Scholarly Work About Lawyers
This page features a curated selection of scholarly works from around the world that examine the role of lawyers in democratic decline and resistance to authoritarianism.
The bibliography includes books, articles, and working papers from a range of disciplines — including law, political science, and sociology — that explore how legal professionals respond to democratic erosion, repression, and state capture.
By bringing together key contributions from different regional and theoretical perspectives, this collection serves as a resource for researchers, students, and practitioners interested in understanding the complex relationship between the legal profession and democracy.
Analyses of the Framework of the Legal Profession
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Epp (2012), “The Legal Complex In The Struggle To Control Police Brutality In India”
Charles R. Epp. “The Legal Complex In The Struggle To Control Police Brutality In India.” In Fates of Political Liberalism in the British Post-Colony: The Politics of the Legal Complex. Edited by…
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Halliday, Karpik, Feeley (2012), Fates of Political Liberalism in the British Post-Colony: The Politics of the Legal Complex
Terence C. Halliday, Lucien Karpik, and Malcolm M. Feeley, eds. Fates of Political Liberalism in the British Post-Colony: The Politics of the Legal Complex. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2012. This book…
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Rubin (2019), “The Varieties Of Judicial Independence And The Judiciary’s Role In Political Reform”
Edward L. Rubin. “The Varieties Of Judicial Independence And The Judiciary’s Role In Political Reform.” In The Legal Process and the Promise of Justice: Studies Inspired by the Work of Malcolm Feeley.…
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Massoud (2019), “The Legal Profession’s Promise Of Justice: Choices And Challenges In Legal And Socio-Legal Work”
Mark Fathi Massoud. “The Legal Profession’s Promise Of Justice: Choices And Challenges In Legal And Socio-Legal Work.” In The Legal Process and the Promise of Justice: Studies Inspired by the Work of…
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Johnson and Miyazawa (2019), “Japanese Court Reform on Trial”
David T. Johnson and Setsuo Miyazawa. “Japanese Court Reform on Trial.” In The Legal Process and the Promise of Justice: Studies Inspired by the Work of Malcolm Feeley. Edited by Rosann Greenspan,…
Ethics and Professional Responsibility
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Bliss and Boutcher (2025), “Rationalizing Pro Bono: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Reinvention of Legal Professionalism in Elite American Law Firms”
John Bliss and Steven A. Boutcher. “Rationalizing Pro Bono: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Reinvention of Legal Professionalism in Elite American Law Firms.” In Global Pro Bono: Causes, Context, and Contestation. Edited…
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López (2025), “Critical Curriculum Design: Teaching Law in an Age of Rising Authoritarianism”
Rachel López. “Critical Curriculum Design: Teaching Law in an Age of Rising Authoritarianism.” Minnesota Law Review, vol. 109, no. 2 (2025): 81-111. This article examines how legal education in the United States…
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Bachmann (1984), “Lawyers, Law and Social Change”
Steve Bachmann. “Lawyers, Law and Social Change.” N.Y.U. Review of Law & Social Change, vol. 13, no. 1 (1984): 1-50. This article explores the complex relationship between lawyers, law, and social change,…
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Levin (2025), “The Use of State Discipline to Sanction Attorneys General and Other High-Ranking Legal Officers”
Levin, Leslie C., The Use of State Discipline to Sanction Attorneys General and Other High-Ranking Legal Officers (November 15, 2025). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5753303 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5753303 The United States Attorney General, state attorneys general, and…
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Kroncke (2025). “Legal Complicity in an Age of Resurgent Authoritarianism”.
Kroncke, J. J. (2025). Legal Complicity in an Age of Resurgent Authoritarianism. Geo. J. Legal Ethics, 38, 75. Faith in end of history narratives emergent at the end of the twentieth century carried powerful …
Effects of Politics Within the Legal Profession
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Rubin (2019), “The Varieties Of Judicial Independence And The Judiciary’s Role In Political Reform”
Edward L. Rubin. “The Varieties Of Judicial Independence And The Judiciary’s Role In Political Reform.” In The Legal Process and the Promise of Justice: Studies Inspired by the Work of Malcolm Feeley.…
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Massoud (2019), “The Legal Profession’s Promise Of Justice: Choices And Challenges In Legal And Socio-Legal Work”
Mark Fathi Massoud. “The Legal Profession’s Promise Of Justice: Choices And Challenges In Legal And Socio-Legal Work.” In The Legal Process and the Promise of Justice: Studies Inspired by the Work of…
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Johnson and Miyazawa (2019), “Japanese Court Reform on Trial”
David T. Johnson and Setsuo Miyazawa. “Japanese Court Reform on Trial.” In The Legal Process and the Promise of Justice: Studies Inspired by the Work of Malcolm Feeley. Edited by Rosann Greenspan,…
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Dong and Cheng (2025), “The Rise of Private Public Interest Lawyers in China”
Jin Dong and Qian Cheng. “The Rise of Private Public Interest Lawyers in China.” In Global Pro Bono: Causes, Context, and Contestation. Edited by Scott L. Cummings, Fabio de Sa e Silva,…
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Hilbink (2007), “Politicising Law to Liberalise Politics: Anti-Francoist Judges and Prosecutors in Spain’s Democratic Transition”
Lisa Hilbink. “Politicising Law to Liberalise Politics: Anti-Francoist Judges and Prosecutors in Spain’s Democratic Transition.” In Fighting for Political Freedom: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex and Political Liberalism. Edited by Terence…
Evidence of Lawyers’ Resistance
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Perdomo (2007), “Lawyers and Political Liberalism in Venezuela”
Rogelio Perez Perdomo. “Lawyers and Political Liberalism in Venezuela.” In Fighting for Political Freedom: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex and Political Liberalism. Edited by Terence C. Halliday, Lucien Karpik, and Malcolm…
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Brinks (2007), “The Legal Complex and the Response to Police Violence in South America”
Daniel M. Brinks. “The Legal Complex and the Response to Police Violence in South America.” In Fighting for Political Freedom: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex and Political Liberalism. Edited by Terence…
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Moustafa (2007), “Mobilising the Law in an Authoritarian State: The Legal Complex in Contemporary Egypt”
Tamir Moustafa. “Mobilising the Law in an Authoritarian State: The Legal Complex in Contemporary Egypt.” In Fighting for Political Freedom: Comparative Studies of the Legal Complex and Political Liberalism. Edited by Terence…
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Ma (2025), “Who are the Chinese Sǐkē (Diehard) Lawyers?—A Belated Clarification”
Qin Ma. “Who are the Chinese Sǐkē (Diehard) Lawyers?—A Belated Clarification.” China Law and Society Review, vol. 10, no. 1 (2025): 1-50. This article explores the emergence and evolution of Sǐkē lawyers,…
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Imran and Munir (2018), “Defying Marginalization: Emergence of Women’s Organizations and the Resistance Movement in Pakistan: A Historical Overview”
Rahat Imran and Imran Munir. “Defying Marginalization: Emergence of Women’s Organizations and the Resistance Movement in Pakistan: A Historical Overview.” Journal of International Women’s Studies, vol. 19, no. 6 (2018): 132-156. This…