KBA Non-majority Committee counsels North Mitrovicë/Mitrovica-based Law graduates and students about gaining entry to the Kosovo Bar

On December 10, 2014, as part of its professional panel series, KLP hosted a KBA Non-Majority Committee (NMC) event in North Mitrovicë/Mitrovica.  KBA NMC Chair Ljubomir Pantovic and NCSC CoP John P. Furnari led the discussion during which 13 law students and graduates of North Mitrovicë/Mitrovica Law Faculty (NMLF) or Republic of Serbia law faculties were informed about KBA's many recent accomplishments including the creation of the NMC - a new body within the KBA dedicated to the goal of supporting all non-majority jurists in the process of achieving KBA membership.  The NMC Chair was joined by fellow KBA member Miodrag Brkljaç in appealing to the students to consider joining the KBA, and each student took the floor to express their individual interests in practicing law.  Most of the students expressed sincere interest in sitting for the Kosovo Bar exam if offered the chance, and this led to an informative discussion about the obstacles they have faced in doing so, such as being told by Kosovo authorities that their NMLF diplomas or their Serbian diplomas are not recognized in Kosovo, and fearing that past or current praktikant experience in the North would not be recognized by Kosovo authorities.  CoP Furnari took this opportunity to brief all present on a number of recent and current efforts underway to remove these obstacles.  DLA Piper Pro Bono Team, Mary Gately and Sara Andrews also spoke about their own experiences in the practice of law, and encouraged the the NMC to use the concerns voiced at this event to inform the NMC's draft strategic plan.  They also urged the students to get involved in the activities of the NMC so that they can shape the agenda of the NMC to better aid the students who want to join the KBA.