News Archive

Dean Gary R. Roberts, Visiting Professor Fran Quigley, Judge Patricia Riley and a group of local attorneys returned on October 15th from a trip to Eldoret, Kenya to visit the Legal Aid Clinic of Eldoret (LACE), a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to people affected by HIV/AIDS. The group hopes to strengthen ties with the clinic, as well as with the Moi University School of Law.

The Kenyan attorneys and judges of LACE represent dozens of poor people in western Kenya, most of whom are HIV-positive and all of whom would otherwise have no access to justice. LACE has its roots in the public interest law traditions of the Eldoret area legal community and the history of human rights advocacy by the faculty and students of Moi University School of Law. Kenyan attorneys and judges form the core of the board of directors overseeing the operations of the program. Kenyan attorneys, law professors, and clinical law students also provide legal counsel to clients, with plans to integrate paralegals into direct service in the near future.

LACE works in close association with USAID-AMPATH, the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated program that is a partnership between Moi University School of Medicine, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Indiana University School of Medicine. LACE has opened its initial office within the AMPATH Centre in Eldoret and accepts client referrals from the USAID-AMPATH medical and social services staff.

Professor George E. Edwards, Director of the law school’s Program in International Human Rights Law, visited the program this summer, where he observed several IU law students working on an internship there. Professor Edwards says, “In my five days in Eldoret, I witnessed LACE’s dedication, its professionalism, and high spirits. I also confirmed that my Indiana law students were gaining solid legal experience outside the classroom, and contributing significantly to human rights.” Read Professor Edwards’ account of his visit to LACE.

Professor Quigley, one of the founders of LACE, recently released a book about the USAID-AMPATH program entitled Walking Together, Walking Far: How a U.S. and African Medical School Partnership is Winning the Fight against HIV/AIDS.

The IU School of Law - Indianapolis co-hosted the Jordan H. and Joan R. Leibman Annual Forum which focused on yet another component of the the USAID-AMPATH program, the Imani Workshop.  The Imani Workshop is a branch of the Family Preservation Initiative under the IU-Kenya Partnership's USAID-AMPATH program and a revenue-generating social enterprise focused on producing high quality crafts by HIV positive artisans in western Kenya.  Imani Workshop manager, Evaline Njoki, joined experts for a panel discussion on issues crititcal to the workshop.  The IU School of Business and the IU Herron School of Art and Design also co-hosted this event which took place in Eskenazi  Hall on September 25.