Building a Global Rule of Law Coalition

The Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility at Toronto Metropolitan University*(TMU) is pleased to present an online zoom session, Building a Global Multi-Sectoral Coalition in Support of the Rule of Law on Thursday, May 29, 2025 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, Toronto time, with Errol Mendes, John Sherman III and Kernaghan Webb (details below).

To REGISTER (no cost, everyone welcome) click HERE then press the "reserve a spot" button. Space is limited, so register soon.

To ACCESS THE ZOOM on Thursday, May 29at 12:00 (Toronto time), click HERE to patch in for the live session. This session is exclusively a zoom event: there is no in-person component. The session will be recorded and will be accessible after the fact on the TMU CSR Institute website.

Information will be provided during the session re: how to submit questions.

About this session

Both within the United States and beyond, numerous groups and initiatives in support of the rule of law are in place or are being developed (e.g., see ICJ-Canada statement, ABA statement, IBA statement). At both the domestic and international level, the rule of law plays an integral, "load bearing beam" role with respect to individuals, businesses, civil society organizations, governments, and inter-governmental bodies. As a result of a "flooding the zone" series of actions by the Trump 2.0 administration, the domestic and international rule based order and related trade system is being seriously threatened. In turn, much of the (admittedly imperfect) progress over the past 80 years or so that has been made with respect to human rights, democracy, peace, environmental protection and overall global prosperity is being jeopardized.

In this session, the focus is on how a global, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder coalition in support of the rule of law might be developed and how such a coalition could assist in countering the actions of the Trump 2.0 administration or any other governments acting in a similar manner. Arguably a similar broad-based, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder group of actors and initiatives contributed to the downfall of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

A broad multi-jurisdictional coalition of this nature could potentially speak in an aligned, coordinated way, in real time, directly to particular Trump 2.0 attempted erosions to the rule of law, and could potentially provide a platform for and a catalyst for additional, more specific and pointed counter-actions. The suggestion is not being made that the proposed rule of law multi-jurisdictional coalition would in any way be a panacea to the actions of the Trump 2.0 administration. Rather, it is being suggested that the coalition could be a part of the response, just as the international anti-apartheid initiative was only a part of the response to the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Discussion in the May 29 session will focus on exploring how such a coalition could be developed, its value and role. It is anticipated that future sessions will build on this session as is appropriate. The three speakers for this session, given their diverse and relevant backgrounds, are particularly well positioned to "flesh out" the ideas that are set out here.

About the speakers

Errol Mendes

Professor at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, President of the International Commission of Jurists Canada Section, Errol has also served as a Commissioner on the Ontario Human Rights Commission. He has served as an advisor to Governments, civil society groups, the United Nations, and the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. He has published extensively in the areas of human rights, constitutionalism, ethics, and global governance, and is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Walter S. Tarnopolsky Human Rights Award, the Order of Ontario and the Law Society Medal of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

John Sherman III

John is a leading authority on business and human rights, particularly on its implications for legal practice. He joined the late Prof John Ruggie’s core UN mandate team in 2008 after a long career as deputy general counsel for the multinational corporation National Grid. As Professor Ruggie's senior legal advisor, he helped him draft and shape the 2011 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In 2011, he helped Professor Ruggie launch Shift, the leading center for expertise on the UNGPs and served as its general counsel and senior advisor for the next twelve years. John continues to advise lawyers, bar associations, and other entities on practicing law with respect for human rights.

Kernaghan Webb

Dr. Kernaghan Webb holds Bachelor's, Masters and Doctorate degrees in law, and is an Associate Professor in the Toronto Metropolitan University Department of Law and Business. He is also the Founding Director of the TMU Institute for the Study of Corporate Social Responsibility. Prof. Webb's extensive law and regulation research and publications have among other things been cited and quoted by the Supreme Court of Canada. Dr. Webb has also been employed by or advised governments and inter-governmental bodies, and he has been on the board of directors or otherwise assisted private sector, civil society organizations on regulatory matters. Of particular relevance to this session, Professor Webb was appointed Special Advisor to the UN Global Compact regarding the development of the ISO 26000 social responsibility standard, he has played leadership roles in the development of international and national social and economic standards, and received international and national recognition for his leadership.

Co-sponsors

This seminar is co-sponsored by the TRSM Law and Business Students Association and the TRSM Corporate Social Responsibility Student Society.

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