Business and Human Rights

We advise funds, multinational enterprises and sovereign states on all aspects of business and human rights law, including the application of state-based obligations (including planning and permitting), the application of voluntary standards to multinational enterprises and how this interacts with national law (including claims under principles of tort law and national regulation), compliance with environmental and social governance requirements under international law, and the integration of relevant standards into policies, procedures and contractual documents.

Our experience spans issues such as indigenous peoples’ rights, gender-based violence and harassment, alleged land-grabbing, forced and child labour, the right to unionise, rights to private and family life, including issues around living wages, and property rights. Boards of multinational companies turn to us to navigate difficult decisions related to these issues, including the application of leverage on business partners and effective remedy.

We advise states on the effect of international obligations on their implementation of state and commercial activities, both when undertaking a sovereign and commercial role. We also advise businesses assessing risk involved in operations which depend on successful state implementation of international obligations and ways to mitigate and avoid potential adverse outcomes.

Our track record of resolving complaints before OECD and UN bodies, as well as assisting clients to respond to critical press and social media coverage, demonstrates that we can both ringfence issues and turn around negative public narratives which can otherwise emerge.

Our team includes recognised global leaders in business and human rights and experts with decades of experience in foreign ministries, international organisations and national and international courts and tribunals. We pride ourselves on providing pragmatic advice and helping clients achieve solutions which both respect international norms and enable business strategy to be delivered.