Our Mission
The Lawyers and Democratic Decline (LADD) project brings together an international community of scholars investigating the role of lawyers in resisting — and at times enabling — authoritarianism in contexts of democratic backsliding. Through collaborative research, comparative analysis, and public events, LADD explores how legal professionals navigate repression, uphold democratic norms, and negotiate their professional identity in times of political crisis.
Updates
News
Thousands Protest Saied as Tunisians Demand a Return to Democracy
On November 22, thousands of Tunisians marched through downtown Tunis in one of the largest demonstrations yet against President Kais Saied. Protesters—dressed in black and carrying signs reading “Enough repression” and “The streets belong to …
November 24, 2025
African Commission Urged to Address Escalating Human Rights Crisis in Egypt
A coalition of 22 human rights organizations has called on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to take decisive action following its recent review of Egypt’s human rights record. Rights groups argue that …
November 20, 2025
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal Blocks Judicial Reform Bill
Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal (TK) has struck down a government bill aimed at overhauling the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), a central institution in Poland’s years-long rule-of-law crisis. The decision—expected due to the TK’s continued …
November 20, 2025
Guatemala: International Organizations Condemn the Detention of Human Rights Lawyer Ramón Cadena
Twenty-three international human rights and legal organizations have expressed deep concern over the detention of Guatemalan lawyer Ramón Cadena, arrested on 10 November 2025 despite voluntarily participating in ongoing legal proceedings. Cadena, known for his …
November 14, 2025
Islamabad Court Attack Sparks Nationwide Lawyers’ Boycott in Pakistan
A deadly terrorist assault on the district and sessions courts complex in Islamabad’s G-11 sector has triggered a national outcry from Pakistan’s legal community. The attack, which killed multiple people and injured dozens—including lawyers and …
November 12, 2025- More News
Read More
Upcoming Events
Coming soon…
