Rule of Law: Rights & Justice in a Transnational World

The School was delighted to recently host Mr William Neukom, President of the World Justice Project & former President of the American Bar Association, and Professor Michel Rosenfeld, Cardozo Law School.

On Thursday 30 January, Neukom and Rosenfeld joined Dean Caron in conversation to discuss the role lawyers and civil society play in the promotion of global justice. The panel was part of The Dickson Poon School of Law Transnational Speaker Series established by Dean Caron last year.

Drawing on their vast experience in both the academic and professional practice of law, Neukom and Rosenfeld spoke to staff and students about their understanding of the rule of law and global justice.

Both Neukom and Rosenfeld referred to the formative experiences early in their lives as shaping their commitment to equality and justice.

The rule of law, a ‘cornerstone of contemporary democracy’ according to Rosenfeld, is also the ideal at the heart of Neukom’s World Justice Project.

The Project conducts a Rule of Law audit of almost 200 countries worldwide – and Neukom’s experiences with the non-profit organisation led to a lively discussion about theory and practice between him and Rosenfeld.

Dean Caron said of the visit: “William Neukom and Michel Rosenfeld demonstrate the many different paths available to our students as they seek to serve global society. Although they come from different backgrounds, and have had different paths through life, they have found common cause in service through law, and through exploration of the role that the rule of law can play in society. By introducing our students to these luminaries oflegal thought we can help to equip them to become global leaders.”

Michel Rosenfeld is the Justice Sydney L. Robins Professor of Human Rights and Director, Program on Global and Comparative Constitutional Theory at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He is the author of several books, including Just Interpretations: Law Between Ethics and Politics and Affirmative Action and Justice: A Philosophical and Constitutional Inquiry.  He has been the President of the International Association of Constitutional Law (1999-2004) and is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Constitutional Law. He was awarded the French Legion of Honor in 2004 and named to a 2007-2008 Blaise Pascal Excellence Research Chair.

Bill Neukom is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Justice Project.Previously he spent many years in the Seattle office of the international law firm K&L Gates. He was part of the ownership group of the San Francisco Giants major league baseball team, serving as its CEO from 2008 to 2011, including during its year as World Series Champions. He is a past president of the American Bar Association and trustee emeritus of Dartmouth College. He served as the lead lawyer for Microsoft Corporation from 1978 to 2002.

The event was part of the Transnational Speaker Series at The Dickson Poon School of Law.

See forthcoming events from The Dickson Poon School of Law.