'It's because of you t hat I am free.' These were the stirring words of greeting from a young Kenyan Lawyer, Juma Kiplenge, to Iain Nicholson, a former president of the Newcastle Law Society.

They were spoken at a press reception during the two-week visit to Newcastle in April by eight representatives of the Rift Valley Law Society of Kenya.

The words were an emotional expression of thanks for the letters of concern and lobbying undertaken by the Newcastle Law Society following Juma Kiplenge's arrest on his return to Kenya from England in 1998.The president of the national Law Society in Chancery Lane sends a large number of letters to foreign governments in the course of his year in office, expressing concern that practitioners are being persecuted simply because they are carrying out their jobs as lawyers.

To many, the subject of international human rights might seem remote and certainly not something that brings excitement to our day-to-day lives as solicitors in England and Wales.

But in Newcastle, we have had the benefit of learning at first hand about the problems that can face lawyers whose clients espouse unpopular causes.

And in the run up to the two-week visit by the Rift Valley Law Society to Newcastle in April 1999, the murder of Rosemary Nelson in Belfast reminded us that these incidents can occur closer to home.The twinning link between Newcastle and Rift Valley was an experiment, and was the first formal exchange between two law societies of this nature.

We regard the exchange as having been a tremendous success.

Not only has it raised the issue of human rights, but it has benefited our local society and practitioners in many other ways.

The publicity and profile have been high.

We have attracted interest not only among the local profession and the public, but nationally as well.A hard working and enthusiastic committee in Newcastle devised an imaginative programme for our guests, involving as many as it possibly could.

Lawyers in Newcastle opened their offices and provided homes to our guests.

We worked with the police, magistrates, the courts, and our two universities.

We asked trainees and young solicitors groups to organise various events.

We involved the Bar, judges, local councillors, our mayor, and the press.

The interest in the project was huge, and as a result, applications for membership to the society have increased.

Most of all, it was hard work but great fun.

A number of our society's members are looking forward to the return trip to Kenya in the autumn, and in the meantime we are maintaining our links through regular contact by e-mail, fax, and articles in our newsletter.

We are also gathering another collection of books to send to the newly-established Rift Valley law library.Our model is one which can easily be replicated by other law societies, and the international liaison officer in Chancery Lane is already compiling a list of other foreign law societies which wish to take part in such a project.

The Newcastle Law Society is preparing a 'how to' kit for other societies that may be interested.

The benefits are huge -- why not make your local society the next.