Rule of Law Defenders

"What the Rule of Law Means to Me"

In 1957, Charles Rhyne, president of the American Bar Association (ABA) — the world’s largest voluntary organization of lawyers and judges — envisioned [https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/law-day/history-of-law-day/] a special day for celebrating the ideals of our legal system. A year later, embracing this vision amidst a global Cold War characterized by freedom’s rule of law versus communism’s rule by law, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established “Law Day” as one of national dedication to rule of law principles. In 1961, Congress made May 1 the official date for celebrating it. This year’s Law Day theme [https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/law-day/], “The Rule of Law and the American Dream,” highlights the fact that the rule of law — the idea that no person is above the law — is indispensable to the human right to live free and pursue ones dreams. That’s why cylindr and the Alliance for American Rule of Law [https://aarol.org] teamed up this year on a Voices for the Rule of Law campaign: To give rule of law defenders (lawyers, journalists, citizen-advocates) a Law Day forum to declare what the rule of law means to me. Their compelling answers can be found in this special Law Day edition of cylindr’s Rule of Law Defenders [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/podcast] https://cylindrmag.substack.com/podcastpodcast [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/podcast] — recorded both in-studio and remotely. Have a listen. Share the episode. Let us know what you think in the comments and say what the rule of law means to you. And let’s save our democracy — for the better. #TreatPeopleRight cylindr is reader-supported. To receive new posts and podcasts, become a free or paid subscriber! Get full access to cylindr at cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Warrior

Catherine Hanssens has specialized in HIV and sexual health legal and policy issues since 1984, and is a seasoned litigator, legislative lawyer, community organizer, and policy advocate. A long-time activist for personal autonomy in sexual, reproductive, and healthcare decision-making, she is Founder and Executive Director Emerita of The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP) which, under her leadership, was the first organization in the U.S. to challenge and organize against state and federal laws that rely on HIV status as a basis for criminal liability. She continues to consult with state and national organizations and researchers on projects related to the criminalization of sex and identity; the application of federal disability law in criminal justice settings; reproductive health and rights; non-profit leadership; organization creation and working with fiscal sponsors, succession planning, and fundraising for new/grassroots organizations. She also has decades of experience as a drafter of state and federal bills and legislative analysis; and is expert on the needs of LGBTQ people and those living with HIV in the criminal legal system, having written and advocated widely on those issues. cylindr is reader-supported. To receive new posts and podcasts, become a free or paid subscriber! Get full access to cylindr at cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Grace & Guts

Elise Groulx Diggs is Door Tenant at 9 Bedford Row Chamber in London; Honorary President of the International Criminal Bar; criminal defence lawyer; legal advisor on international criminal law; and an accredited mediator. She is ranked by Chambers & Partners Global Guide as an Eminent Practitioner in the field of Business and Human Rights and was President of the International Criminal Defence Attorneys Association (ICDAA) for more than 15 years. She is regarded as “an innovator” and “a top expert in the field” and been hailed for her “unflagging commitment to business and human rights;” for her depth of expertise about the multiple forms of hard and soft law across the world related to that dynamic field; and her “extraordinary network of contacts in the public and private sector that give her unparalleled access to thought leaders around the globe.” She advises NGOs, governmental bodies, and corporations on human rights due diligence, legislation drafting, and the development of frameworks for policy implementation. She is also active in various research projects designed to promote corporate social responsibility and tackle issues of modern slavery. cylindr is reader-supported. To receive new posts and podcasts, become a free or paid subscriber! Get full access to cylindr at cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Diplomacy and Justice

Desirée Cormier Smith is a co-founder and co-president of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice [https://www.thealliancefordiplomacyandjustice.org/]. She is also an inaugural Senior Fellow in the newly launched Human Rights & US Foreign Policy Fellowship at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at the Harvard Kennedy School and an inaugural Alcee L. Hastings Global Futures Fellow at Howard University’s Ralph Bunche International Affairs Center. From 2022 until 2025, she served as the US Department of State’s inaugural Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice. Previously, she served as the Senior Advisor in the Department of State’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs, and worked at the Open Society Foundations as the Senior Policy Advisor for Africa, Europe, and Eurasia. Before that she was the Senior Director with Albright Stonebridge Group’s Africa Practice, where she advised and assisted private and social sector clients on growth strategies across the African continent. She began her career as a State Department Foreign Service Officer with assignments in Mexico, South Africa, and Washington, DC. Jessica Stern is also Co-Founder and Co-President of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice [https://www.thealliancefordiplomacyandjustice.org/] and an expert in gender, sexuality and human rights with more than two decades of leadership across government, civil society, multilateral institutions, philanthropy, and academia. She also serves as an inaugural Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights, where she is pioneering new fellowships on global LGBTQI+ equality and inclusive foreign policy. She is the first LGBTQI+ rights expert to hold a senior fellowship at the Kennedy School. From 2021 to 2025, she served as US Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, where she directed US foreign policy to combat discrimination and violence worldwide. As Special Envoy, she represented the United States bilaterally, mobilized government coalitions, and oversaw policies and programs disbursing millions in foreign assistance. Previously, she served as Executive Director of Outright International, one of the world’s largest global LGBTQI+ rights NGOs. At Columbia University, she teaches the first and only course on LGBTQI+ rights and public policy at the School of International and Public Affairs; and she lectures at Leiden University’s Summer School on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in International Law, the premier academic intensive for students and practitioners in the field. Get full access to cylindr at cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Right to a Fair Trial

Jessica So is an international human rights lawyer and advocate with more than a decade of global experience leading high-impact initiatives, including eight years based in Myanmar, Lebanon, and Jordan. She’s an expert in trial monitoring, fair trial rights, and fundamental freedoms, with deep experience in cross-cultural lawyering, managing multi-stakeholder programs, and conducting research in challenging environments. Most recently, she served as an International Legal Advisor at the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights, where she led programs focused on trial monitoring, press freedom, and environmental defenders. She has authored or co-authored more than 15 reports published by leading international organizations. Get full access to cylindr at cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe [https://cylindrmag.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]