Two Years in Ukraine: Living and Working in Kyiv at the Pace of War In-Person
In 2023, Ketchum lawyer Jared Kimball received a message from an old friend who happened to be serving as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine asking: “Would you come help the U.S. in our work in Kyiv?" A few months later, Jared found himself on a train from Poland rolling through the dark and heading to Kyiv to begin working at the U.S. Embassy as Resident Legal Advisor. This experience and the work performed also led to Jared being sanctioned by Russia. Not surprisingly, working in Kyiv presented numerous challenges given the near constant air raid alerts, 0300 am drone and ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine, and the fact that the daily work of the U.S. Embassy moves frenetically — at the pace of war.
Jared will provide a first hand glimpse into the day-to-day process of working and living in Kyiv during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. He will also discuss the general nature of work being done by the United States in Kyiv under both the Biden and Trump administrations and he will provide insight into how the Ukrainian people are living, working and defending their country during war time.
This program will be livestreamed, but a recording will not be available. To watch live online, visit: https://vimeo.com/event/5268255
- Date:
- Tuesday, August 26, 2025
- Time:
- 5:30pm - 6:30pm
- Time Zone:
- Mountain Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- John A. and Carole O. Moran Lecture Hall
- Campus:
- The Community Library
- Audience:
- Adults
- Categories:
- Lectures & Conversations
Jared C. Kimball worked from 2023-2025 as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) posted at the U.S. Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine. Prior to returning to government service, Jared worked as an attorney and litigator at Lawson Laski Clark, PLLC, a law firm in Ketchum, Idaho. In private practice, Jared advised clients on matters involving business, construction and real estate disputes and practiced as a civil litigator in the Idaho state and federal courts.
Jared also served as a prosecutor for more than twenty-one years: fourteen as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Washington and seven as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Seattle, Washington. From 2018 to 2020, Jared served as the DOJ Counterterrorism (CT) RLA for Southeast Europe. The position was based at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. From 2016-2018, he served as the RLA at the U.S. Embassy Jakarta, Indonesia. From 2009-2013, Jared was posted at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia as an RLA.
Jared received his J.D. from the Creighton University School of Law, and his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Washington where he rowed on the UW Crew Team. He served as a law clerk to the Hon. Daniel C. Hurlbutt (Idaho District Court-1995-’97) and clerked at the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (’94).