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
Pro-Trump attorneys push executive order that would give Trump sweeping power over elections: Sources
According to ABC News, a network of pro-Trump attorneys and allies is promoting a 17-page draft executive order that they say could give President Donald Trump sweeping authority over how U.S. elections are run. The …
March 1, 2026
Travel ban and judicial control on lawyer Necat Çiçek not lifted
On February 24, 2026, the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court held the eighth hearing in the case against lawyer Necat Çiçek, who is being prosecuted over his legal work and participation in press statements. Çiçek …
February 24, 2026
EU sanctions Russian officials over trials, prisons and crackdowns on dissent
The European Union imposed sanctions on eight Russian individuals over alleged serious human rights violations, repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and actions undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia. Those listed …
February 23, 2026
Condemning lengthy prison sentences imposed on Turkish lawyers for lawful professional and human rights work
A coalition of international legal and human rights organizations, including the New York City Bar Association, issued a joint statement condemning the January 28, 2026 convictions of 10 ÖHD lawyers and 20 TUAD executives/staff by …
February 19, 2026
How Trump and Bondi transformed the DOJ to push his agenda and challenge detractors
In a PBS NewsHour report (Feb. 17, 2026), Ali Rogin examines how the Trump administration and Attorney General Pam Bondi have reshaped the U.S. Department of Justice. The report highlights a sharp decline in DOJ …
February 17, 2026- More News
