Lawyers and Democratic Decline

A photograph of the downtown Madison, WI skyline featuring the domed capitol building in the center, a row of various buildings, and then trees lining the waterfront in the foreground - all lit by the morning sun.

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.

Learn more on the About Us page.

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A cropped photograph of the United States Constitution on parchment paper and written in elaborate penmanship cursive writing.