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Rule of Law Institute
   

44 Parchevich Str.
Floor 5, Apt. 15
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: (+359 2) 980 8911
Fax: (+359 2) 981 4993
rlinet@ruleoflawinstitute.bg

 
  Latchezar L. Popov, Chairman & Director
   
 
A 1978 law graduate of Sofia State University Faculty of Law with a Masters of Law Degree, Mr. Popov served as legal advisor for several state enterprises from 1978-1990. From 1990-1993, he was in private practice. In 1993, he became counsel for Advocates International and helped launch the Rule of Law Institute in 1995. In 1996, Mr. Popov received the Pro Fide Award from the Friends of the Martyrs Church of Finland for his humanitarian work. In 1998, Mr. Popov successfully completed the Human Rights Course at the Danish Center for Human Rights. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Institute for Total Encouragement and is a Board Member of the Lutheran Church in Bulgaria. In April 2000, Mr. Popov gave a report about the Bulgarian Legislation of Religious Freedom at the 56-th session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. As of 2000, the Institute had a network of 110 lawyers engaged in human rights, religious liberty, conflict resolution, and professional ethics.
 
     
  Samuel E. Ericsson, Vice Chairman
   
  An immigrant from Sweden and a 1969 Harvard Law School graduate, Mr. Ericsson was a partner with a major Los Angeles law firm in the 1970s specializing in complex business litigation. He participated in over 50 U.S. Supreme Court briefs on First Amendment and church-state issues while serving as Executive Director of the 4,500-member Christian Legal Society in the 1980s. Since founding Advocates International in 1991, he has developed a network of lawyers and judges reaching 100 nations and visited over 40 countries, participating in judicial, human rights, professional ethics and reconciliation conferences in 22 nations.  
       
  Wallace H. Cheney, Treasurer    
  Mr. Cheney is a graduate of Emory University and the University of South Carolina School of Law. In addition to private practice, Mr. Cheney was employed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons for 23 years, serving 9 years as Assistant Director and General Counsel until his retirement in January, 1999. During his government career, he had the opportunity to work with lawyers, judges and government officials from a number of countries, including briefing visiting officials from over 40 countries and the United Nations. Mr. Cheney is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest medal given by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  
       
  Nick Nedelchev, Secretary
   
  Mr. Nedelchev is current president of the European Evangelical Alliance with alliances in 27 European nations. He is the former president of the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance. He is the director of the Evangelical Seminary in Sofia.  
       
  Slavi Pachovski
   
  Ambassador Pachovski is a 1978 graduate of Sofia University Law School. He was Assistant Professor of International Law and International Relations at the Law School, specializing in the field of Human Rights and International Organizations. He has published three books and numerous articles. After the democratic changes in Bulgaria Mr. Pachovski joined the Ministry of Foreign Affair, and from 1992 to 1997 he was the Bulgarian Ambassador to the United Nations. Since 1997 he has been in private practice. In 2000, he became the U.N. Liaison for Advocates International.
 
         
  John Langlois    
  Mr. Langlois has been a Deputy in Parliament on the Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel since 1980. He is the senior partner in the largest law firm in Guernsey and serves on the board of directors of more than fifty European companies, including major insurance and banking institutions such as Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Langlois serves as Chairman of the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Fellowship, which has affiliates in 115 nations and over 150 million constituents.
 
       
  Eric Swensson
   
  Mr. Swensson is a graduate of Stanford University and George Washington University Law School. From 1972-1995 he worked in the U.S. Attorney's office in San Francisco as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, specializing in organized crime, money laundering, and drug trafficking in the Pacific Rim. He has been in private practice since 1995 in northern California.
 
       
  Fr. Anatoly Balanchev    
  Fr. Balanchev is a 1961 graduate of Bulgarian Theological Academy. He is currently the Chairman of St. Cyril and Methodij Orthodox Church. He is the General Secretary and official speaker of the Holy Synod. In 1991 he established the Orthodox Polyclinic with Diabetic Center St. Evangelist Luke, the first of its kind in Bulgaria.
 
       
  Mariya Todorova
   
  Ms. Todorova is a graduate of Sofia University Law School. She is in private practice in Sofia. Since 1997 she has worked for Injstroi, the biggest construction company in Bulgaria, as a chief legal adviser. She is a member of RLI for 5 years and is the first volunteer secretary of RLI office.