Solicitors travel to Uganda to improve legal standards

Four members of Huddersfield Law Society will travel to Uganda later this month in the latest stage of the society's pilot project to improve professional standards in the country's legal profession (see [2001] Gazette, 6 September, 6).

The society has already arranged work experience for two Ugandan lawyers studying in England - including one who has returned to Uganda to chair a committee re-organising the country's sentencing procedures - and also hopes to work with the Ugandan Law Society to promote a code of conduct in professional and ethical matters there.

The solicitors - Nigel Priestly of Ridley & Hall, Anne Pendlebury of Eaton Smith, society vice-president Julian Taylor of Bailey Smailes Heap Marshall and Emma Pearmaine of Chadwick Lawrence - will meet senior Ugandan legal figures, including the chief justice and attorney-general, to discuss expanding the mentoring programme.

The project is self-funding and approaches have been made to various bodies for grants and awards to put it on a more permanent footing.