The Atlanta Lawyer January/February 2013 | Page 11

professionalism

a good portion of Northern Croatia. I rented a car and was
able to see many of the hill towns of Istria, which compares
itself to Tuscany, and coastal towns like Rovinj, which Rick
Steves considers a Croatian cousin of Venice. While
I enjoyed these
visits and this
is a beautiful
region, my Italian
bias does not
allow me to think
these to be fair
comparisons.
Still, this area,
which was once
p a r t o f I t a l y,
boasts wine
making and olive
oil production and has a decidedly Italian feel. Another
coastal city, Pula, has a largely intact Roman amphitheater
and, overlooking the Adriatic, it is quite picturesque. While I
was unable to get to Dubrovnic, the jewel of Croatia, or Split,
I do plan to return some summer to do so, possibly on a small
cruise. The sightseeing highlight was a visit to Plitvice, a
national park which Rick Steves describes as combining the
Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. Partially frozen, with snow
on surrounding trees, Plitvice delivered waterfalls which were
large and plentiful, and water so clear that trout are visible in
pictures I took of the lake. This area is unforgettable.

While the
teaching was
less demanding,
this assignment
afforded more
interaction with
the faculty than
did Vladivostok.
I was also able
to spend time
w i t h Ve l i n k a
Grozdanic,
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association

head of the criminal
law department
which has four
faculty members.
She provided a
copy of a translated
book chapter on
corruption in Croatia
and other recentlytransitioned
countries, and we
discussed the topic
of corruption and
various concepts
of criminal law
and procedure. I
was treated to
lunch with her and
two other faculty
members and met
with the Dean of
the University, Eduard Kunstek, who presented me with
a bottle of wine from his family’s vineyard. Velinka invited
me to participate in a proposed paper on women as victims
in criminal offenses, and I will probably do so.

As I have before, I recommend joining other lawyers who
have found similarly rewarding teaching assignments
through the Center for International Legal Studies.
Information is available online, CILS.org, and I welcome
the opportunity to answer any questions you may have. ■

January/February 2013

THE ATLANTA LAWYER

11