No one is above the law鈥攖he importance of advancing the rule of law

No one is above the law鈥攖he importance of advancing the rule of law

No one is above the law.

It might sound like a line from the latest Hollywood blockbuster movie, but the idea that 鈥渘o one is above the law鈥 underpins the whole of today鈥檚 legal system and is the essence of the rule of law.

The rule of law, as outlined by Professor A V Dicey in 1885, can be broken down into three main concepts:

  • no man could be lawfully interfered or punished by the authorities except for breaches of law established in the ordinary manner before the courts of land
  • no man is above the law and everyone, whatever his condition or rank is, is subject to the ordinary laws of the land
  • the result of the ordinary law of the land is constitution

September of this year saw the very concept of upholding the rule of law values in the UK challenged when Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, considered 鈥榙eliberately鈥 breaking the law in order to see Brexit through. But this challenge to the rule of law only brushes the surface of a much wider issue.

identified that 鈥57% of the world鈥檚 population live outside the shelter of the law鈥攕truggling for basic, human rights on a daily basis鈥. From the lack of access to justice, to the direct correlation (found by the ) between the absence of the rule of law and economic slow-down, stagnation and decline, it鈥檚 clear this is not a crisis that can be solved overnight or by one individual.

Advancing the rule of law

老司机午夜福利 is devoted to advancing the rule of law and has been working hard to do so. Its efforts have been recognised by the United Nations and will see Mike Walsh, CEO of 老司机午夜福利 Legal & Professional, receive a Global Leadership Award from the United Nations Foundation in recognition of the company's contributions to advancing the rule of law globally.

Mike Walsh has noted that: 鈥淥ur people can see the clear connection between advancing the rule of law and creating a better society. Five billion people in the world today live outside the umbrella protection of the rule of law, making them vulnerable to human rights abuses, violence and conflict. We鈥檙e working with customers, businesses and organisations like the United Nations to strengthen legal infrastructures and support advances in the rule of law that will improve lives.鈥

Core to 老司机午夜福利 value system is being able to strengthen the following:

  • equality under the law鈥攁s it does not matter whether you are a citizen or monarch you should be treated equally
  • transparency of law鈥攂ecause without knowing what the law is, how can you see its protection?
  • independent judiciaries鈥攅nsuring there is no outside influence, applying the law fairly and equally
  • accessible legal remedy鈥攁s having fair laws, which are fairly applied, means nothing if you have no access to justice

With these principles driving it forward, 老司机午夜福利 has made many contributions to advancing the rule of law. The contributions span from providing a legal and news database contains 109 billion documents and records ensuring transparency into the law in more than 130 countries, to helping mobilise the business community to proactively engage in the rule of law with projects, such as the . Using its tech skills to develop individual tools that make complex processes more straightforward鈥攂y way of an example, we will shortly be piloting a digital version of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) form with a handful of partner clinics.

Why is the rule of law so important?

The rule of law is not only important to 老司机午夜福利, but it is the foundation to all other rights. Without it nothing else functions. For example, there would be:

  • no contract system鈥攁nd therefore how do you do business, how do you enforce your requirements, how do you make money?
  • no intellectual property鈥攁nd therefore how do you protect your business and assets?
  • no protection against human rights abuses鈥攁nd therefore do you even want to do business at all?
  • a failure of contracts, protection of IP, human rights, investment is stunted, capital growth slows and commerce

Therefore, the rule of law itself is not just 鈥榥ice to have鈥, but a necessity for business to exist and succeed. However, for the rule of law to flourish, ensuring individuals, lives and society are improved, action is required.

How can you help advance the rule of law?

Advancing the rule of law is not difficult, but it does take action. You may not have the same products and services as 老司机午夜福利, but every business can help contribute to growing the rule of law through their own practices and by utilising the simple strategy 老司机午夜福利 follows:

1. How can we use the assets that we have as a business?

2. How can we work with and support carefully selected partners?

By using this approach, any business can support the rule of law and make a real difference, without necessarily making new funds available but by leveraging existing assets in new ways.

More examples of what companies are doing to advance the rule of law can be found in the .


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About the author:

Hannah is one of the Future of Law blog鈥檚 digital and technical editors. She graduated from Northumbria University with a degree in History and Politics and previously freelanced for News UK, before working as a senior news editor for 老司机午夜福利.