She runs in legal circles. She still picked the fight that costs her.

Why a top European lawyer took up Iran's cause, with Izabela KonopackaWhy a top European lawyer took up Iran's cause, with Izabela KonopackaThe former president of a million-lawyer federation on why governments must treat Iran like Ukraine.Izabela Konopacka is a Polish attorney and the former president of the Federation of European Bars (FBE), the body representing roughly one million lawyers across 220 associations. She was only the fourth woman elected to that presidency in the federation's history, and during her term she pushed through a statute change to put women on the board, an initiative that has since grown into the Federation's recurring "Women Leaders in Law" summit. She has supported the Iranian resistance since 2023.She sat down with host Molly Ruland in Paris to make the legal and moral case for the people of Iran: why she calls the regime's treatment of women exceptional even by the grim standards of human rights abuse, why she believes governments must act on Iran the way they acted on Ukraine, and why she's convinced no woman can win these fights alone.Key TakeawaysKonopacka frames Iran in legal terms: measured against how women's rights are protected across Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia, what's happening in Iran is exceptional, and it cannot be allowed to continue.She argues governments must treat Iran the way they treated Ukraine, with decisive action, condemnation, and clear support for a free Iran, regardless of the economic cost.Democracy is not about the economy. Europe's gains came from being united in shared values, not from chasing growth, and she applies the same logic to Iran.She names a hard truth: many women are offered real benefits to stay silent, and some women uphold the patriarchy. The fight isn't against men, it's against that structure.Her own proof of concept: as FBE president she forced through a board-diversity statute against heavy opposition, calling it the price worth paying for the generations who come after.Izabela Konopacka said, "In Europe, we enjoy the freedom of speech, but many of us do not exercise it."Host Molly Ruland said, "I have to make the choice to join them, because they didn't get to make that choice."Timestamps00:00 Who Izabela Konopacka is 01:00 From the European Bar Federation to the Iranian cause 02:30 The most important message: Iran is not a democracy 03:30 The third option, and treating Iran like Ukraine 05:00 Gender equality at the heart of it 06:30 A message to women: build the community 08:00 The benefits offered for staying silent 10:00 Fighting patriarchy, not men 11:00 The board-diversity fight, and the price worth paying 13:00 A message to the women of IranConnect with the movementNational Council of Resistance of Iran: ncr-iran.org Get full access to What do we do next? at whatdowedonext.substack.com/subscribe