Judicial Notice (03.12.22): Small Is Beautiful

Ukraine sues Russia, Biglaw swallows up an elite boutique, and other legal news from the week that was.

The Hague, home to the International Court of Justice. (Photo by Neirfy via Getty Images.)

This week was quiet for me, in a good way. I made it to the gym four times, got in my 25 miles of weekly walking, and cooked healthy meals at home (including dijon-baked salmon that I didn’t overcook, served with sautéed kale). On Monday, I posted lower weight and body-fat numbers than the prior Monday, and I’m hoping to do so again this coming Monday (but I’ll have to eat better tomorrow, after indulging a bit today).

This week was also the first week that Harlan was able to attend preschool without a mask, after his school adopted a masks-optional policy—an option that almost all the students availed themselves of. Two years in, I’m hoping that we’re finally entering the beginning of the end when it comes to the pandemic, but we shall see.

It was also a quiet week in legal news, at least compared to last week—but there’s still stuff to discuss, so let’s dive right in.

Lawyers of the Week: Marney Cheek, David Zionts, Jonathan Gimblett, Harold Koh, and Jean-Marc Thouvenin.

Marney Cheek, David Zionts, and Jonathan Gimblett are partners at Covington & Burling. Harold Koh is a professor at Yale Law School, which he previously led as dean, as well as a former Legal Adviser of the U.S. State Department. Jean-Marc Thouvenin is a professor of law at Paris-Nanterre University. All five are leading figures in the world of international law.

On Monday, they represented Ukraine at a hearing before the Hague-based International Court of Justice. They argued that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine violates international law, accused Russia of using a 1948 treaty outlawing genocide as a pretext for the invasion, and urged the court to order Russia to immediately suspend military operations in Ukraine.

Russia did not participate in the proceedings, which strongly suggests that it will ignore any adverse decision. Ukraine could then ask the U.N. Security Council to take action, but because Russia has veto power in the Council, that’s also a likely non-starter. But no matter what happens in the case, Ukraine’s legal team still deserves commendation for standing up for justice.

Speaking of lawyers who stood up for justice, I noted last month the very sad passing of Walter Dellinger, former head of the Office of Legal Counsel and acting solicitor general in the Clinton Administration. On Saturday, March 19, at 1 p.m. (EDT), there will be a virtual celebration in honor of Walter and his late wife Anne Dellinger, a distinguished lawyer and academic in her own right. The event will be hosted by Duke Law School and O’Melveny & Myers, two of Walter’s longtime professional homes, and you can register at this link (which also lists three charities that have established funds in his honor).