RALEIGH, N.C. – Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard will depart for Namibia this weekend to provide judicial expertise and insight following a change to the country’s constitution. Leonard will join a delegation from the U.S. Department of State for the 10-day trip.
Leonard was invited by the U.S. Department of State to assist Namibian Supreme Court Justice Peter Shivute and his staff in developing a new strategic plan for the judiciary. The strategic plan is occasioned following a constitutional amendment last fall that transferred considerable administrative autonomy to the Namibian courts.
“I am extremely excited to return to Africa and assist Chief Justice Shivute,” said Leonard. “The rule of law is an important concept in all corners of the globe. I look forward to collaborating alongside my colleagues within the U.S. Department of State as we work to assist their judiciary in this time of change.
“It is also my sincere hope that this trip will open Campbell Law up to new possibilities and relationships within Namibia and Africa for our faculty and students.”
Leonard, who served as a federal judge for more than 30 years, including as Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of North Carolina from 1999 to 2006, was a consultant to the U.S. Department of State for more than a decade prior being named dean of Campbell Law in July 2013. He previously worked with judiciaries in many developing countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.
Namibia borders the Atlantic Ocean in southern Africa. With a population of 2.1 million, the country gained independence from South Africa in March 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence.
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