Many aspiring lawyers enter law school with a dual interest in law and public policy, but opportunities to directly bridge these fields are rare. This was not the case for a cohort of Stanford Law School students enrolled in the Policy Practicum titled Regulating Legal Enablers of Russia’s War on Ukraine. Their initiative, led by Professor Erik Jensen, allowed them to not only engage in legal research but also present their findings to policymakers in Washington, D.C.
The policy lab tasked students with analyzing how U.S.-based legal professionals, sometimes unintentionally, aid in evading sanctions imposed on Russian entities and individuals, thereby enabling Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Conducting extensive interviews and comparative legal research, the students addressed gaps in sanctions enforcement and legal ethics. Professor Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, and head of the International Working Group on Russian Sanctions at Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, provided critical guidance throughout the project.
The students uncovered significant misuse of attorney-client privilege and confidentiality, which some U.S.-based legal professionals exploited to help Russian oligarchs avoid these sanctions. Their findings led to recommendations for stronger regulation of legal conduct without undermining the core values of the profession. These recommendations aimed at preventing lawyers from being ‘willfully blind’ to their clients’ true identities and intentions, thereby enhancing the efficacy of sanctions enforcement.
Faced with the complex challenge of condensing their extensive research into a coherent policy report, the students’ efforts culminated in presenting their findings to federal agencies, advocacy groups, and congressional staffers in D.C. Their insights shed light on the broader implications of such legal loopholes, extending beyond just the Ukrainian context to issues like money laundering and drug trafficking.
Their engagement provided invaluable real-world experience, emphasizing how legal professionals play a crucial role in shaping public policy. The project not only highlighted the unethical practices among some in the legal field but also offered a blueprint for reforms that could reinforce the integrity of legal practice. The full narrative of their work can be accessed in an article titled From Policy Lab to Policy Land.
For these students, this initiative reaffirmed the significance of law in safeguarding global justice and democracy, resonating strongly with those from affected regions like Ukraine and reinforcing their commitment to using legal education for societal good.