Material in this file consists of circulars, journals and other material relating to IATL [International Academy of Trial Lawyers], 1995-1997, including IATL journals 02/1995, 03/1996, 02/1997; material relating to IATL annual meetings in San Diego, USA, 03/1995, and Phoenix, Arizona, USA 03/1997 and regional meetings, Palm Beach, Florida, USA, 06/1995, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, USA, 09/1996 and Ottawa, Canada, 06/1997; material relating to IATL's International conferences taking place in Ireland, England and Scotland, 06/1996 which mentions possible participation of Mary Robinson, and in Vietnam, 03/1998.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is an international human rights non-governmental organization, a standing group of 60 eminent jurists—including senior judges, attorneys and academics—who work to develop national and international human rights standards through the law. Commissioners are known for their experience, knowledge and fundamental commitment to human rights. The composition of the Commission aims to reflect the geographical diversity of the world and its many legal systems. Mary Robinson was nominated by Seán MacBride to succeed him in June 1986 and was President of the ICJ from 2008-2011.

This subseries is divided into 15 files and arranged chronologically.

The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM) is a professional, voluntary, non-governmental association of citizens, associated to protect and promote human rights in accordance with universally accepted civilized standards, international conventions and national law. YUCOM was founded in November 1997 (then called Yugoslav Lawyers Committee for Human Rights) as an expert, voluntary, non-governmental organization whose members are legal experts engaged in promoting and advocating the idea of the rule of law to uphold human rights, raising public awareness, monitoring trials, conceiving, designing and leading civic initiatives, rendering legal assistance to victims of human rights violation, as well as developing cooperation with national and international organizations involved in human rights protection and promotion. This association eventually becomes Human Rights First in 2004.

Material in this subseries overlaps and is related MR’s work elsewhere including for United Nations (P143/5) and with Realizing Rights -The Ethical Globalization Initiative (P143/6)

Material in this file relates to the organisation Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR), which later becomes Human Rights First and includes edition of California Lawyer magazine, January 1993; press folder of material relating to Witness, a programme of the LCHR conceived and developed by Peter Gabriel and the Reebok Foundation, 1996; document "Business and Human Rights: Developing Accountability", LCHR, October 1998; press releases sent by fax from Inez McCormack to Mary Robinson relating to calls for investigation into murder of Northern Ireland Human Rights lawyer, Rosemary Nelson, 15-16/03/1999; statement of Michael Posner, Executive Director for LCHR, meeting on "The Patten Commission Report on Policing in Northern Ireland", before the US House of Representatives Committee on International relations subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, 24/09/1999; report "Northern Ireland Update", LCHR, 09/1999.

Material in this file relates to the organisation Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR), which later becomes Human Rights First and includes article "Straight Up", about the setting up of the World Economic Forum and annual Davos gathering, faxed by Mike Posner to Mary Robinson (MR), 10/01/2000; draft LCHR paper on "International Labor Standards" which was faxed to MR by Scott Jerbi, on behalf of Posner, 24/01/2000; "Human Rights in Northern Ireland", statement of Michael Posner, Executive Director for LCHR, before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, US Congress, 14/03/2000; document "WCAR [World conference Against Racism] Think Papers", 08/2000; programme for the LCHR 2001 Award Dinner; photocopy of article on defending civil liberties in face of "war on terror" following "9/11", 21/09/2001.

Material in this file relates to the organisation Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR), which later becomes Human Rights First and includes excerpt from Office of the Inspector General, United States of America (US) Department of Justice document covering a review of the treatment of "Aliens held on Immigration Charges in Connection with the Investigation of the September 11 Attacks", 200[?]; email from Mike Posner in relation to meeting Mary Robinson (MR) in New York, 28/03/2002; report "Extracts from the Report of the ISHR [International Service for Human Rights] Delegation to East Timor, 15-28/05/2002; photocopy of paper "Commitments by African heads of State to Peace, Democracy, Human Rights and Associated Issues", 07/2002; photocopy of LCHR report "A Year of Loss - Re-examining Civil Liberties since September 11", 09/2002; articles relating to US attorney James Brosnahan, Jan 2002-May 2003; photocopy of reply from S Iqbal Riza, on behalf of the Secretary General of the United Nations to letter from Posner expressing concern at the decision to appoint Sergio Vieira de Mello, MR's replacement as UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, to the temporary role of Special Representative for Iraq, and the effect this would have on the standing of the Office of the HCHR, 02/06/2003; print outs of various articles relating to or by Yale Professor Ruth Wedgwood, Jan-July 2003; correspondence relating to the LCHR's report "Assessing the New Normal", 22/09-19/12/2003.

