Anthony Clark Arend. “International Law and Rogue States: The Failure of the Charter Framework.” New England Law Review, vol. 36, no. 4 (2002): 735-754.
This article’s analysis of “rogue states” highlights how certain regimes persistently violate international law and exploit legal gaps, often undermining democratic norms and the rule of law. In backsliding democracies facing such state behavior—whether through repression, abuse of power, or militarized actions—attorneys play a critical role as defenders of legal order and democratic accountability. By navigating unclear or compromised legal frameworks, lawyers become essential actors in resisting authoritarian encroachments, protecting human rights, and advocating for adherence to both domestic and international law. Their work challenges the impunity of rogue regimes and sustains the fragile legal institutions that underpin democracy in times of political decline.