The ACS helped organize a discussion group with five NESL professors on the Executive and the separation of powers. The faculty discussed the legitimate powers and authority of the Executive Branch, including the Administration’s justifications for domestic spying, the limit on access to public documents, detention without charge, extraordinary rendition and “aggressive” interrogation, in the context of the war on terror.

The program was sponsored by both the NESL Center for Law and Social Responsibility’s LawMatters Series and the American Constitution Society.

The ACS at the New England School of Law hosted a Roundtable Discussion for the Massachusetts Judges Conference and the University of Massachusetts - Boston McCormack Graduate School’s Training Program on China and the Rule of Law.

Seventeen Massachusetts judges met to discuss the continued development of this Rule of Law Program in China, in light of renewed funding. This Program is one of the most successful rule of law training efforts developed to date. Members of the Massachusetts Judges Conference have used a mock trial format to introduce rule of law concepts to Chinese judges, prosecutors, lawyers, legal educators and law students, especially in the more remote areas of China.

The Roundtable discussion provided an informal format for participants in the program to exchange ideas with each other for the future. In particular, the judges talked about collaborating with the ABA Asian Rule of Law Initiative Coordinator to develop and select various hypotheticals used for the mock trials. They also talked about their need to have greater access to Chinese judges and thus, access to additional venues in which to introduce the rule of law.

The ACS at New England School of Law co-sponsored this event with the NESL International Law Students Association.