Advancing Legal Reasoning, Writing, Practice and Professionalism in BiH

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a project titled “Advancing Legal Reasoning, Writing, Practice, and Professionalism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).” This grant aims to address deficiencies in legal education in BiH by equipping law students with essential legal skills and fostering professionalism within the legal community. The program's primary goals are to improve BiH’s legal education, create robust practice-based learning opportunities, and establish a trusted legal advocacy network that will support justice reforms and promote ethical standards in the legal profession. The funding available is up to $600,000, with a minimum award amount of $500,000. Only one award is anticipated, with the initial project lasting between 24 and 36 months and potentially extending up to a total of five years. The program is designed to improve the legal education framework in BiH by developing a dedicated Legal Reasoning, Research, and Writing (LRRW) course. Currently, BiH law schools lack a comprehensive course to teach these foundational skills, resulting in law graduates who often lack proficiency in legal reasoning and writing. By implementing a full-year LRRW course, this project seeks to prepare students for effective practice in the BiH legal system, which suffers from low public trust partly due to deficiencies in legal skillsets and ethics among professionals. The program will encourage collaboration between academic institutions and the legal community, fostering exchanges that improve skill development, instill professional ethics, and enhance overall competence within the legal field. The project has three main objectives. First, it will design and launch the LRRW course across BiH law faculties, setting standards that will be shared with legal institutions to improve practice across the legal profession. Second, the program will provide students who complete the LRRW course with practice-based learning opportunities through externships, workshops, and mentorship initiatives with experienced legal professionals. Finally, the project will establish a legal advocacy network comprising distinguished legal practitioners who will engage with students and young lawyers, promoting high ethical standards, legal excellence, and reform advocacy. This network, designed to function similarly to professional societies, aims to foster professionalism and a renewed commitment to ethical conduct in the BiH legal profession. Eligible applicants include U.S.- and foreign-based non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and educational institutions that can successfully implement the program in BiH. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to conduct the project, including proficiency in local languages, experience in similar legal or educational initiatives, and established partnerships within the legal community in BiH. A cost-sharing contribution is recommended but not required. The grant’s total amount covers project implementation costs, such as personnel, materials, training, and monitoring. Applicants are encouraged to consider sustainability plans for the project’s long-term impact, including potential expansion into other regions if future funding becomes available. Applications must be submitted by January 6, 2025, through Grants.gov, with a preliminary deadline for questions by December 2, 2024. Required documents include the SF-424 forms, a detailed proposal narrative, a budget and budget narrative, a timeline, and a performance monitoring plan. The proposal narrative should encompass an executive summary, problem analysis, a theory of change, implementation plan, gender and inclusion analysis, and a description of prior relevant work. Applicants are required to submit biographical information for key personnel, as well as partnership details if sub-recipients are involved. The selection process will evaluate applicants based on technical criteria, including the soundness of the problem analysis, feasibility of the implementation plan, strength of monitoring and evaluation measures, and overall institutional capacity. Applications will be scored out of 100 points, with 50 points allocated for project analysis and design, 25 for program monitoring and risk, 10 for institutional capacity, and 15 for cost-effectiveness. The INL review committee will evaluate all applications and notify successful and unsuccessful applicants following the selection.