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
Judicial misconduct complaint filed by Justice Dept. against Judge James Boasberg is dismissed
A federal appeals court judge, Jeffrey Sutton, dismissed a judicial misconduct complaint the United States Department of Justice filed against James Boasberg, ruling that the department failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations that …
February 2, 2026
A California lawyer takes the civil rights fight home to Minneapolis
In this column, Anita Chabria profiles James Cook, an Oakland civil rights lawyer who has been spending months in Minneapolis helping people swept up in a federal crackdown—protesters, immigrants, and even U.S. citizens—often pro bono. …
February 1, 2026
Venezuela announces amnesty bill that could lead to mass release of political prisoners
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced an “amnesty” bill that, if approved by the ruling party–controlled National Assembly of Venezuela, could lead to the release of hundreds of people detained for political reasons, including opposition …
January 30, 2026
Statement of ABA President Michelle A. Behnke Re: Shootings in Minneapolis
On January 26, 2026, American Bar Association President Michelle A. Behnke issued a statement responding to the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both U.S. citizens, during encounters with immigration agents in Minneapolis. …
January 26, 2026
Pakistan Arrests Prominent Human Rights Lawyers Amid Crackdown on Dissent
Pakistani authorities arrested human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, while they were traveling to a court hearing in Islamabad. The arrests, reportedly carried out with force and without …
January 23, 2026- More News
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Upcoming Events
The Wisconsin International Law Journal is hosting a two-day symposium on “Challenges Posed to Judges and Lawyers by Creeping Authoritarianism” on February 12–13, 2026, at UW Law School. The event brings together scholars studying how judges and lawyers respond to democratic backsliding across cases like the U.S., Brazil, Russia, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine.Registrations are open and free. More information here.
