John Ruggie Authors Amicus and Issues Briefs on Kiobel Case

On June 12, 2012, Prof. John Ruggie, Chair of Shift’s Board, Prof. Philip Alston, a member of Shift’s Board, and the Global Justice Clinic at New York University School of Law submitted an Amicus Brief in Support of Neither Party in the case before the US Supreme Court of Esther Kiobel et. al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co., et. al.

The interests of the amici in the case are two-fold: first, to provide context about John Ruggie’s mandate as the former UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Business and Human Rights and the conclusions reached during it, and second, to correct any mistaken impressions arising from references to the former SRSG’s reports in the case. The amici take no side in the litigation.

Prof. Ruggie also published an Issues Brief addressing Shell’s arguments in the case. In the Issues Brief, Ruggie explores the potential implications of the corporate responsibility to respect for a company’s litigation strategy.