Annual Human Rights conference 2014
9 Bedford Row International is pleased to be engaged with the Law Society of England and Wales for their Annual Human Rights conference to be held in London on 10 December 2014. 9BRi barrister and Human Rights at Sea Founder, David Hammond, will be contributing to the afternoon discussion covering Modern Slavery in the context of slavery contextualised in the maritime environment.
Background
In July 2013 the Law Society of England and Wales set up a practitioners’ advisory group to consult on business and human rights. In doing so, it has become the first bar association in the world to look at how the legal services sector practically translates the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Guiding Principles or UNGPs, which were adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2011, clarify the role and responsibilities of states, companies and other social actors in respect of corporate human rights impacts.
It is the Law Society’s firm belief that lawyers play a special role in upholding the rule of law, which is critical to the ability of companies to respect human rights.
About the event
This conference will cover a wide range of topics associated with business and human rights including Modern Slavery, Litigating the Global case and whether a treaty on business and human rights is the way forward?
This conference enables legal practitioners, judges, scholars, policy-makers and community representatives to exchange views, and consider the impact of human rights principles on business. It offers a mixture of keynote addresses and workshops, as well as informal opportunities to exchange ideas and build relationships.
Programme
09.00 – 09.25 Registration and refreshments
09.25 – 09.30 Welcome Andrew Caplen, president, The Law Society
09.30 – 09.45 Keynote
09.45 – 11.00 Plenary 1: Overview Business and Human Rights
Chair: Stephen Grosz QC (Hon), Senior Consultant, Bindmans
Speakers: Peter Frankental, Economic Relations Programme Director Amnesty International UK
Nicole Bigby, Partner – Director of Risk at Berwin Leighton Paisner
Professor Sheldon Leader, Director, Essex Business and Human Rights Project
Gabbi Loedolff, Lush Cosmetics
11.00 – 11.20 Refreshment break
11.20 – 12.35 Breakout session A:
A1: Treaty on business and human rights
Chair: Marjon Esfandiary, member Law Society Human Rights Committee
Speakers: Chris Esdaile, Leigh Day
Courtenay Barklem, partner, McCue & Parnters
Margaret Wachenfeld, Director of Research and Legal Affairs, Institute for Human Rights and Business
A2: Are international remedies accessible?
Chair : Anthony Robinson, consultant solicitor, Scott-Moncrieff & Associates, and member of the Human Rights Committee
Speakers: Stephane Brabant, Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills Paris LLP
Professor Mary Footer, Professor of International Economic Law, University of Nottingham Law School
Peter Frankental, Economic Relations Programme Director Amnesty International UK
A3: Supply chain: Responsibility and Accountability
Chair : Andrew Denny, Partner, Allen & Overy LLP
Speakers: Maya Foa, Director of Reprieve’s death penalty team and founder of its Stop the Lethal Injection Project
Colleen Theron, Director, Finance against Trafficking
Louise Moore, partner, Hogan Lovells
12.35 – 13.35 Lunch
13.35 – 14.00 Keynote address Anthony Steen, Chairman, Human Trafficking Foundation
14.00 – 15.30 Plenary 2: UK business and human rights
Chair: Robert Heslett
Speakers: Dr Aidan McQuade, Director, Anti-Slavery International
Stephen Lowe, FCO
Rae Lindsay, Partner, Clifford Chance and member of BHRAG
Shanta Martin, Partner, Leigh Day
15.30 – 15.50 Refreshments
15.50 – 16.50 Breakout sessions B:
B1: Access to remedy post LASPO
Chair: Richard Miller, Head of Legal Aid, The Law Society
Speakers: Steve Hynes, Director of the Legal Action Group
Roger Smith OBE, researcher, journalist and consultant
Carol Storer, director, Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG)
B2: Modern Slavery
Chair: Alastair Logan OBE, Member of the Law Society human rights committee
Speakers: Dr Aidan McQuade, Director, Anti-Slavery International
David Hammond, founder of the “Human Rights at Sea” International Initiative, Barrister 9 Bedford Row International
Parosha Chandran, human rights barrister and Modern Slavery expert at 1 Pump Court Chambers, London
B3: Lawyers and the Responsibility to Respect
Chair Professor Sara Chandler
Speakers: Ruby Sandhu, Lawyer, Facilitator & Mediator on CSR & Sustainability, RS Collaboration
Daniel Carey, Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors
Andrea Saldarriaga, lead, Investment and Human Rights Project, LSE
16.50 – 17.00 Closing Keynote
Richard Howitt MEP, European Parliament Rapporteur on Corporate Social Responsibility
17.00 – 17.10 Closing remarks
Jonathan Smithers, vice president, The Law Society