Cause lawyers in Myanmar use legal formality to promote justice and public accountability, challenging state power, but persistent impunity undermines trust in the law’s effectiveness.
Archive
Roznai (2013), “Revolutionary Lawyering? On Lawyers’ Social Responsibilities and Roles during a Democratic Revolution”
The article examines the dual and often conflicting roles of lawyers during revolutions, balancing their duty to uphold legal order with their responsibility to support revolutionary change and help shape new legal systems.
Stern (2017), “Activist Lawyers in Post-Tiananmen China”
The essay situates China’s Human Rights Lawyers within authoritarian legality studies, revealing how rights lawyers navigate China’s courts to pursue social activism amid the state’s efforts to use law while maintaining political control.
Surrency (1964), “The Lawyer and the Revolution”
The article explores how lawyers, though typically guardians of the legal order, played a pivotal and often paradoxical role in revolutionary movements by balancing their professional duties with commitments to political change.
Munir (2009), “Struggling for the Rule of Law: The Pakistani Lawyers’ Movement”
The 2007 Lawyers’ Movement in Pakistan marked a pivotal push for rule of law and democratic reform, as lawyers mobilized against authoritarian overreach and succeeded in restoring judicial independence.
Oko (2000), “Consolidating Democracy on a Troubled Continent: A Challenge for Lawyers in Africa”
The article argues that lawyers are essential to Africa’s democratic transitions, but must overcome past associations with authoritarian regimes to regain public trust and fulfill their reformative potential.
Kapinga (1992), “The Legal Profession and Social Action in the Third World: Reflections on Tanzania and Kenya”
The legal professions in Tanzania and Kenya, despite operating under repressive state control, have played a crucial activist role in challenging authoritarianism—unlike their more individualistic counterparts in the West.
Judge orders El Salvador human rights lawyer jailed for 6 months pending trial
A judge in El Salvador has ordered Ruth Leonora López, a prominent human rights and anti-corruption lawyer, to be jailed for six months pending trial on charges of illegal enrichment. López, head of the Anti-Corruption …
Trump’s big problems with big law
President Trump has issued executive orders aimed at restricting certain law firms that have challenged his administration or represented controversial clients. Some firms have settled, while others are fighting back in court. The NPR Politics …
Mexico Holds First-Ever Judicial Elections Amid Rule of Law Concerns
On June 1, 2025, Mexico held its first national judicial elections, a sweeping reform led by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and current President Claudia Sheinbaum. Voters selected 2,600 judges and magistrates, including all …