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Michael Addo

Michael Addo

Professor of Law
Director, London Law Programme

Office: 203 Fischer Hall, London. SW1Y 4HG
Phone: +44.207.484.7811
Email: maddo@nd.edu
Staff Assistant: Gabriela Gevechanova
Website: https://law.nd.edu/london

Michael K. Addo joined Notre Dame Law School in July 2017 from the University of Exeter in England, where he held various positions, including Associate Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies and Director of Access and Admissions. Addo is an international lawyer with specialist expertise in international human rights law and human rights and international business policy. He earned a bachelor of laws degree with honours at the University of Ghana and a graduate diploma in legal practice at the Ghana Law School. He is a member of the Ghana Bar. He holds a master of law and doctoral degrees from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom as well as a diploma in international human rights law from the International Institute of Human Rights at the University of Strasbourg, France. 

Addo has wide experience in the supervision of postgraduate research including doctoral research. He has also acted as external examiner of doctoral theses in many universities as well as the peer review referee for research funding applications. His expertise is recognized beyond the academy including his appointment to the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights (2011-2018) with a mandate to promote the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In that role, he has prepared policy papers and thematic reports for the United Nations Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, as well as policy advice for governments, companies and advocacy groups. From 2015 to 2016, he served as chairperson of the coordination Committee of the United Nations Special Procedure Mandate Holders. 

Addo runs the Notre Dame London Law Programme that, in 2018, celebrated 50 years of teaching and research in the laws of the United States, United Kingdom, European Union as well as International and Comparative laws.

Courses Taught

  • Business and Human Rights
  • United Nations Human Rights Supervision London Externship

Scholarship

M.K. Addo, THE LEGAL NATURE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS (Nijhoff) 2010: 549pp. 
M.K. Addo (ed.), INTERNATIONAL LAW OF HUMAN RIGHTS (Ashgate) 2006: 548pp. 
M.K. Addo (ed.), FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE CRITICISM OF JUDGES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LEGAL STANDARDS IN EUROPE (Ashgate) 2000: 245pp. 
M.K. Addo (ed.), HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS (Kluwer) 1999: 384pp. 
M.K. Addo, “Business and Human Rights and the Challenges for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises”, in Thilo Rensmann (ed.), Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in International Economic Law (OUP) 2017:311-338. 
M.K. Addo and Jena Martin, “The evolving business and society landscape: Can human rights make a difference?”, in Jena Martin and Karen Bravo, (eds.), The Business and Human Rights Landscape – Looking Forward and Looking Back (CUP) 2015:348-383. 
M.K. Addo, “The Mandate of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights: Preliminary thoughts”, in Humberto C. Rivera (ed.), The Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (Intersentia) 2015: 85-101 
M.K. Addo, “United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”, Human Rights Law Review 14 2014:133-147 
M.K. Addo, “Practice of United Nations Treaty Bodies in the Reconciliation of Cultural Diversity with Universal Respect for Human Rights”, Human Rights Quarterly, 32(3) 2010:601-664. 

General Editor of Library of Essays on Globalization and the Law (Ashgate) 
Globalization and International Organisations – Edward Kwakwa (editor) 2011: 480pp. 
Globalisation of Criminal Justice - Michael Bohlander (Editor) 2011:585pp. 
Global Issues, Common Interests and International Law – Koen de Fetter (editor) 2012:510pp. 
The Globalization of International Law – Paul Schiff Berman (editor) 2005: 500pp. 
Globalization and International Investment – Fiona Beveridge (editor) 2005:499pp. 
Globalization and Intellectual Property – Alexandra George (editor) 2006:580pp. 

Official Reports and Policy Papers 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, M. Jungk, P. Selvanathan and P. Sulyandziga, Improving Policy Coherence for Inclusive and Sustainable Development. United Nations Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, Report to the 29th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/29/28 (United Nations) 2015. 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, M. Jungk, P. Selvanathan and P. Sulyandziga, Addendum Report of the United Nations Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises of the First African Regional Forum on Business and Human to the 29th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/29/28/Add.2 (United Nations) 2015. 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, M. Jungk, P. Selvanathan and P. Sulyandziga, Visit to Azerbaijan, Addendum Report of the United Nations Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises to the 29th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/29/28/Add.1 (United Nations) 2015. 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, M. Jungk, P. Selvanathan and P. Sulyandziga, Identifying Emerging Approaches and Lessons Learned in Corporate Respect for Human Rights: Reflections from Discussions held at the 2014 Forum on Business and Human Rights, Addendum Report of the United Nations Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnationa Corporations and Other Business Enterprises to the 29th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/29/28/Add.3 (United Nations) 2015. 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, M. Jungk, P. Selvanathan and P. Sulyandziga, Measuring Implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, United Nations Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises, Report to the 70th Session of the General Assembly. UN Doc. A/70/216 (United Nations) 2015. 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, P. Sulyandziga and M. Jungk, Report of the United Nations Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises: "Leading by example - The State, State-owned enterprises, and Human Rights" to the 32nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/32/45 (2016) 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, P. Sulyandziga and M. Jungk, Report of the United Nations Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises on its mission to Brazil to the 32nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/32/45/Add.1 (2016) 
M.K. Addo, D. Pesce, P. Sulyandziga and M. Jungk, Report of the United Nations Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises on the Asia Forum on Business and Human Rights to the 32nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Doc. A/HRC/32/45/Add.2 (2016)

Areas of Expertise

  • International Human Rights Law
  • International Law