SPILF was founded by a reform-era president to showcase the rule of law in Russia. This year’s speakers argued that constitutional rights are the real problem.

The St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF) took place in St. Petersburg this week for its 14th annual session, running from June 24 to 26. SPILF was established in 2011 at the initiative of Russia’s Justice Ministry, with the backing of Dmitry Medvedev, a trained lawyer who was serving as Russia’s president at the time. In its early years, the event drew a genuinely distinguished international audience. Here is what it looks like today.