Steven Lieberman Quoted in Reuters Article on Pro Bono Fight with Russia Over Stolen Jewish Manuscripts

"Ten years ago, Russia, having lost the case, essentially took its ball and went home. Now it's saying that it wants a do-over. But that's not how the legal system works," Rothwell Figg partner Steven Lieberman told Reuters regarding Russia's latest move in the case filed by Chabad seeking the return of its sacred heritage from the Soviet Union, and its successor, the Russian Federation. A Rothwell Figg team, led by Steven, represent Chabad pro bono in efforts to recover from the Russian Federation the holy books and other materials that were stolen from Chabad by the Soviet Union and the Nazis and that the Russian Federation has refused to return despite multiple court orders directing it to do so.

Steven's comments come after the news broke that the Russian Federation hired the law firm of Marks & Sokolov to handle the country's defense in the long-running lawsuit filed by Rothwell Figg pro bono client Chabad against the Russian Federation seeking return of the Schneerson Collection, sacred texts, preserved manuscripts, organizational records, and other religious and historical materials. 

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2004, and in 2010, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth found Russia at fault and ordered the return of the historical materials to Chabad. The Court also issued sanctions against the Russian Federation - $50,000 a day - and now totaling more than $194 million. Russia has not been involved in the case since it's request to dismiss the case was denied more than a decade ago, but the appearance of Marks & Sokolov in a filing signals Russia's return.

To read the full article, "Russia returns to court to fight US lawsuit over Jewish manuscripts," by Mike Scarcella on Reuters, please visit the Reuters website.