What I’ve Learned Speaking to Americans about Democracy and the Rule of Law

By AAROL Board Member and International Rule of Law Attorney Mary Noel Pepys

AAROL Board Member Mary Noel Pepys reflects on the importance of speaking up for democracy, justice, and the Rule of Law in our communities.

A week ago, I delivered my eighth presentation of “USAID and the Rule of Law: A Personal Retrospective”—a reflection on my more than 30-year career strengthening justice systems and democracy around the world, and what that experience has taught me about America today. This time I spoke to residents of The Towers, a senior living community in San Francisco. Over the past year, I delivered remarks to audiences from a range of backgrounds, from local non-profit organizations to the regional Commonwealth Club and the Fromm Institute.

To be candid, I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic as I prepared for my remarks at The Towers. I was about to repeat much of the same material I had presented over the past year. Yet, I remained committed to reaching as many people as possible with a message that is more urgent than ever: our democracy cannot be taken for granted, the Rule of Law must be protected, and judicial independence is essential.

My message draws on the experiences of approximately 5,000 lawyers, judges, law professors, and legal scholars who volunteered in former communist countries during the 1990s through the American Bar Association’s Central and East European Law Initiative (ABA CEELI). ABA CEELI eventually grew into the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) in 2007, having delivered over $350 million in pro bono assistance across 100+ countries and more than 8,000 volunteer lawyers and judges as of 2026.¹ We have all witnessed firsthand what happens when the Rule of Law is absent or undermined.

I was fortunate to work in more than 45 emerging democracies, and to live abroad for seven years: two years in Afghanistan, one year each in Bulgaria, Latvia, and Slovakia, and a total of two years in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Croatia. My ABA CEELI colleagues and I worked alongside local judges and lawyers who were committed to building democratic institutions. We helped strengthen legal systems, develop new constitutions and laws, and advance democratic principles and economic reforms. At the time, we shared an idealistic belief that our efforts could make a lasting difference.

In many places, they did. But I also witnessed how political leadership could change a country’s direction, weakening its commitment to democratic reforms and the Rule of Law. Without strong institutions and accountable leadership, laws could be manipulated and hard-won progress could be reversed.

Those experiences shaped my understanding of just how fragile democracy can be. They also taught me that institutions and principles we assume are secure can erode when people stop protecting them.

What I learned from speaking up

As I approached the podium at The Towers, I began my 45-minute presentation somewhat halfheartedly. Honestly, I had lost some excitement with material I had delivered so many times before.

But that feeling didn’t last long.

As I described my experiences, I saw the audience listening intently. Memories came flooding back: the excitement of working with local judges and lawyers, our shared commitment to meaningful reform, and our belief that we were helping build a more democratic future.

I was reminded of something important: a story that has become familiar to the speaker may be entirely new, and deeply meaningful, to the audience. What felt repetitive to me was an opportunity for others to understand what the Rule of Law means in practice, and why it matters.

That experience reinforced three lessons I believe are worth sharing with fellow AAROL supporters and Rule of Law advocates of all backgrounds:

First, reaching people requires individual initiative. We cannot assume that people will seek us out, or that our message will reach beyond those who already agree with us. We have to identify opportunities, approach potential audiences, and be willing to speak in places we might not initially think of. My presentation at The Towers was one such opportunity. Each invitation accepted and each conversation started expands the reach of our message.

Second, people are interested in hearing firsthand experiences. We may worry that audiences will find our subject too technical, too political, or too unfamiliar. Yet my experience has been that people are receptive when we explain the Rule of Law through real stories and personal encounters. We do not need to be professional speakers or deliver a new presentation every time. Our experiences can make abstract principles tangible, helping people understand what is at stake when democratic institutions are weakened.

Third, defending the Rule of Law need not be a partisan undertaking. Americans may disagree sharply about individual policies, court decisions, and political leaders. But the importance of fair and impartial courts, accountable government, and equal justice under the law can be discussed as shared civic values. Our challenge is to reach beyond those who already share our concerns, and to engage people with different backgrounds and perspectives. Preserving democracy is a responsibility that belongs to all of us.

Why speaking up matters now

Today, many Americans are concerned about the direction of our democratic institutions. Public confidence in the Supreme Court and other institutions of government is under strain, and some people question whether decisions are based on the facts and applicable law, or influenced by political loyalties and other interests.

My experiences abroad have made me particularly conscious of the risks that emerge when public trust erodes and institutions become vulnerable to political pressure. Democracy depends not only on constitutions and laws, but also on independent institutions, accountable leadership, and a public that understands the importance of these critical safeguards.

Thirty years ago, I took the Rule of Law in the United States largely for granted. It was so much a part of daily life that it felt like the air we breathed. My work abroad showed me how unusual—and how precious—that security was. Today, I believe we must be more deliberate about protecting it.

That is why I, along with many of my ABA CEELI and ABA ROLI colleagues, feel a responsibility to share what we witnessed and learned. We know that progress is possible, but we also know it is not irreversible.

Giving presentations, publishing essays, writing letters to newspaper editors, and having conversations with colleagues, family, and friends are all ways to make our voices heard. Not every effort will change someone’s mind, and we may never know the full impact of a conversation. But remaining silent guarantees that our experiences and perspectives will reach no one new.

I may have delivered my presentation eight times, but I was reminded at The Towers that the next audience deserves the opportunity to hear it just as much as the first. So I will keep giving the talks, writing the essays, and having the conversations. The stakes are too high for silence, and the responsibility to protect the Rule of Law belongs to all of us.

I encourage you to find your own way to speak up, and to take that next step in your own communities. Our democracy depends not only on the institutions we build, but also on the people willing to defend them.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Noel Pepys is an attorney who, since 1993, has helped develop justice systems in countries overseas that protect human rights, ensure equal treatment under the law, and promote fair, transparent, and effective governance. Drawing on her expertise in both common law and civil law systems, Mary Noel has worked in more than 45 countries around the world, including five years living in Bulgaria, Latvia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Croatia for ABA CEELI. She also served for two years in Afghanistan as the Justice Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, and for another two years in Rome where she helped develop the Multinational Force and Observers, the peacekeeping force in the Sinai. Before working abroad, Mary Noel held positions at the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of State, and practiced land use law in San Francisco.

---

1. See https://www.americanbar.org/advocacy/global-programs/who-we-are/rule-law-initiative/vision/ and https://www.americanbar.org/advocacy/global-programs/what-we-do/resources/2019/annual-report/ ↩︎