Ms. Safa Balawi, Director of the Legal Clinic, welcomed the participants, emphasizing that the incubator represents an integrated professional space that brings together applied legal training, capacity building, professional mentorship, and hands-on engagement with real-life community cases. She explained that the incubator seeks to prepare lawyers with high legal competence, strong professional and humanitarian values, and the ability to provide quality legal services particularly to vulnerable and marginalized groups reflecting their role as pioneers in legal practice.

For her part, Dr. Noor Adas, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, expressed the Faculty’s pride in launching this pioneering initiative, affirming that the An-Najah Legal Incubator embodies the Faculty’s vision of bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application and equipping young legal professionals with the tools of professional practice. She highlighted the importance of investing in the participating lawyers, describing them as the pioneers of this distinctive legal experience, capable of creating a positive impact on the justice system.

Similarly, Dr. Naeem Salameh, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the Legal Incubator Program, expressed his pride in the launch of the An-Najah Legal Incubator, underscoring the importance of such initiatives in supporting lawyers at the beginning of their professional careers, strengthening the justice system, and promoting the rule of law. He stressed that empowering young legal professionals constitutes a fundamental pillar in building a professional legal sector capable of responding to the needs of Palestinian society.

The launch of the An-Najah Legal Incubator comes in response to a genuine need to support newly practicing lawyers through a professional, applied legal program that integrates theoretical and practical training, skills development, and institutional networking within the justice sector. This approach contributes to enhancing the quality of legal services provided to the community and improving access to justice.

This activity is part of the project “Enhancing the Sustainability of the Legal Clinic,” implemented in partnership with Sawasiya III, the joint programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The project falls within ongoing efforts to develop applied legal education and to strengthen the University’s role in community service by empowering students and graduates to play an active role in achieving justice and sustainable development in Palestine.

The Legal Incubator aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by An-Najah National University, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) through the advancement of applied legal education, Goal 5 (Gender Equality) by supporting the participation and professional empowerment of women lawyers, and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by promoting access to justice and strengthening effective legal institutions. Through this initiative, the incubator contributes to preparing a generation of lawyers capable of practicing the profession with professionalism and social responsibility, in service of Palestinian society and in support of a more effective justice system.