On December 12 and 13, the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa hosted a symposium in honor of NYLS’s John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Penelope Andrews. Titled “Building a Better World Through Law?”, the event explored the theme of law, justice, and transformative leadership. It brought together members of the judiciary, leading academics, and emerging scholars from around the globe to reflect on Professor Andrews’ wide-ranging contributions to constitutionalism, gender justice, international human rights, and legal education.
Sessions explored topics such as women’s rights in international law, the evolution of South African constitutionalism, executive accountability, race and legal education, and the intersections between gender, customary law, and social justice. The goal of the symposium was to both honor Professor Andrews and to explore how academics, practitioners, and judges can build a better world through law. Panelists and attendees engaged with critical questions around the pursuit of justice, including how to ensure that constitutional principles are not only written in texts but lived in communities, and how justice can be realized for those who are most marginalized.
On the first day of the symposium, Dikgang Moseneke, the former Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa, delivered opening remarks. This was followed by a panel titled “Accountability,” in which each panelist presented original research exploring diverse dimensions of accountability and discussed how it must operate across public and private spheres to sustain democratic governance. The “Constitutions, Gender, Minority and Indigenous Communities” panel followed, offering rich and comparative perspectives on constitutionalism, gender justice, and the protection of minority and indigenous communities.
Day two commenced with a panel discussion on the evolution and transformation of South African courts and featured distinguished members of the South African judiciary, including Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo. Last fall, NYLS welcomed Justice Mlambo for “A Conversation on Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law With Two Presiding Justices.” An additional panel, entitled “International Human Rights and Women’s Rights,” explored how transformative leadership can use international law to address gender-based injustice in both global and local contexts.
A recurring theme that emerged from these sessions—which were moderated by prominent UP faculty members—was the gap between constitutional promise and the lived reality of much of the South African populace. Speakers considered the role of commissions of inquiry, the Constitutional Court’s clear roadmap on socioeconomic rights, and the extraordinary potential embedded in the constitutional architecture.
The symposium concluded with scholars and judges from around the globe participating virtually to offer remarks in celebration of Professor Andrews’ contributions to the legal community. Among the many celebrators were her NYLS colleagues Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04, Dean for Evening Student Engagement, and Ruti G. Teitel, Ernst C. Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law, as well as Hon. Dianne T. Renwick, Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department.
Dean Kirk D. Burkhalter ’04: “Participating in this symposium in honor of my colleague and friend Penny Andrews, specifically on the Accountability panel, was an amazing experience. Her work has inspired important discourse on human rights, gender apartheid, feminism, race and the law, ethics, and governmental accountability, and she has been an engine for change through her work. It was quite inspiring to hear judges, academics, and lawyers all pay tribute to her countless collaborations, mentorship, and friendship throughout their careers. I am honored to also call her a colleague, mentor, and friend.”
Professor Ruti G. Teitel: “I was delighted to participate in the final panel held in honor of Penny. This last panel engaged the topic of Penny’s public-facing scholarship and programming—her strong voice as a global public intellectual on issues of freedom of expression and voting, as well as more normative questions of racial and gender discrimination and apartheid from South Africa to the U.S. and faraway Afghanistan. To hear from colleagues from all over the world about the impact of Penny’s writing and speaking was a true pleasure, underscoring our good fortune here at NYLS!”
NYLS congratulates Professor Andrews on the recognition of her remarkable contributions to constitutional law, human rights, gender, race, and judicial transformation.
About Professor Penelope Andrews
Penelope Andrews is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law and Director of the Racial Justice Project at NYLS. Prior to joining the Law School, she held appointments and senior positions in law schools across the United States and internationally, including Dean at the University of Cape Town Faculty of Law and President and Dean at Albany Law School. In addition, she previously served as an Acting Judge of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria and as an arbitrator in hearings on racial discrimination in South Africa. Professor Andrews has been widely published on comparative constitutional law, gender and racial equality, and human rights, and she has received numerous awards for her global human rights advocacy, including the National Bar Association’s International Award.