LexisNexis Named a Founding Member of Business for the Rule of Law (“B4ROL”) Steering Group

Officially Formalized Group Includes the Atlantic Council, Key Executives from the World Justice Project, International Bar Association, the International Chamber of Commerce, and Others

New Global Initiative to Engage the Worldwide Business Community in Mobilizing International Support for Rule of Law

July 7, 2014 — NEW YORK, LexisNexis^® Legal & Professional—a Reed Elsevier business and a leading global provider of content and technology solutions—is proud to announce it has been named a Steering Group member of Business for the Rule of Law (“B4ROL”), an exciting new global initiative to engage the business community in mobilizing support for the rule of law. The B4ROL Steering Group was formalized today by the United Nations Global Compact, an international initiative that asks companies to embrace universal principles and to partner with the UN.

B4ROL was initially introduced in September 2013 by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the “Rule of Law Now” event co-sponsored by LexisNexis and the Atlantic Council, a non-partisan institution devoted to promoting transatlantic cooperation and international security.

“While we know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for a challenge as manifold as worldwide adherence to the rule of law concept, we believe B4ROL to be a vital step forward,” said Mike Walsh, CEO of LexisNexis Legal & Professional. “In our age of increasing globalization, it is both an opportunity and a responsibility for businesses to band together to advance the rule of law. Individual companies can make significant impact by supporting this initiative and committing themselves to business world applications of the rule of law.” 

Under the auspices of the UN Global Compact, the B4ROL Steering Group comprises a group of members with varied and complementary expertise from business, the legal profession, and civil society committed to advancing the role of business in supporting the rule of law. Inaugural B4ROL Steering Group members include:

• Judit Arenas, Director of External Affairs at the International Development Law Organization;
• Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, Director at the Thailand Institute of Justice;
• Stefan Barriga, UN Member State Representative for Liechtenstein;
• Dr. Isabella Bunn, Affiliate, Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford;
• Frances Burwell, Vice President and Director of Transatlantic Relations at the Atlantic Council (founding member);
• Dr. Huguette Labelle, Board member at UN Global Compact and Chair of the Board at Transparency International;
• Ian McDougall, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, LexisNexis (founding member);
• Lelia Mooney, Director, Latin America and the Caribbean, Partners for Democratic Change;
• William Neukom, Founder, President, and CEO of the World Justice Project (WJP);
• Emily O’Connor, Secretary of the Commission on Commercial Law and Practice at the International Chamber of Commerce;
• The Rt. Hon. Lord Philips of Worth Matravers, President of the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre;
• David Rifkin, Vice President, the International Bar Association;
• Rule of Law Unit, Executive Office of the Secretary-General (advisory capacity);
• Professor Pierre Sane, Board member at UN Global Compact and President of Imagine Africa International;
• Stephanie Sommese, Vice President of Global Communications, LexisNexis (founding member); and
• Ursula Wynhoven, General Counsel and Chief, Governance and Social Sustainability at UN Global Compact.

“Where rule of law is absent, the damaging commercial ramifications are significant in terms of lack of respect for intellectual property, poor means of contract enforcement and regulatory compliance, legal transparency, and reliable mechanisms of arbitration. Each of these factors stifles entrepreneurial creativity and works to the great detriment of worldwide business and commercial stability,” said Ian McDougall, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, LexisNexis Legal & Professional. “B4ROL will seek to provide businesses with a practical and useful guide for actions they can take toward advancing the rule of law and to raise awareness of the impact that businesses can have in helping to promote this universal construct.”

The B4ROL Steering Group will provide guidance, leverage their networks, and facilitate consultation sessions to arrive at a formal B4ROL framework that is expected to be announced in 2015.

The B4ROL framework is expected to include suggested actions, practical examples and an interactive technology hub to promote how companies from diverse regions and sectors can take action to actively support the rule of law in their business operations and relationships in ways that complement but do not substitute government action.

To learn more about B4ROL: rol@unglobalcompact.org

About LexisNexis Legal & Professional 
LexisNexis® Legal & Professional is a leading global provider of content and technology solutions that enable professionals in legal, corporate, tax, government, academic and non-profit organizations to make informed decisions and achieve better business outcomes. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. Today, LexisNexis harnesses leading-edge technology and world-class content, to help professionals work in faster, easier and more effective ways. Through close collaboration with its customers, the company ensures organizations can leverage its solutions to reduce risk, improve productivity, increase profitability and grow their business. Part of Reed Elsevier, Inc. LexisNexis Legal & Professional serves customers in more than 175 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide.

LexisNexis helps professionals at law firms and legal departments of all sizes manage the business element of their practice with innovative software and mobile solutions for customer relationship management, competitive intelligence gathering and assessment, time and billing management, matter management, client analysis, legal holds and more. Visit www.lexisnexis.com.

Contacts 
Stephanie W. Sommese
VP, Global Communications
LexisNexis | Legal & Professional
212-448-2137 
908-771-8685 
stephanie.sommese@lexisnexis.com

Andrew Conn
Senior Vice President
RLM Finsbury
646-805-2023
Andrew.conn@rlmfinsbury.com