The first long-term expert from the International Legal Foundation (ILF), Allan Dahl, together with ILF Senior Program Director Holly Hobart, arrived in Georgia. Brought to Georgia by the USAID Rule of Law Program, over the next six months Mr. Dahl will work extensively with the Legal Aid Service of Georgia (LAS); he will support LAS to improve its quality appraisal system and provide direct mentoring to LAS lawyers. 

On June 27, the experts held an introductory meeting with LAS Director Razhden Kuprashvili and Deputy Directors Nino Meladze and David Simonia. Both parties shared their experience and expectations for the upcoming cooperation. The experts visited the Tbilisi and Rustavi Legal Aid Bureaus, and attended the opening of the LAS Training Center in Kutaisi. The experts will travel to additional locations outside Tbilisi and meet with LAS lawyers as part of the mentoring initiative. 

ILF has extensive experience helping international lawyers provide high-quality representation that transforms justice systems and strengthens the rule of law. Allan Dahl is a lawyer who had over 20 years of legal practice experience in Canada before starting 22 years ago to work internationally to enhance the provision of legal aid. His vast international experience includes Latin America (Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras), Afghanistan and the Philippines. He has also worked to improve access to justice, restorative justice and prevention of violence in public schools in Honduras.