A month after joining Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe as a pro bono fellow in September 2008, Scott Roehm was in Liberia, assisting that country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in its efforts to address economic crimes committed during more than two decades of political instability and civil war. During Roehm’s second week at the firm, he proposed the pro bono project in conjunction with 
Natural Capital Advisors, a consulting firm that assists governments and nongovernmental organizations in managing natural resources.
Exploitation of natural resources is often at the heart of economic crimes. For example, logging companies allegedly failed to pay tens of millions of dollars in taxes and facilitated arms shipments in the African country. The mandate of the Liberian commission, which was established in 2005, includes addressing such crimes, along with more traditional subjects, such as massacres and sexual violations.
Still, there was little preexisting work to rely on in the area of economic crimes. This is where Orrick came in. In addition to Roehm’s on-the-ground efforts, five Orrick associates and one partner were involved in composing memos analyzing Liberian and international law relevant to economic crimes. The memos, which also touch on issues of asset recovery, will inform future commission decisions on reparations for victims and the possible prosecution of perpetrators.
