Our Programs
SICLE provides practical legal education for Somalia’s legal professionals. Our programs are designed to address real needs: training practitioners on new legislation, building professional community, and supporting access to justice.
Certificate Courses
Our core offering is intensive certificate programs covering recent Somali legislation. These in-person courses run over 3-4 weekends (25-30 hours total) and are led by experienced legal professionals. Current courses include Company Law, Anti-Money Laundering, Elections Law, Data Protection, and more.
All certificate programs are offered free of charge to support the development of Somalia’s legal profession.
View Course Catalog and Session Dates →
Pro Bono Initiative
SICLE promotes and supports pro bono work among legal professionals. Many Somalis cannot afford legal representation, and we believe lawyers have a responsibility to serve their communities. Through our network, we connect attorneys with individuals who need legal assistance but lack the resources to pay for it.
Our pro bono work is not a formal government-funded program. It is lawyers choosing to serve their fellow citizens. SICLE provides coordination, recognition, and training to support these efforts.
If you are a lawyer interested in pro bono work, or if you are an organization serving underrepresented communities, contact us to learn how we can connect you.
Mentorship
SICLE facilitates connections between experienced legal professionals and those earlier in their careers. Our mentorship approach follows the tradition established by our founders in the 1970s, when senior students would help junior students understand complex legal concepts and prepare for practice.
The Gesweyne Legacy program honors this tradition, named after co-founder Abdiwahid Osman Haji, whose ability to explain law clearly earned him the nickname “The Fire Extinguisher” for calming anxious classmates.
Building for the Future
As Somalia’s legal profession continues to grow, SICLE is working to establish additional programs:
- Moot Court Competitions: Opportunities for law students to develop advocacy skills through simulated court proceedings
- Legal Aid Clinics: Structured programs providing supervised legal assistance to underserved communities
- Judicial Training: Specialized programs for members of the bench
- Regional Workshops: Taking legal education to communities across Somalia’s federal member states
These programs are in development. If you are interested in supporting or participating in these initiatives, please contact us.
Get Involved
Whether you want to take a course, mentor a junior colleague, contribute pro bono hours, or help build our future programs, there is a place for you at SICLE.