SHOP PROYECTO ACCESO REGIONAL OFFICES

If you would like more information, contact us at: [email protected]

ACCESO CURRICULUM

 

A mock trial in Costa Rica.

Proyecto ACCESO has applied its innovative approach to the rule of law in the Americas since 1998. Our training is designed to bring together the many constituencies from the legal sector, rather than to divide them.

Participants in our training sessions include judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, justice ministry officials, law professors, and public defenders, often times from various countries in the Americas. Participants represent all the actors in the legal sector so that there is cross-pollination among the alumni of our courses. With such a rich environment, our participants transform into judicial change agents - those jurists, justice ministry officials and lawyers who will write legislation to change the legal systems, design new legal institutions and reach out to civil society to promote reform.

Proyecto ACCESO training programs are based on learning-by-doing exercises, complete with practice sets and simulations that have proven particularly successful for adult learners. In a typical workshop, ACCESO faculty members demonstrate specific skills and techniques geared to the promotion and protection of the rule of law. In ACCESO workshops participants practice skills with real expert witnesses and real judges.

Faculty critique students in the performance room and then work individually with each participant by reviewing his/her performance videotape, and providing personal feedback on technique, style and strategy in a non-threatening environment. Each program also formally and informally addresses issues of professionalism and ethical behavior in the legal profession, with special segments on professional responsibility. The respective codes of professional conduct are utilized in this process and discussion groups are organized for brainstorming and sharing of ideas. It is because of our interactive programs, that our participants are raving about ACCESO.