Green, Bruce A. and Wald, Eli, Lawyers, the Rule of Law, and the Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms (July 12, 2026). U Denver Legal Studies Research Paper No. 26-12, 78 Okla. L. Rev. XXX (2026), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=7113919 In the spring of 2025, President Trump issued a series of executive orders, and threatened to issue …
The International Association of Legal Ethics is hosting a conference in Berlin on June 25-26, 2026, titled “The Legal Profession in Times of Rule of Law and Democratic Backsliding.” Bringing together lawyers, judges, legal scholars, and bar association leaders from around the world, the conference will examine how legal professionals can defend democratic institutions and …
As of March 20, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government was poised to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza — at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest, in direct defiance of Hungary’s still-active treaty obligations under the Rome …
A court in Tunisia ordered the release of lawyer Ahmed Souab, whose family confirmed he was freed on February 23, 2026. Souab had become known for publicly opposing President Kais Saied and had been imprisoned while serving a five-year sentence. The decision adds to ongoing scrutiny of Tunisia’s use of the justice system amid heightened …
On February 10, 2026, the U.S. Justice Department said it asked federal prosecutors to identify the “most egregious” cases of judges allegedly obstructing President Donald Trump’s agenda, information the department says could help Congress consider responses including impeachment referrals. The move escalates the administration’s public campaign against judges who have blocked parts of its immigration …
Kazakhstani lawyer Murat Adam has been disbarred following a complaint by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which accused him of discrediting law enforcement through social media posts. Adam, who previously defended Chechen refugee Mansur Movlaev, denies the allegations, calls the decision politically motivated, and plans to appeal. The case is linked to Kazakhstan’s recent refusal …
A federal judge in Washington has blocked the Trump administration from revoking the security clearance of Mark Zaid, a prominent attorney known for representing whistleblowers and national security officials. Judge Amir Ali ruled that the presidential memorandum targeting Zaid amounted to improper political retribution and could not be used to penalize a lawyer for representing …
A recent Washington Post investigation reported that U.S. forces conducted a second strike on survivors of an initial attack against an alleged drug-trafficking boat off the coast of Venezuela. Legal experts say such an action — intentionally killing people already incapacitated and no longer posing a threat — would violate both peacetime international human rights …
Twelve pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have appealed their convictions and prison sentences in the landmark “47 democrats” case, which has become a global symbol of Beijing’s crackdown on dissent under the National Security Law. The case stems from a 2020 unofficial primary election organized by opposition figures, which authorities labeled a subversive plot. Of …
Liebman, Benjamin L. “A Populist Threat to China’s Courts?,” in Chinese Justice: Civil Dispute Resolution in Contemporary China. Edited by Margaret Y. K. Woo & Mary E. Gallagher, pp. 269-313. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2011). Summary: Is the Chinese party-state too responsive to public opinion? In the case of the courts, this may be the …