More than 250 Cuban lawyers received a diploma in international commercial law at a graduation ceremony at the University of Havana on 15 November. ILAC has coordinated the international commercial law course since 2016. The course is implemented by the International Bar Association (IBA), an ILAC founding member, and is in collaboration with our national partner the Organización Nacional de Bufetes Colectivos (ONBC).
Dr Ariel Mantecón, President of the ONBC, presided over the graduation ceremony which was also attended by Lilia Maria Hernández Doejo, Cuba’s Vice-Minister of Justice, and Juan Mendoza, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Havana. Carlos Dominguez of the IBA oversees the implementation of the course and gave a warm congratulations to the Cuban lawyers from all regions of the country receiving the diploma. ILAC representatives Lauren McIntosh and Vanessa Passos also attended the graduation. Ms McIntosh highlighted the fruitful cooperation between ILAC, IBA and ONBC, as well as the enthusiasm and inspiring collaboration between the IBA experts and Cuban lawyers during her congratulatory speech.
ILAC’s Cuba Programme aims to promote sustainable development in Cuba by supporting economic reform and the rule of law. “A skilled, capable legal profession and effective judiciary are fundamental to contributing to sustainable and equitable economic development in Cuba”, says Agneta Johansson, ILAC Executive Director.
As part of ILAC’s Cuba Programme, the international commercial law course includes modules on globalisation and ethics, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, international arbitration and international sales. ILAC and the IBA enable legal experts from the region and with similar legal traditions, including Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Chile and Spain, to share their expertise from successful legal practices in their home countries.
Nearly 25 percent of all lawyers from the ONBC have completed the course to date. Next year, the course will enter its fifth year of preparing Cuban lawyers to practice international commercial law in a global economy.
