Law Commons^™

Multilateralism, Pushback, And Prospects For Global Engagement?, Michael Donald Kirby The Honourable

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

In this article, the author draws on long engagement with multilateralism, both in domestic jurisdiction and international institutions. He describes the growth of post-War United Nations activities and the increasing impact of international law, including on universal human rights. He records international initiatives on global problems like HI V/AIDS and in individual countries, such as Cambodia and North Korea. He then describes recent examples of '"pushback" against multilateralism, especially on the part of the United States, the United Kingdom, some European countries, and Australia. He concludes with illustrations and reasons why the global community should remain optimistic about multilateralism, despite …

Temporary Protection Status: A Yugoslavian Precedent, Medina Dzubur

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Analyzing the past use of temporary protection status to shield those facing "ethnic cleansing, massacres, mass rapes, and cultural vandalism" is fundamental in understanding how this tool can be utilized to protect modern refugees, and why EU members have refused to implement this status further. In other words, should temporary protection status, considering the legal framework and the socioeconomic effects, be granted to Syrian refugees? This note argues in favor of granting temporary protection status to Syrian refugees because the status (1) offers a recourse for displaced persons that would not be covered by traditional legal protections, (2) produces quicker …

Pro Bono Work In Colombia: How Can It Help Broaden, Equalize, And Ensure Access To Justice, Ana Bejarano Ricaurte

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This article does not discuss whether pro bono programs should exist in Colombia, or whether they cause positive transformation in the legal profession. These issues are examined in other types of legal literature, and this author departs from the standpoint of viewing this type of work as a positive practice within the legal culture. The main thesis of this article is that pro bono work is still developing in Colombia, both in its numbers of participating attorneys and clients, as well as in the ways it is affecting the legal culture. As important as it might be, the work of …

Cause Lawyering And Compassionate Lawyering In Clinical Legal Education: The Case Of Chile, Fernando Munoz L.

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

In order to contribute from a situated perspective to a global narrative of access to justice, in the next sections I will trace the origins of compassionate and cause lawyering in the history of Chilean legal aid and training. Part II will explain how legal assistance to the poor was codified as a duty of legal professionals during the Middle Ages, in both canon law and in Castilian legislation. Part III will show that practical legal training, both in Spain and in Chile, began much later as the result of the ambition among prominent members of the legal profession to …

Public Defenders' Offices In Brazil: Access To Justice, Courts, And Public Defenders, Alexandre Dos Santos Cunha

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This essay discusses the impact of public defenders' offices in promoting equality through the enforcement of the right to access to justice in Brazil. To achieve this goal, this note is divided into two parts.

Part I presents the Brazilian public defenders' offices, their history, institutional design, rights, and prerogatives. Part II discusses the role played by public defenders in the enforcement of the right to access to justice in Brazil, as well as the relations established between public defenders and courts. The Conclusion attempts to assess the sustainability of the Brazilian model, in order to determine if there is …

Islam's (In)Compatibility With The West?: Dress Code Restrictions In The Age Of Feminism, Lisa M. La Fornara

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Many secular Western countries have adopted some form of legislation regulating a woman's ability to wear traditional "Islamic" coverings. These governments often cite concerns for gender equality to justify the regulations. Although it is certainly true that some women are forced to wear hijab, many women cover by choice. These women's choices may be rooted in their faith, but the decisions are also commonly linked to other factors like culture. Thus, this Note argues, regulations that prevent a woman from choosing how to dress do not enhance her rights. Rather, the regulations replace a feared authoritarian man with an overly …

Introduction: Effects Of Global Developments On Gender And The Legal Practice, Gabriele Plickert

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Women in Legal Practice: Global and Local Perspectives, Symposium, June 5-8, 2012. Annual Meeting of the Law and Society Association.

Gender And Global Lawyering: Where Are The Women?, Steven A. Boutcher, Carole Silver

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

The dual forces of globalization and support for diversity in the legal profession are responsible for significant growth among U.S. law firms. Both women lawyers and those educated outside of the U.S. have been important elements facilitating the global trajectories of U.S. firms, but the interaction between the two has not been the subject of substantial research. We address this gap by drawing on an original dataset of lawyer biographies, and consider whether career strategies that involve the international mobility of lawyers are equally powerful for women and men. Our research suggests that globalization of large firm practice has not …

Women In The Legal Profession, 1970-2010: A Study Of The Global Supply Of Lawyers, Ethan Michelson

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This article represents the first effort to measure the changing global supply and composition of lawyers over a period of several decades. In it I assemble data on lawyer populations and gender compositions from eighty-six countries and use them to calculate estimates for the rest of the world in order to paint a truly global picture of the changing supply of lawyers in general and of female lawyers in particular. Most of the data supporting my analyses come from a unique and hitherto untapped source: individual-level census data. Results reveal a clear sequence in the global process of lawyer feminization. …