Correspondence and other material relating to 2 Hare Court, and Mary Robinson (MR)'s work as a member, including that relating to Chambers seminars in 1988 and 1990. Includes draft programmes; handwritten notes; article by Anthony Lester, QC, "Using Community Law in United Kingdom Courts", 17/02/1988, with notation; directory of members of Chambers, listing areas of expertise and years they were called to the bar; cutting of newspaper article by Lester on need for greater use of judicial review, 06/10/1989.

Material relating to an plenary meeting in Geneva, 18-20/01/2008 and the preparation of an Eminent Jurists Panel (EJP) on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights report, including agendas, correspondence (letter and printed emails), research material, draft chapters, general reactions to report drafts received, material relating to structure of report, its launch and follow-up, reference documents, list of submissions received by the EJP and plenary reports 17/10/2005-01/07/2007.

Lawyers Committee for Human Rights report "Beyond Collusion: The UK Security Forces and the Murder of Patrick Finucane", 12/02/2002.

[Archivist’s Note: Patrick Finucane was a Northern Irish lawyer who specialised in criminal defence work. Finucane came to prominence due to his successful challenge of the British government in several important human rights cases during the 1980s. He was killed by loyalist paramilitaries from the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), acting in collusion with British security services on 12th February 1989.]

Material in this file consists of correspondence (letter and printed email), background papers, itineraries, reports and other research material, press articles and press releases relating to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Eminent Jurists Panel (EJP) on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, including in relation to the launch of the EJP's report "Assessing Damage, Urging Action", in February 2009. It includes correspondence relating to and drafts of the executive summary of the report, cover design layout, press releases and media plans for the various launches, compilation of press coverage 06/01-26/02/2009; press release relating to Mary Robinson (MR)'s election as President of the ICJ, names of new Commissioners and Honorary members elected in 2008, ICJ Declaration on Judges and Lawyers in Times of Crises, and Discussion Paper on elements for a Discussion of ICJ Strategic Directions 2010-2016, 12-15/01/2009; correspondence relating to membership contribution to the ICJ, 23/10/2008-12/01/2009; email from Adrian P Bourke (MR's brother) congratulating her on her elections as President of ICJ, 21/01/2009; press release relating to ICJ applauding signing of four executive orders by President Barack Obama aimed at reversing some of the most abusive policies and practices instituted by previous administration in its "war on terror", 23/01/2009; email relating to the status of the Al-Marri Amicus Brief, 26/01/2009; document outlining main ICJ concerns with Spanish Counter-terrorism law and practice, which was set out in more detail in submission to the human Rights Council, [2009?]; internal ICJ memo on UN bodies' policies and practices relating to human rights and counter-terrorism, 10/02/2009; compilation of press releases issued at the end of EJP hearings from 11/02/2006-25/08/2007; correspondence from Sarah Sexton in relation to Thailand Freedom of Expression crisis and request for support for Thai colleagues, 12/02/2009; report "Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence", Dennis C Blair, Director of National Intelligence, (USA) 12/02/2009; correspondence relating to ICJ-Norway's call for international justice in the Middle East, 20/01-13/02/2009; ICJ E-Bulletin on Counter-terrorism and Human rights, 16/02/2009; "terrorism, counter-terrorism and human rights", a JUSTICE briefing, 17/02/2009 with notations; email from Wilder Taylor, [Acting?] Secretary General of ICJ to MR with list of topics for them to discuss, 17/02/2009; concept note on an ICJ initiative on human rights and the rule of law in Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel, marked "confidential do not circulate", 18/02/2009; material relating to the ongoing detention of 17 wrongly-detained Guantánamo detainees 18-25/002/2009; two copies of the executive summary of "Assessing Damage, Urging Action", the report of the Eminent Jurists Panel (EJP) on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights and brochure on who the EJP are, 02/2009.