Windhoek, February 13 – Namibia’s judiciary took a significant step toward international collaboration today by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law from North Carolina, USA. The agreement, inked at the Supreme Court in Windhoek, will place American law students as interns in Namibia’s superior courts, fostering cross-cultural legal training and research exchange.
Chief Justice Peter S. Shivute delivered the keynote address, warmly welcoming back Dean Rich Leonard, who first contributed to Namibia’s judicial reforms in 2014. “This is certainly not Dean Leonard’s first visit to our country, nor his first time at our Supreme Court,” Shivute noted, crediting Leonard’s role in establishing the independent Office of the Judiciary post the Third Constitutional Amendment.
Shivute highlighted Leonard’s extensive work across Africa, including recent MoUs with Rwanda’s judiciary earlier this week and upcoming plans in Ghana. A former US Bankruptcy Judge turned law school dean, Leonard’s career bridges courtroom practice and legal education. The new partnership builds on his expertise, positioning Namibia among select African judiciaries hosting Campbell Law interns.
Under the MoU, Campbell Law students will intern at the Supreme Court and High Court starting in June 2026. They will shadow judicial research assistants legal officers who support judges with research and case preparation gaining hands-on exposure to Namibian law, court processes, and research skills.
The program promises mutual benefits. “While interns will gain insight from our research assistants’ experience. our research assistants will equally benefit from exposure to different legal perspectives and research methodologies,” Shivute explained. This “cross-pollination of ideas” aims to elevate legal research quality in Namibian courts.
Shivute expressed enthusiasm for the inaugural cohort, calling the MoU a “foundation for constructive collaboration and sustained institutional exchange.” He then invited Dean Leonard to deliver remarks.
The partnership underscores Namibia’s growing ties with global legal institutions, enhancing judicial capacity amid ongoing reforms.
