Meet two ISLP volunteers: Irina Sivachenko and Isabela Garcez of Ropes & Gray. Irina and Isa recently traveled with ISLP to Ecuador for an intensive week of workshops, trainings, dialogues, and meetings in two cities, Quito and Cuenca, together with our key partners from Counterpart International – Ecuador. Drawing upon their experience representing clients on compliance and anti-corruption matters, Irina and Isa both delivered training sessions and participated in a number of substantive roundtable discussions and other convenings comprising a cross-section of leaders from civil society, government, academia, and the private sector. We asked Irina and Isa to reflect on the impact of their volunteer experience with ISLP and ISLP’s work more broadly.   

Isabela: Not only did the project in Ecuador deeply impact Irina and me (we still gush about our adventures on a regular basis), but it also demonstrated the importance of the work being done by ISLP. The world faces a multitude of challenges, and it is easy to feel isolated and helpless when tackling obstacles that don’t seem to affect anyone else. But ISLP realizes that many challenges facing people in different countries are actually similar and interconnected, so we, as a global community, have a lot to learn from each other. And we will only do so by engaging in the multi-disciplinary, international collaborations and dialogues that ISLP and its partners foster through their various projects. I am honored to have played a part in one such project and excited to see the fruits of ISLP’s continued work throughout the world. 

 Irina:   I was blown away by the depth of engagement from the audience. ISLP tackles important initiatives – economic development, transparency, anti-corruption – but what makes ISLP truly stand out is the sophistication of their projects and level of thought that goes into making sure the right stakeholders are at the table and are engaged in a dialogue. It was a privilege to work with ISLP and I look forward to many more collaborations.

Tell us about the impact of your volunteer experience with ISLP. Why do you believe ISLP’s work is important?

  • Irina: I was blown away by the depth of engagement from the audience. ISLP tackles important initiatives – economic development, transparency, anti-corruption – but what makes ISLP truly stand out is the sophistication of their projects and level of thought that goes into making sure the right stakeholders are at the table and are engaged in a dialogue. It was a privilege to work with ISLP and I look forward to many more collaborations.
  • Isabela: Not only did the project in Ecuador deeply impact Irina and I (we still gush about our adventures on a regular basis), but it also demonstrated the importance of the work being done by ISLP. The world faces a multitude of challenges, and it is easy to feel isolated and helpless when tackling obstacles that don’t seem to affect anyone else. But ISLP realizes that many challenges facing people in different countries are actually similar and interconnected, so we, as a global community, have a lot to learn from each other. And we will only do so by engaging in the multi-disciplinary, international collaborations and dialogues that ISLP and its partners foster through their various projects. I am honored to have played a part in one such project and excited to see the fruits of ISLP’s continued work throughout the world.

What drew you to the volunteer opportunity?

  • Irina: I have heard about ISLP for years and was always impressed by the caliber of their work, their global reach and the impact of their projects on communities around the globe.  When I got a call on a cold January morning asking whether I would be able to fly to Ecuador in a few weeks to lead several workshops on anti-corruption compliance and democratic corporate responsibility programs, I knew I had to say yes! I was thrilled to have an opportunity to finally work with ISLP and the project’s focus on anti-corruption regulation and compliance was at the very heart of my legal practice. The schedule was tight – over a few days we ran two workshops, in Cuenca and Quito, and participated in meetings, round tables and panels with local experts, politicians and other stakeholders – which made for a very busy but very meaningful trip.
  • Isabela: Like Irina, I’ve always been impressed with the international reach of ISLP’s work so I jumped at the chance to partner with them in a project in Ecuador. I was particularly intrigued by the opportunity to travel to a new country and teach others about the anti-corruption and compliance work I practice every day, though I was certainly intimidated by the prospect of leading multiple days of workshops in Spanish, my third language. But the ISLP staff and their Counterpart International partners in Ecuador provided us with incredible support, assistance and encouragement every step of the way, culminating in successful presentations in two cities, Quito and Cuenca, at several events and national dialogues with leaders from the private sector, academics, lawyers, and judges.

 Is there a particular moment during the volunteer experience that stood out to you or that you have taken away as particularly significant?

  • Isabela: Even though the entire week in Ecuador will forever stand out as an incredibly meaningful experience, I have to highlight how unique and impactful it was to participate in the last event at the Universidad San Francisco Quito on corporate democratic responsibility and security. In preparing for my presentation, I realized new ways that my work in anti-corruption compliance can provide great practical examples of how corporations have leveraged their resources in nonpartisan ways to increase democratic inclusion and participation. It was also compelling to hear from the other panelists—a political science professor, a member of the Ecuador Chamber of Innovation and Technology, and a general from the Ecuador National Police—and to see how our experiences shaped our perspectives on these important topics. But most of all, it was fascinating to participate in the discussions with the breakout work groups, which were individuals from all types of backgrounds, about how the private sector can play a role in bringing about culture change and greater security. The unique findings and proposed commitments presented by each group underscores the value of bringing together different stakeholders to help develop solutions that benefit from all relevant expertise.
  • Irina: The whole experience was fantastic. To start, it was a very rewarding collaboration – getting to know ISLP’s incredible staff – Sara Lulo, Pedro Villegas – brainstorming with them and building a program to maximize its impact and effectiveness was priceless. And then, of course, being in Ecuador, in one (packed) room with local attorneys, compliance professionals, judges, political and business stakeholders, engaging with them and having a real dialogue with them was such a unique experience. My colleague Isa and I worked hard on making sure our presentations wouldn’t be just “check the box” exercises and we were thrilled to see the level of engagement – questions, suggestions, follow-ups – from the audience. We even got emails from participants after we returned to the US! Isa hails from Brazil and I grew up in Russia and the two of us, US-trained attorneys, were speaking in (not perfect) Spanish to a diverse audience  – to me it was a testament to the impact of ISLP’s work (and universal importance of anti-corruption compliance).
Irina Sivachenko (left) & Isa Garcez (right)

Isa Garcez joined Ropes & Gray’s litigation and enforcement group as a senior associate in 2023 from another preeminent international law firm. Her practice focuses on anti-corruption and white-collar criminal defense, advising clients regarding FCPA, anti-money laundering and compliance matters as well as internal investigations. She has represented a wide range of multinational corporations, global financial firms and individuals in civil and criminal inquiries by federal and state authorities in the U.S. and abroad.

Irina Sivachenko is a senior attorney in Ropes & Gray’s litigation and enforcement practice group. She focuses her practice on white-collar criminal defense and represents clients in civil and criminal enforcement matters and cross-border internal investigations. Irina focuses on matters involving allegations of corruption, fraud, and money laundering and regularly advises clients on compliance with anti-corruption laws, anti-money laundering laws, and other regulatory issues.