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Policy Practicum: Regulating Professional Enablers of Russia's War on Ukraine

Current Offerings

Policy Practicum: Regulating Professional Enablers of Russia's War on Ukraine (809M): Law firms' withdrawal from Russia in the wake of the country's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 surfaced challenging and timely questions around what it means to practice ethically in an increasingly challenging globalized context. This proposed policy lab explores the role of lawyers in times of conflict and crisis. Western legal professionals have garnered criticism, including from Ukrainian civil society, for their alleged role as "enablers" of Russian aggression, especially by helping sanctioned individuals move and hide their wealth. The role of Western lawyers as enablers of corrupt regimes is not new; a 2006 Senate subcommittee report found that "lawyers help establish offshore structures, draft financial instruments, and provide legal opinions justifying offshore transactions." Congress finally responded with the 2022 ENABLERS Act, which would force lawyers to investigate the source of clients' funds when making a transaction, the way banks currently do. The bill failed in the Senate last year however, largely under pressure from the ABA. With sanctions effectiveness being a focus of the Freeman Spogli Institute's McFaul-Yermak International Sanctions Working Group, this SLS policy lab would contribute a unique perspective to a live area policy debate at Stanford and Washington. Students would have the chance to consider the duties of lawyers towards clients credibly linked to ongoing human rights abuses and war crimes, assessing current ABA guidelines, constitutional due process guarantees, recent policy developments like the 2022 ENABLERS Act, and the perspectives of local civil society in Ukraine and other affected areas. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments. Only students who participated in the prior quarter's project will be admitted to the spring quarter practicum. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must submit a Consent Application Form at SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. See the Consent Application Form for instructions and the submission deadline.

Sections

Policy Practicum: Regulating Professional Enablers of Russia's War on Ukraine | LAW 809M Section 01 Class #35211

  • 3 Units
  • Grading: Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
  • Enrollment Limitations: Consent 10
  • Graduation Requirements:
    • EL -Experiential Learning Requirement for Law Deg
  • Learning Outcomes Addressed:
    • LO2 - Legal Analysis and Reasoning
    • LO3 - Ability to Conduct Legal Research
    • LO4 - Ability to Communicate Effectively in Writing
    • LO5 - Ability to Communicate Orally
    • LO7 - Professional Skills

  • 2023-2024 Spring ( )
  • Tue
  • Room: William H. Neukom 316

Past Offerings

Policy Practicum: Regulating Professional Enablers of Russia's War on Ukraine (809M): Law firms' withdrawal from Russia in the wake of the country's brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 surfaced challenging and timely questions around what it means to practice ethically in an increasingly challenging globalized context. This proposed policy lab explores the role of lawyers in times of conflict and crisis. Western legal professionals have garnered criticism, including from Ukrainian civil society, for their alleged role as "enablers" of Russian aggression, especially by helping sanctioned individuals move and hide their wealth. The role of Western lawyers as enablers of corrupt regimes is not new; a 2006 Senate subcommittee report found that "lawyers help establish offshore structures, draft financial instruments, and provide legal opinions justifying offshore transactions." Congress finally responded with the 2022 ENABLERS Act, which would force lawyers to investigate the source of clients' funds when making a transaction, the way banks currently do. The bill failed in the Senate last year however, largely under pressure from the ABA. With sanctions effectiveness being a focus of the Freeman Spogli Institute's McFaul-Yermak International Sanctions Working Group, this SLS policy lab would contribute a unique perspective to a live area policy debate at Stanford and Washington. Students would have the chance to consider the duties of lawyers towards clients credibly linked to ongoing human rights abuses and war crimes, assessing current ABA guidelines, constitutional due process guarantees, recent policy developments like the 2022 ENABLERS Act, and the perspectives of local civil society in Ukraine and other affected areas. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Performance, Class Participation, Written Assignments. Only students who participated in the prior quarter's project will be admitted to the spring quarter practicum. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must submit a Consent Application Form at SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. See the Consent Application Form for instructions and the submission deadline.

Sections

Policy Practicum: Regulating Professional Enablers of Russia's War on Ukraine | LAW 809M Section 01 Class #34978

  • 3 Units
  • Grading: Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
  • 2023-2024 Winter
    Schedule No Longer Available
  • Enrollment Limitations: Consent 10
    • 1L: Winter Elective (Open to First-Year JD Students)
  • Graduation Requirements:
    • EL -Experiential Learning Requirement for Law Deg
  • Learning Outcomes Addressed:
    • LO2 - Legal Analysis and Reasoning
    • LO3 - Ability to Conduct Legal Research
    • LO4 - Ability to Communicate Effectively in Writing
    • LO5 - Ability to Communicate Orally
    • LO7 - Professional Skills

  • 2023-2024 Winter
    Schedule No Longer Available
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