This webinar explores the ways in which lawyers can draw practical lessons from the Polish judiciary?s resistance to authoritarian pressures under the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS). It delves into the tactics judges employed to safeguard their independence, from subtle acts of defiance within courtrooms to collective public resistance. By analyzing these actions, the webinar aims to uncover the role of judges as defenders of democratic principles, even under significant state pressure. Attendees will consider how lawyers, like judges, can maintain ethical standards while navigating political conflicts that threaten judicial autonomy. Furthermore, the webinar emphasizes the importance of understanding resistance strategies for legal professionals facing similar challenges globally. Ultimately, it sheds light on the judiciary?s critical role in upholding the rule of law in the face of authoritarian encroachment.
Furthermore, key speaker Marcin Mrowicki will be discussing his monograph, All Rise: Judicial Resistance in Poland, which investigates the strategic and organized resistance of Polish judges against the authoritarian encroachments on judicial independence by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party from 2015 to 2023. The resistance movement led to significant national and international outcomes, including presidential vetoes of controversial judicial reform bills, the reinstatement of judges, and actions by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Poland.