OSCE Mission to Moldova trains law students on delivering primary legal aid

On 22-24 June 2015, the OSCE Mission to Moldova held a training event for law students on providing legal aid to those in need. A total of 20 law students from four regions of Moldova – Bălţi, Cahul, Chişinău and Comrat – took part in the training, which was held at Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the Dniester/Nistru River.

During the event, students were provided with essential legal aid skills, including on how to provide representation in court and how to act in the interest of their clients. In addition, the event identified some of the most common problems for which individuals require legal aid, including domestic violence, property disputes, issues concerning discrimination in the school system, documentation problems and family issues, including divorce.

“This training, and the project’s activities in general, addresses the absence of information in the education system on state guaranteed legal aid,” said a student from Chişinău who participated in the event. “It has also provided me with a valuable opportunity to gain professional experience in this field.”

Primary legal aid is provided for by law in Moldova, and the National Legal Aid Council (NLAC) co-ordinates a network of lawyers to facilitate the provision of legal aid. However, the NLAC lacks resources and a critical mass of qualified lawyers. To address this problem, the OSCE and its partners began a project to train law students to provide such services under the NLAC’s supervision, while affording them much-needed practical experience.