ELI begins partnership with U.S. and Ecuador law schools

In an exciting development for ELI's Law Institute, ELI has been awarded a major grant by the U.S. State Department which will fund a three-year partnership among the University of Delaware, Widener University Law School in Delaware and Catholic University Law School of Ecuador.

"ELI welcomes this new opportunity for its American law program," said Chris Wolfe, ELI's legal studies coordinator. "We hope that ELI's efforts will contribute to Ecuador's judicial reform."

Legal Studies Coordinator Chris Wolfe (right) met with officials in Ecuador (from left to right): Dr. Ernesto Alban, Secretary of State; Dr. Jose Cordero, First Vice President of the National Congress; Dr. Santiago Andrade, Supreme Court Justice; Dr. Maria Jaliva, Attorney and former ELI student; Dr. Santiago Guarderas, Dean of Catholic University Law School; and Dr. Alejandro Ponce, Supreme Court Justice.

In the first phase of the partnership, Wolfe traveled to Ecuador in October to meet with Catholic University administrators, judges and other legal professionals. Wolfe spent time in planning sessions with the Ecuadorian partners as well as guest-lecturing in several law school classes. He also met with Ecuadorian judges, lawyers and government officials during his two-week trip.

At a televised news conference at the U.S.Embassy in Quito, Wolfe explained that the purpose of the grant is "to build an ongoing affiliation among the schools in order to assist with legal education, curriculum development, and judicial reform in Ecuador. The grant will have a direct impact on the quality and content of future legal education in Ecuador."

Over the next three years, 21 Ecuador-ian law professors, judges and other legal professionals will travel to Delaware to take part in ELI's American Law and Legal English Institute, beginning in January 2001. While here, they will also engage in additional research and guest teaching at both the University of Delaware and Widener Law School.

Selected Ecuadorian faculty members will spend an entire semester as visiting faculty/scholars at Widener Law School, team-teaching classes with their U.S. colleagues. In addition to these exchanges, Wolfe and Professor Strauss of Widener Law School will travel to Quito each spring to lecture and present at conferences which will be hosted by Catholic University.

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