Thomson Reuters Features Vice President Tom Leighton in their Legal Current Newsletter
鈥淔or the past few years, I鈥檝e gotten more involved with the Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative, through which we donate law libraries to various African countries 鈥� both government entities and NGOs,鈥� Leighton explained. 鈥淲e鈥檙e up to 117 libraries donated, and we鈥檙e on course to donate about 10 libraries a year. I鈥檓 glad to help carry on the great work that my colleagues Tom Pfeiffer, Sharon Sayles-Belton, John Elstad, and others have been committed to.鈥�
Leighton traveled to Ghana recently for the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Conference. During his trip, he was able to visit three organizations that received law libraries through the program: the Ghana Supreme Court, the Ghana Book Trust, and the Ghana Federation of Women Lawyers.
鈥淚t was amazing to see first-hand the benefits the books provide to them,鈥� Leighton said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to imagine here in the U.S., where books are plentiful. But in many parts of Africa books are scarce, and legal resources are scarce. So, this really helps them in their work.鈥