Parenthood Status And Compensation In Law Practice, Nancy Reichman, Joyce Sterling

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This article asks how cultural frameworks of status influence the evaluation of performance including compensation and advancement of lawyers who were seven years into their practice. We borrow from the work on status expectations that goes beyond gender distinctions and assesses whether the concept of motherhood has a negative impact on assessment of female lawyers. Status expectations theory hypothesizes that mothers are valued less because they are less committed to the workplace and thus receive a motherhood penalty while men receive a fatherhood bonus in compensation decisions. Employing data from the After The JD study, we test the impact of …

The Impact Of The Economic Downturn On Women Lawyers In The United States, Cynthia Fuchs Epstein, Abigail Kolker

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Although women have made considerable inroads in the legal profession over the past four decades, a review of their distribution in various types of practice in the United States shows that, compared to their male colleagues, they have been affected disproportionately by the recent economic downturn, although not in every sphere of the profession. This study reviews research, articles in the legal press, and online blogs that report women's access to equity partnerships has been stalled, their representation in part-time employment has increased, and they are disproportionately recruited or diverted to positions as staff or contract attorneys. Women's access to …

Gender And Difference Among Brazilian Lawyers And Judges: Public And Private Practice In The Global Periphery, Maria Da Gloria Bonelli

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This article examines the ways in which Brazilian lawyers and judges experience difference. It focuses on how gender and diversity intersect in identity formation among women and men in public and private practice in the state of Sdo Paulo, Brazil. In attempting not to attach one fixed meaning to the concept of difference, the research works with Avtar Brah's typology, which aids in detecting how difference is perceived and experienced by the interviewees. The results provide a look at the specificities of professional practice in the global periphery, comparing the gender composition of law firms and gender stratification within legal …

Leaving Private Practice: How Organizational Context, Time Pressures, And Structural Inflexibilities Shape Departures From Private Law Practice, Fiona M. Kay, Stacey Alarie, Jones Adjei

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Numerous studies document women's overrepresentation among those leaving the profession of law. Although research has documented high turnover among women lawyers, particularly from private practice, only a handful of studies have explored the factors precipitating the decision to leave. The main causal factors identified to date include difficulties associated with combining family life and law practice and problems of discrimination and blocked career advancement. In this paper, we analyze data from a longitudinal study of nearly 1,600 Canadian lawyers, surveyed across a twenty-year period. Using survival models to estimate the timing of transitions out of private practice, we examine factors …

"Why Is Gender A Form Of Diversity?": Rising Advantages For Women In Global Indian Law Firms, Swethaa Ballakrishnen

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Women in Legal Practice: Global and Local Perspectives, Symposium, June 5-8, 2012. Annual Meeting of the Law and Society Association.

Afterward: A Comparative Look At The Status Of Women In The Legal Profession, Carroll Seron

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Women in Legal Practice: Global and Local Perspectives, Symposium, June 5-8, 2012. Annual Meeting of the Law and Society Association.

Chinese Women In Legal Education, Xiaonan Liu

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This paper examines the history and development of women entering legal education in China. Based on a survey, interviews, and archival research, this paper attempts to analyze Chinese women's current status in legal education and reaches the conclusion that although women have made significant gains in legal education, they are still facing gender discrimination and bias in the legal sector. The paper also looks into the reasons why women have in the past belonged to "the other" in the legal area, and whether there is any conflict between legal characteristics" and "feminine characteristics." It attempts to break the constraint caused …

African Customary Law, Customs, And Women's Rights, Muna Ndulo

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

The sources of law in most African countries are customary law, the common law and legislation both colonial and post-independence. In a typical African country, the great majority of the people conduct their personal activities in accordance with and subject to customary law. Customary law has great impact in the area of personal law in regard to matters such as marriage, inheritance and traditional authority, and because it developed in an era dominated by patriarchy some of its norms conflict with human rights norms guaranteeing equality between men and women. While recognizing the role of legislation in reform, it is …

State Power, Religion, And Women's Rights: A Comparative Analysis Of Family Law, Mala Htun, S. Laurel Weldon

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Examining cross-national variation in family law, we find that many countries have reformed to promote sex equality. Yet a significant group retains older laws that discriminate against women. These variations reflect the diverse institutional legacies of these societies, conforming closely-but not entirely-to inherited legal traditions: civil law, common law, and postsocialist countries are the most egalitarian, while countries applying religious law are the least. Yet change is possible, even in unlikely contexts. Political conjunctures that disarm religious, nationalist, and fundamentalist opponents can open windows of opportunity for liberalizing reform.

