Documentary from Ukraine: Six Months of Freedom

Our thoughts continue to be with our friends, colleagues, and alumni in Ukraine.

Professor Kelley is currently in Kyiv, Ukraine teaching a short course in negotiations and meeting with colleagues there.  He sent us a link to a documentary film project that is a pro bono initiative of the Inyurpolis Law Firm (ILF), a law firm that he is affiliated with as a consultant. ILF is based in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The project is called Six Months of Freedom, and they released the first of a series of independent films that will be produced. The project's stated objective is "to create an information platform free from politics and vested interest of media moguls, as well as to develop independent media and documentary films."

This first film tells the stories of the doctors and nurses of the Kharkiv military hospital, the Kharkiv volunteers, and the injured Ukrainian soldiers.  Professor Kelley describes the documentary as providing "a look at the war that you will not see elsewhere."

We were moved by the documentary, and it is posted here for your review.  Note that it is in Ukrainian, with English subtitles. Many of the images and the human spirit depicted transcend language.

Arkansas Rule of Law Course Connects with Students from Ukraine

For a number of years, University of Arkansas School of Law Associate Professor Christopher Kelley has taught a Rule of Law course for the J.D. and LL.M. students at Arkansas.  The course explores the meaning of the Rule of Law and why it matters.

While in the past, the course has always included live video-conferenced discussions with attorneys from other countries, this year the student body in the course is also transnational.

Students from the well-regarded Taras Shevchenko Faculty of Law in Kyiv, Ukraine are participating in the class by live video conference.

This not only allows the Ukrainian students access to this important course, it provides Arkansas students with a chance to interact with students from another country -  a country in the midst of a powerful reform movement and often on the world's center-stage.

We were delighted to see Professor Kelley, the Rule of Law course, and the opportunity for participating featured on the website of the American Common Law Center (ACLC) at Taras Shevchenko.

The ACLC is a new center with a "vision that highlights education, research and law practice."

It was created within the framework of cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in order to promote cultural exchange, education, pursue research, put forward proposals for legal reforms in Ukraine, defend human rights in a law clinic and enhance professional development of а individuals.

The ACLC provides students with "a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of native speakers without crossing any borders."

We are proud to assist in that process.

Connecting with Lithuania

On January 12, Professor Christopher Kelley taught a negotiation skills workshop at the Create for Lithuania program in Vilnius, Lithuania.  As describe on its LinkedIn page, " 'Kurk Lietuvai' ("Create for Lithuania") is a one-year rotation based young professionals programme launched by "Invest Lithuania" in partnership with the Lithuanian Government, aimed at Lithuanian youth who have completed their studies in foreign academic institutions.

The team of 20 selected young professionals works with strategic governmental projects of a wide scope and is provided with an opportunity to participate in high-level decision-making processes. Individual 4-months rotations in the public sector are tailor-made according to participants’ backgrounds and preferences. Participants present their projects to the Lithuanian Government as well as the public at the end of each rotation."

This is the second time Professor Kelley has taught negotiation skills in the Create for Lithuania program. Dean Julija Kirsiene of the Vytautas Magnus University Law Faculty in Kaunas, Lithuania, taught the workshop with Professor Kelley. During the week of December 6, Professor Kelley taught negotiation skills for a week at the European Humanities University, a Belarusian university "in exile" in Vlinius, Lithuania. This was the fourth time he has taught for a week at EHU.