Russia Scholars Split Over Sanctions Work: Ben Keith writes for Times Higher Education

Ben Keith quoted in Times Higher Education on 21 April 2023

Ben Keith quoted in Times Higher Education on 21 April 2023.

"Academics who act as court experts in return for up to £20,000 are under a 'corrupting influence' claims one Russia analyst, while another expert says fees help pay his mortgage.

You open your inbox. A legitimate-looking law firm is offering big money to produce a report on its client's proximity to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a forthcoming appeal against UK sanctions. Do you do it?"

“Ben Keith, a barrister at 5 St Andrew’s Hill Chambers who specialises in sanctions cases, said academics often declined expert opinion requests, despite fees that could rise to £20,000 for a report. ‘It’s basically impossible to get a good, credible academic to say something that they don’t believe in,’ he added.

“Mr Keith said UK courts “put a lot of store” in political or country experts, who were “rarely challenged”. He said experts sometimes gave opinions on countries they knew little about, but the UK’s surfeit of experts meant he had not seen it happen in Russia-related cases.”

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