On August 12, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was honored with the 2013 ABA medal, its highest honor, in recognition of “distinguished service by a lawyer to the cause of American jurisprudence.”
 
“I am so deeply grateful to you for this award, and I am humbled by those who have received it in the past, to join their company in some small measure, to continue the work that the ABA has championed,” said Secretary Clinton. In her speech, Secretary Clinton praised ABA’s efforts in promoting the rule of law worldwide, referring to ABA President Laurel Bellows’ contributions to combatting human trafficking, as well as the launch of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in over 60 countries. 
 
Secretary Clinton also noted the launch of the World Justice Project and its Rule of Law Index, which measures governance around the world based on four universal principles. She acknowledged that the principles are essential concepts for any healthy democracy, including the United States.

“The search for justice drives people to stand up against dictatorship, corruption and oppression,” she added. “Rule of the law is the most powerful tool in human history to deliver this justice.”
 
The main focus of the speech was voting rights, where she urged citizens, lawyers and members of the ABA in the grassroots level to address challenges to voting rights. 
 
“Now not every obstacle is related to race, but anyone who says that racial discrimination is no longer a problem in American elections must not be paying attention” she said. 
 
ABA President Laurel Bellows applauded Secretary Clinton for her “immense accomplishments as a lawyer, the strides she made for women both professionally and civically, and for promoting the interests of the U.S. and human rights abroad, she not only deserves this honor, but also the gratitude of the legal profession and the nation.” 
 
Previous recipients of the ABA medal include former Supreme Court justices, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. and Sandra Day O’Conner, and current Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
 
WJP Staff World Justice Project
title bar

Read More

title bar

A People-Centered Approach to Justice

To strengthen global understanding of access to justice, the World Justice Project has developed the Global Legal Needs Survey (GLNS)—the first effort to collect comparable data on how people experience and resolve legal problems worldwide. Conducted in over 100 countries between 2017 and 2024, the survey captures the voices of more than 100,000 people, shedding light on the most common legal challenges, sources of help, and the real-life impact of justice problems.

Read More
WJP Chief of Public Sector Partnerships Mark Lewis during his participation in the United Kingdom House of Lords Constitution Committee’s official inquiry into the rule of law

WJP Shares Global Rule of Law Trends with UK House of Lords

On July 2, 2025, the World Justice Project (WJP) was honored to participate in the United Kingdom House of Lords Constitution Committee’s official inquiry into the rule of law. This invitation followed WJP’s written submission and marked an invaluable opportunity to support evidence-based policymaking in the United Kingdom.

Read More

In Memory of William H. Neukom

It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our founder and dear friend, William H. Neukom, known to all of us simply as Bill. Bill was the driving force behind the World Justice Project (WJP), and his absence leaves a profound void in the soul of our organization. His belief in justice was unwavering. His deep humanity and his remarkable gift for bringing people together—regardless of background or origin—shaped everything we do at WJP.

Read More