‘You receive as much, or more, than what you give.’
By John Vaudreuil
In honor of Global Pro Bono Week, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) is highlighting pro bono profiles from previous and current partners and volunteers. As part of this series, John Vaudreuil, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin wrote about his time with ABA ROLI, working with Egyptian prosecutors.
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| Former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin John Vaudreuil |
In
traveling to the far corners of the world to help build prosecutorial capacity,
and working with our foreign partners to foster respect for the rule of law, I
have come to believe strongly in the truth of the statement that you receive as
much, or more, than what you give.
After
more than 37 years with the U.S. Department of Justice, and the last eight as
President Barack Obama’s appointee as U.S. Attorney for the
Western District of Wisconsin, I resigned on March 10, 2017. I began working almost immediately as a pro
bono legal specialist for the ABA ROLI by assisting prosecutors in Egypt.
In
May 2017, I traveled to Egypt to teach an investigation process course for
prosecutors, with a focus on human trafficking and domestic violence. Upon
arriving in Cairo, my teaching partners and I began preparations for our course.
We had several fascinating discussions on the comparative prosecution systems
in Egypt and the U.S. As is usually the case, we all agreed —
prosecutor to prosecutor — that while some of our procedures may
differ, we have ample common ground in the skills needed for success, and that
the rule of law must govern states and the individuals who live in them.
The
course with front-line prosecutors was more of the same. They were engaged,
open-minded, and willing to discuss and try new ideas. I was energized by their willingness to work
and learn, and warmed by their friendship. We helped improve their skills, and
made new friends for the U.S. It was an exceptional week for all of us. As I
said at the start, I received so much in return for my efforts. I saw a
wonderful part of Egypt; engaged with our foreign partners on important
subjects; and built relationships that I hope will serve both the U.S. and
Egypt in the future.
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| Vaudreuil, makes a "W" with his hands to represent his home state of Wisconsin, after completing an exercise with the class prosecutors in case analytics. |
To learn more about our pro bono opportunities, please
contact the ABA Rule of Law Initiative at rol@americanbar.org.
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