Human Rights and Legal Systems Across the Global South, Symposium, Indiana …

The Maria Da Penha Case And The Inter-American Commission On Human Rights: Contributions To The Debate On Domestic Violence Against Women In Brazil, Paula Spieler

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This article aims to demonstrate the contributions of the Maria da Penha case and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Report of 2001 to the debate on domestic violence against women in Brazil, with special emphasis to the adoption of the Maria da Penha Law. The IACHR was the first international human rights organ to bring to light the problem. Beside contributing to internal changes, this case has great relevance as it was the first one of domestic violence analyzed by the Inter-American Commission. It revealed the systematic pattern of violence against women in the country.

Human Rights and …

Women's Employment Rights In China: Creating Harmony For Women In The Workplace, Jamie Burnett

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

This Note explores the global problem of gender-based labor inequality as exemplified in China. China's historic and cultural framework, the efforts the Chinese government has made to coordinate with the global community on women's rights initiatives, and recent legislation passed at both national and local levels in China provide an interesting case study for countries facing gender inequality in the workplace. The items of legislation, though sometimes drafted using international treaties as a framework, contain unique provisions that provide protections for Chinese women that are not seen elsewhere in the world. Additionally, the Chinese government's current political goal of achieving …

Confronting Gender-Based Violence With International Instruments: Is A Solution To The Pandemic Within Reach?, Jennifer L. Ulrich

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

No abstract provided.

The Gender Wage Gap: Searching For Equality In A Global Economy, Lucy B. Bednarek

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

No abstract provided.

The Globalization Of Female Child Prostitution: A Call For Reintegration And Recovery Measures Via Article 39 Of The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child, Laurie Robinson

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

No abstract provided.

Feminism, Globalization And Culture: After Beijing, L. Amede Obiora

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

In this article, Professor Obiora begins with the premise that the

credibility of traditional legal frameworks has eroded, because the law

remains unable to relieve the oppressions and polarization between cultures,

even in the wake of global institutional transformations that seem to help the

oppressed, particularly women. Professor Obiora offers the Beijing Platform

for Action as a radical new solution for human rights protection, radical in

that it is one of the first declaratives to transcend the previous dichotomy of

issues among women by expressing a commitment to a global framework in

which to address these issues, particularly the feminization …

Midwifery: An International Legal Perspective - The Need For Universal Legal Recognition, Danielle Rifkin

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

No abstract provided.

Implications Of Global Polarization For Feminist Work, Gracia Clark

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

No abstract provided.

Toward A Feminist Analytics Of The Global Economy, Saskia Sassen

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Economic globalization has reconfigured fundamental properties of the

nation-state, notably territoriality and sovereignty. There is an incipient

unbundling of the exclusive territoriality we have lcing associated with the

nation-state. The most strategic instantiation of this unbundling is probably

the global city, which operates as a partly denationalized plaform for global

capital. Sovereignty is being unbundled by these economic and other noneconomic

practices and new legal regimes. At the limit this means that the

State is no longer the only site for sovereignty and the normativity that comes

with it, and further, that the State is no longer the exclusive subject …

As The World (Or Dare I Say Globe?) Turns: Feminism And Transnationalism, Fedwa Malti-Douglas

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

No abstract provided.

Stop Stomping On The Rest Of Us: Retrieving Publicness From The Privatization Of The Globe, Zillah Eisenstein

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

Professor Eisenstein's article discusses the effects of globalization on the

relationship between privatization and public responsibility and how this

dynamic impacts the future of women across the globe. She argues that the

global growth of privatization in the North and West has disseminated around

the world to the detriment of women. Privatization, she contends, has been

accepted as the agenda of politicians for the late twentieth century, and public

responsibility has been lost as a result.

According to Professor Eisenstein, globalization has been essentially an

economic process in which a global economy surfaces without differences or

borders. The global economy, …

Strategic Sisterhood Or Sisters In Solidarity? Questions Of Communitarianism And Citizenship In Asia, Aihwa Ong

Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies

The Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995) has spawned a

Triumphant sense among Western/Northern feminists that they are forging a

strategic sisterhood with less privileged women in the South. Feminists from

metropolitan countries seek a new North-South alliance whereby they make

strategic interventions on behalf of third world women by putting pressure on

their governments. Professor Ong critiques strategic sisterhood on the

following grounds:

First, strategic sisterhood is based on individualistic notions of

transnational feminine citizenship, ignoring the historical and cultural

differences between women from the first and third worlds. In particular, the

concept ignores geopolitical inequalities whereby postcolonial …