LexisNexis Launches Global Foundation to Advance the Rule of Law
January 29, 2019
New Public Charity Dedicated to Engaging in Rule of Law Projects Around the World
New York, NY – LexisNexis® Legal & Professional today announced the launch of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, a not-for-profit entity established to further achieve its mission to advance the rule of law around the world. The LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation will enable leading entities from the legal, judicial, academic, NGO and other sectors to support and implement projects that address one or more of the four rule of law components: equal treatment under the law, transparency of the law, access to legal remedy, and independent judiciaries.
LexisNexis has been strongly committed to advancing the rule of law through projects such as the United Nations Global Compact’s Business for the Rule of Law Framework (B4ROL), the International Bar Association eyeWitness to Atrocities app, and the LexisNexis Rule of Law Impact Tracker. In 2017, the company received the Corporate Leadership Award from Freedom House and its Global Legal Department won the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Award for advancements in the rule of law. The establishment of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation is an extension of its commitment to build legal infrastructures and solve deep-rooted problems in holistic ways that will achieve more robust outcomes and advance the rule of law.
“Rule of law is foundational to the development of peaceful, equitable and prosperous societies,” says Mike Walsh, CEO, LexisNexis Legal & Professional. “Data from the LexisNexis Rule of Law Impact Tracker shows that when the rule of law is strong in a country, other positive social and economic factors within the country are also strong. It is our hope the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation will provide the necessary resources and support to shed light on emerging issues critical to advancing the rule of law around the world.”
To help accomplish this, the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation will include collaborations with organizations to help increase awareness and understanding of the rule of law. LexisNexis announced the Foundation’s first partnership with The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), an international association of journalism organizations that support the training and sharing of information among investigative and data journalists – even in repressive regimes and marginalized communities. LexisNexis will offer GIJN members access to one of the world’s largest electronic databases and analytic tools for legal, public-records, news and business information.
“We’re thrilled to partner with The Global Investigative Journalism Network and provide their journalists with access to the most comprehensive set of information tools at a discounted rate. More than half of the world’s population lives outside the shelter of the law, struggling for basic human rights. Each of us shares responsibility to bring this percentage down to zero, ensuring vulnerable and disadvantaged populations receive equal treatment within criminal and civil justice systems. Working together with GIJN will allow us to build greater awareness of the rule of law and strengthen watchdog reporting around the world,” says Ian McDougall, President of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation.
“We are grateful to the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation for offering GIJN and its members this extraordinary opportunity,” noted GIJN Executive Director David Kaplan. “By granting low-cost access to the vast holdings of LexisNexis, the Foundation is providing the world’s most enterprising journalists with unparalleled access to news and public records. This will strengthen watchdog reporting worldwide on corruption, lack of accountability and abuses of power.”
To learn more about the Rule of Law Foundation, visit www.lexisnexisrolfoundation.org.
About the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation
The LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation is the not-for-profit entity established by LexisNexis Legal & Professional to further achieve its mission to advance the rule of law around the world. The foundation plans and executes projects which enhance one or more of the key elements of the rule of law: equal treatment under the law, transparency of the law, access to legal remedy, and independent judiciaries. These projects focus on a range of local, national, regional and multiregional jurisdictions around the world.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional is a leading global provider of legal, regulatory and business information and analytics that help customers increase productivity, improve decision-making and outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 130 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide, is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.
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LexisNexis Legal & Professional
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