Law School Researchers Will Aid In New Israeli Law Codification

The Law School will undertake a research project in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Justice to assist the new state in codifying its law, Associate Dean David F. Cavers announced yesterday.

The project is designed to supply library facilities and an expert research staff to work on problems submitted by the Israeli justice department.

At present, Israel's law governing such basic matters as property, succession on death, business organizations, and judicial procedure is a mixture derived chiefly from Turkish, English, Arabic, and Hebrew sources, Cavers reported.

"There are serious gaps to be filled, and many existing laws must be reexamined. The lawmakers in Israel do not wish to copy other countries' laws; but, when they come to write their own, they do want to know what those other laws are and what are their good and bad points," he said.

The idea for the program arose last spring, when Uri Yadin, Director of the Department of Legal Planning of the Israel Ministry of Justice, visited the Law School and broached the proposal to several faculty members. Final plans were arranged early this fall.

Two Israeli Lawyers

Two Israeli lawyers will serve on the staff in addition to a director and research assistants from the Law School. Joseph Laufer, Department of Justice attorney, is being considered for the post of director.

"The staff would, of course, be a research staff, not a law-writing staff. Naturally, the Israel Ministry would want to write its own laws," he added.

"The only remaining problem is getting the necessary funds," Cavers said. Because of its dollar shortage, Israel will pay only for travel and living expenses for the staff members. The Law School will supply the overhead costs for the project, but money for salaries, special grants, office equipment, and other expenses is still needed.

A Greater Boston Committee of Friends of Israel and the Harvard Law School, under the direction of Abram Berkowitz, has already begun to raise funds for the project.Associate Dean DAVID F. CAVERS