April 13: Update on Russia

Edward DeLaney, partner, DeLaney and DeLaney Law firm

When: Wednesday, April 13 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (registration at 10:45 AM)

Where: North United Methodist Church, 3808 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis

Mid-North Shepherd Center's Great Decisions Series

Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has been shaping its image as a power in Europe and Asia. Putin, in turn, is reshaping Russia by centralizing authority within the federal government. Are Putin's reforms a step backward for Russian democracy? How will Russia overcome the real challenges of terrorism and a struggling economy?

Ed DeLaney is one of my favorite speakers on Russia. Thanks to a stint in spy school in the 1960s, courtesy of the US Navy, Ed is fluent in Russian. So as Ed rose to prominence as one of the top corporate attorneys in the Midwest and a leader in the Dem party of Indiana, he also carried out extensive business in the USSR. In the 1990s he used his international law experience in the Balkans, representing Bosnia in negotiations and helping establish the legal system in Kosovo. I find his insights on local politics to be most illuminating when he talks about Russia, Central Asia or the Balkans ... I have swiped about a dozen anecdotes and illustrations from Ed that I use in my talks (I hope this lawyer will recognize this as the sincerest form of flattery, not cause for a suit). It will be worth skipping work or cutting class to attend this talk.