Lauren A. McCarthy and Renata Mustafina. “A Measure of Justice: Citizen Legal Advocates, Lay Lawyering, and Access to Justice in Russia.” Punishment & Society, vol. 26, no. 4 (2024): 610-628.
This article explores how access to justice can be expanded in an authoritarian setting like Russia through the use of citizen legal advocates (CLAs)—ordinary citizens without formal legal education who represent defendants in criminal and administrative cases. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork with CLAs during training and court proceedings, the study shows that these lay advocates play crucial roles in improving defendants’ experiences of the legal process, even when unfavorable legal outcomes are likely. Acting as legal advisors, coaches, and guardians of prisoner welfare, CLAs contribute to justice at multiple stages of a defendant’s journey through the system. By examining these practices in a repressive legal environment, the article highlights often-overlooked forms of legal support that enhance access to justice across both authoritarian and democratic contexts. It underscores the potential for non-professional actors to influence legal processes even where formal protections and outcomes are limited.