Revisiting the Public/Private Divide: Corporations, Legal Education and the Common Good in a Globalized World

The Lord MacDermott Lecture at Queens University Belfast, 2025, given by Professor Sundhya Pahuja

This lecture reflects on the enduring division between public and private international law within legal education and its broader implications for society's prosperity and well-being. It examines how this division, rooted in historical legacies of empire, shapes our understanding of the role of law in governing relationships between states, corporations, and individuals. By exploring the evolving concept of corporate mobility and its institutionalization in modern legal doctrine, the lecture raises questions about the adequacy of legal frameworks in addressing contemporary challenges posed by global corporate power. Taking inspiration from Lord MacDermott’s idea that the health of a society is closely tied to the quality and relevance of its legal concepts, the lecture invites a critical re-examination of how international law is taught and practiced. It suggests that rethinking these foundational divisions could better equip future jurists to meet the complex demands of a rapidly changing global landscape, ultimately fostering legal systems that serve the common good more effectively.