Hofstra Law Professor Barbara S. Barron Trains Kosovar Attorneys

Hofstra Law School, Hempstead, N.Y. —

Hofstra Law Professor of Legal Writing Barbara S. Barron was selected to train Kosovar prosecutors and defense attorneys as part of the “Building Trial Advocacy Skills” program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; the Kosovo Judicial Institute; the U.S. Embassy; the ABA Rule of Law Initiative and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.

A young nation, Kosovo is still “developing its ‘Rule of law,’” said Barron.  “The introduction of our trial advocacy concepts is part of Kosovo's development as a self-governing sovereign nation.”

The goal is to introduce American trial advocacy skills to Kosovar legal professionals and to help them develop those skills.  Recently, Professor Barron traveled to the region to work with prosecutors and defense attorneys from Kosovo and Albania, all of whom are involved in war crimes trials.

Since 2008, Barron has traveled to Japan three times to participate in national trial advocacy training programs.  The Japan Federation of Bar Associations developed the program to train attorneys in American/Anglo trial advocacy skills so they are prepared for the switch to the mixed judge/citizen jury system,"Saiban-in," that begins in May 2009. 

The international work allows Barron “the opportunity to work with lawyers from all over the world and to learn from not only my teaching colleagues but from those I teach,” she said. 

Barron, a former assistant district attorney for New York County, has practiced extensively in the areas of commercial and matrimonial litigation on both the trial and appellate levels. 

Barron is director of the Moot Court Programs and co-director of Hofstra's Trial Techniques Program.  She is co-director of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy's (NITA) Northeast Regional Basic Trial Skills Program, has served as a team leader for NITA's New England Deposition Program and has been a member of NITA's New England Basic Trial Skills Program faculty.

Barron holds a bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Albany, a master’s degree from Columbia University and juris doctor from Hofstra Law School.  Before attending law school, Barron was a Russian linguist with the Department of Defense.