LexisNexis Joins in Efforts to Support Rule of Law During Pandemic, Racial Activism

The COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of systemic racism have enhanced the need for efforts to uphold the rule of law, both in the United States and abroad. LexisNexis has paired with several organizations to address emerging issues related to the pandemic and calls for racial equality.

A nationwide lockdown imposed in response to the COVID-19 crisis in Malaysia created difficulty for members of the legal community in accessing legal content outside of their office settings. LexisNexis Malaysia designed a website to allow complimentary access to the Malayan Law Journal Unreported and Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia. The website saw 220,000 visits during the lockdown.

“Our movements may be curtailed, but the rule of law must not,” said Gaythri Raman, managing director of LexisNexis Southeast Asia. “We saw a clear need to ensure that those who needed primary law reference materials from their homes would have it during this time of uncertainty and disruption.”

LexisNexis Legal & Professional and the National Bar Association signed an agreement pledging to support the missions and goals of both organizations, including programs to combat systemic racism and racial inequality, support the rule of law, and protect voter rights, particularly in light of the COVID pandemic. 

“We are absolutely delighted by our global partnership with LexisNexis,” said CK Hoffler, president of the National Bar Association. “Indeed, the best way to work to eradicate racism and disparities is to collaborate with social justice groups equally committed to their eradication and whose vision is to create a stronger global environment devoid of racial disparity. The NBA is committed to closing the racial divide and is thrilled that LexisNexis has embraced our programmatic initiatives to progress voter rights and police reform and to support communities most affected by COVID.”

LexisNexis worked with the International Bar Association, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the European Law Students Association on webinars on a variety of topics, including the rule of law in the time of COVID and how to address allegations of police misconduct. More than 16,000 lawyers and law students from 60 countries attended the webinars.

“LexisNexis is increasingly recognized as a major force, thought leader, and driver of the rule of law around the world,” Ian McDougall, executive vice president and general counsel for LexisNexis Legal & Professional and president of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation said  about the company’s recent efforts. “We are making a huge difference step by step.”

Additional information about the foundation is available at https://www.lexisnexisrolfoundation.org/