Stephen Hopgood. “Law and Lawyers in a World After Virtue.” London Review of International Law, vol. 4, no. 3 (2016): 451–466.
David Kennedy’s critical legal scholarship challenges the traditional monopoly lawyers and legal scholars hold over defining law’s purpose, highlighting law as a form of political struggle rather than a neutral system. His work exposes the difficult trade-offs and moral complexities inherent in pursuing justice, especially within imperfect or backsliding democratic contexts. Kennedy’s realism, acknowledging the “dark sides” of virtue and law, does not lead to cynicism but rather to a committed ethical engagement. For attorneys in weakening democracies, this perspective underscores the importance of navigating ethical dilemmas with both critical awareness and dedication to progressive change, even when ideal justice remains elusive. Kennedy’s reflections on expertise and participation offer a model for lawyers who must balance their roles as both professionals and agents of social and political struggle.