Background
The American Bar Association (ABA) endorsed the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in February 2012. It did so recognizing the broad impact that the private sector can and does have on human rights across the globe and, therefore, the pivotal role that business can perform in respecting and advancing human rights to the benefit of all concerned. The ABA also recognized the symbiotic relationship between the business and legal communities in virtually all areas of business activity and thus the importance of the legal profession’s engagement and leadership in this burgeoning area of human rights law and policy.
In 2015, the ABA Center for Human Rights, along with leading bar associations from around the world, convened a two-day conference on the role of the legal profession in business and human rights. This high-level convening resulted in a joint “Declaration of Commitment on Business and Human Rights” endorsed by the participating bars and joined by others.
Objectives of the dialogue
To discuss the role of lawyers, law firms, and bar associations in ensuring access to remedy for business related human rights harms. Among the avenues to be explored will be judicial remedies, including civil, administrative and criminal remedies; non-judicial remedies, including company-level, operational-level remedies, and grievance mechanisms.Arbitration and international dispute resolution mechanisms also will be explored.
Outcomes
1) Mapping of the range of current and future types of remedies as well as the obstacles to achieving them;2) Examining the legal and ethical rules applicable to lawyers that may inhibit the realization of remedies; and3) Exploring the role of lawyers in advising clients, whether plaintiff or defense counsel
Participants
Representatives of national, regional, and international bar associations, with external additional experts in the field of business and human rights.
Event information [PDF]
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