According to a release, a key program of the Center will be a quarterly lecture series, featuring lectures by scholars and experts on critical rule of law issues.
The Liberia School of Law (LSL) will launch its Rule of Law Center on Thursday, May 8 with a formal program at the school’s campus on the Capitol By-Pass in Monrovia. The Center, headed by Retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Philip A.Z. Banks II, who also, previously served as Justice Minister and Attorney General of Liberia, is founded on the premise that the rule of law is the foundation for national peace, stability, and prosperity.
The Liberia School of Law recognizes, however, that respect for and adherence to the rule of law presupposes a basic understanding of the law and its operations by citizens. Accordingly, the LSL Rule of Law Center will promote programs and courses aimed at fostering understanding and respect for the rule of law with the ultimate goals of advancing democratic governance and inclusive development.
According to a release, a key program of the Center will be a quarterly lecture series, featuring lectures by scholars and experts on critical rule of law issues. Working with various partners, including the Liberia National Bar Association, the Center will also embark on a public education campaign that targets the general public and high school students with basic information about the law and their rights and responsibilities as citizens of Liberia.
Additionally, the Center will offer a series of multidisciplinary courses that explore issues at the intersection of law, politics, and policy, with a focus on how to use the law to tackle some of the binding constraints on Liberia’s development.
In a statement announcing the opening of the LSL Rule of Law Center, the Chairman of the LSL Board of Trustees, Retired Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor, Sr., described the Center “an added valuable dimension” to legal education in Liberia.
Noting that “where the rule of law flourishes, there is justice, peace and equal opportunity for, all,” Korkpor said it was fitting that the Rule of Law Center’s key priority is to “take the law to the people, teach and explain to them the ‘do’s and don’ts of society.”
He added that the Center enjoys the “overwhelming support and approval of the LSL Board of Trustees,” and thanked Retired Justice Banks III for graciously agreeing to lead the work of the Center. Korkpor also congratulated the President of the Liberia School of Law, Kwame Clement, for what he described as “the brilliant idea” of establishing the Center. The Liberia School of Law, the second law school in Liberia, received its accreditation from the National Commission on Higher Education in July 2024.
