Law Faculty at universities in Accra and Kumasi, with the director of the Ghana School of Law, and with several human rights organizations. As a result of his visit, the National Bar Association is sponsoring a container of school books to Ghana, which will include a West core law library for the Ghana Bar Association. The Fredrikson & Byron law firm is sponsoring a module of human rights books in that container which will go to the Ghana Human Rights Commission.

View slideshow.

In Liberia Lane met with the Liberian Women Lawyers Association and with several legal and human rights NGOs. The most memorable time was the day he spent at the law school in Monrovia, which received the first shipment of West law books from Thomson Reuters in January of 2009. In discussions with the Dean, faculty, the librarian, and students, Lane was most impressed with how the books were being utilized. Everyone gave testimonials as to how the books had improved teaching and learning at the law school. The American Bar Association has a rule of law project at the law school in Liberia, and they supported that book shipment.