The inside story of exposing murder and corruption and the creation of a regime of sanctions in the face of fierce opposition.
On May 13th, TAG Alliances began its TAG Virtual Spring 2021 International Conference with a Keynote Session from Bill Browder, author of the International Best Seller, Red Notice, and Jamison Firestone of Russian TAGLaw Member Firm FDS Law Ltd. The session titled, “Building a Legacy for Sergei Magnitsky - A Global Framework for Fighting Human Rights Abuses and Corruption” focused on the true story of Sergei Magnitsky and provided attendees with first-hand perspectives on:
- The investigation in Magnitsky’s murder and campaign they launched, what they found, how they found it, and the path that led to the idea of the Magnitsky Act.
- Attempts to kill the Act through political pressure, covert operations, an offer made at a Presidential Summit, and personal attacks via Interpol and the courts.
- The intricacies of tracing and freezing assets of bad actors and how Russia fights back to preserve its money laundering network.
- The passing of the Sergei Magnitsky Act by various governments and the multiple facets of the Act; and
- The lasting legacy of Sergei Magnitsky and the “Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign."
TAG Alliances has a long history of pursuing justice for the death of Sergei Magnitsky. In May 2010, at the TAG Alliances International Conference in Amsterdam, Jamison Firestone told the horrific story of the murder of his law partner, Sergei Magnitsky. Members of the TAG Alliances community were outraged by what they heard. After conferring with the TAGLaw Advisory Board, they decided to show their support for finding justice for Sergei Magnitsky by sending letters to Russian President Medvedev, U.S. President Barack Obama, and other world leaders.
In the subsequent months and years, Sergei's client, Bill Browder, the founder of Hermitage Capital, the largest Hedge Fund and foreign investor in Russia at the time, lobbied various governments to enact what is now known as the Sergei Magnitsky Act. The Act's intended purpose is to help deter and police human rights abuses and corruption through visa bans and asset freezes.
Prior to the Keynote Session, attendees met during several virtual Open House sessions to network with one another and developed relationships. The TAG Virtual Spring 2021 International Conference will continue throughout the month of May with Specialty Group sessions focused on a variety of topics including: Audit & Assurance, Best Practices & Firm Management, Corporate and M&A, Employment & Labor Law, IP/IT & Cybersecurity, Medical Technology, Insolvency & Secured Transactions, Litigation & ADR, and Tax.
Session Recording: Building a Legacy for Sergei Magnitsky - A Global Framework for Fighting Human Rights Abuses and Corruption
The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the presenters and may not necessarily represent the views and opinions of TAG Alliances or its member firms.
