Global law firm White & Case LLP, in collaboration with PILnet and Tashkent State University of Law (TSUL), successfully concluded a four-day legal ethics workshop in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The program brought together more than 40 top law students from five countries in the region for immersive training on the practical application of legal ethics in a cross-border context.
The Central Asia Legal Ethics Workshop aimed to strengthen students’ understanding of professional responsibility and ethical lawyering through interactive sessions focused on realistic hypothetical legal challenges. Topics include regulation of the legal profession, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, client engagement, professional independence, anti-corruption, evolving law on business and human rights, and pro bono. A diverse faculty of practising lawyers, legal academics, and ethics experts from Central Asia, Europe and the United States led the course.
“At White & Case, we believe that legal ethics is not just an obligatory course—it’s a commitment to building trust in the profession, protecting the rule of law and serving clients with integrity,” said Jennifer Paradise, partner and General Counsel. “We designed the curriculum to incorporate real-world scenarios so that students can apply their training to manage complex ethical situations that they will face throughout their careers.”
The program opened with remarks from Carolyn Lamm, Washington, DC partner at White & Case; Esemurat Kanyazov, Director of the Legal Training Center under the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan; and Islambek Rustambekov, Acting Rector of TSUL.
Islambek Rustambekov, Acting Rector of TSUL, noted: “This workshop provided a unique opportunity for our students and their peers in the region to engage directly with international experts. Strengthening legal ethics is essential to the development of an independent and principled legal profession in Uzbekistan and beyond.”
The workshop emphasised applied learning over theory. Sessions included mock exercises, case discussions and even an “Ethics in the Movies” segment, which used actual movie clips to illustrate legal issues. Throughout, students were encouraged to work through complex questions they will face in their careers, from managing client confidentiality to navigating complex legal transactions with ethical integrity.
The final day featured a dynamic panel on in-house perspectives on legal and business ethics, followed by a session on pro bono and responsible business.
