Socio-legal news
Welcome to the news section of the SLSA website. This area is divided into the following categories:
- Events
- Publications
- Research and funding
- Vacancies
- Consultations, inquiries and surveys
- Other announcements
If you would like an item added to the news section, please contact the
News
SLSA events
Law, Drugs, and the Moving Body, Manchester
Other events
Society of Legal Scholars’ Annual Conference, University of Leeds: registration open
AI and the Employed Bar: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges, Middle Temple, London
Contested Imaginaries: Youth, Inequality, and Security in Argentina, Leeds Social Sciences Institute
Labouring Bodies, Unjust Laws: Reimagining the Laws of Social Reproduction, New Delhi and streaming online
Researching Equality at Work and in Society in a Hostile Political Context, University of Manchester
Visual Storytelling for Reproductive Justice, Loughborough University
Publications
Nuffield Foundation: June newsletter
NILQ Reflections on Writing: latest contribution from Professor Emily Jackson, LSE
Research and funding
UKRI Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC): call for applications
Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships: call for applications
The Law Teacher: call for papers for two special editions
Vacancies
PhD position in medical/legal humanities/cultural studies, University of St Gallen, Switzerland
British Academy Mid-Career Fellowships: open for applications
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships: open for applications
Other
Vacancies
PhD position in medical/legal humanities/cultural studies
Applications for a fully funded PhD position (100%) are invited as part of the ERC/SERI Assisted Lab team at University of St Gallen, starting September 2025. See website for details. Closing date: 31 July 2025.
British Academy Mid-Career Fellowships: open for applications
The Mid-Career Fellowships are designed both to support outstanding individual researchers with excellent research proposals, and to promote public understanding and engagement with humanities and social sciences. See website for details. Closing date: 20 August 2025.
British Academy Mid-Career Fellowships: open for applications
The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship is a three-year award made to an annual cohort of outstanding early-career researchers in the humanities or social sciences. See website for details. Closing date: 1 October 2025.
Independent Theatre Council, Legal & Industrial Relations Manager, London
Applications are invited for this full-time or part-time role with some flexibility to work from home. The successful candidate will have legal training and experience in advice-giving, negotiation, and dispute resolution. See website for details. Closing date: 8 July 2025.
Research associate/fellow or senior fellow (fixed term), University of Nottingham
Applications are invited for this fixed-term (18-month) post on the European Research Council Starting Grant RECEDE: ‘REgulating Criminal justicE DEtention: glocal prospects for improving health and safety in detention and society’ project led by Dr Philippa Tomczak. See website for details. Closing date: 16 July 2025.
Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship: pre-announcement
The purpose of the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship 2025 is to help early career academics get their book idea into a form which is ready for publication. Applications are open to UK-based, up-and-coming authors and researchers who identify as Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse (BAED). The fellowship offers editorial support and mentorship for one year, £1000 of financial support, practical resources, £250 worth of books from Bloomsbury Academic, plus event and networking opportunities. See website for full details of how to prepare your submission materials. Appplications open on 1 September 2025.
Postdocs, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany: call for applications
The Department of Public Law at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (Director: Prof. Dr. Ralf Poscher) is seeking to recruit several postdocs. See website for details. Closing date for applications: 7 September 2025.
Consultations and surveys
Government launches consultation on criminal legal aid
The Government has launched a consultation on criminal legal aid aiming to deliver more efficient justice for victims and stabilise the criminal legal aid system by investing millions more in criminal legal aid. See announcement for details and see website for consultation. Closing date: 4 July 2025.
Law Commission Consultation on Aviation Autonomy
The Law Commission is examining the law around autonomous flight to support the safe development of rapidly advancing technology. If you have an interest in or awareness of this area of law, the Commission would like to hear your views. See website for details. Closing date: 18 July 2025.
Other announcements
JEL Richard Macrory Prize for Best Article won by Antonia Layard et al
The Journal of Environmental Law Richard Macrory Prize for Best Article 2024 has been won by Antonia Layard, Adam Marshall, Laura de Vito, Roger Few, Sophia Hatzisavvidou, Leslie Mabon and Odirilwe Selomane for 'Protecting everyday nature'. The article is a 'conceptually fascinating piece of work, which moves beyond the traditional emphasis on protected areas. It makes a compelling case for the protection of everyday nature, using empirical material to advance a social justice argument, whilst also providing a close, critical analysis of the legal doctrine. It includes clear proposals for change to improve the status quo. It brings a multidisciplinary and multi-perspective approach to an issue of clear legal, political and societal importance. It does so lightly, but to great effect.'
Two New Law Commissioners appointed
With the appointment of Professor Lisa Webley and Professor Solène Rowan, all four Law Commissioners will be female for the first time in its 60-year history. Both new Commissioners will take up their appointments in September: Lisa as Commissioner for Commercial and Common Law and Solène as Commissioner for Commercial and Common Law. See announcement for futher details.
Lisa is a long-standing member of the SLSA and served as our PGR Rep from 1999 to 2001, and as a member of the then Executive Committee until 2005, working as the SLSA's first email network administrator!
RSVP Law: online seminar-workshops for ECR and precarious employees – call for EOIs and speakers
RSVP Law is a programme of short online seminar-workshops which aim to provide supportive external presentation opportunities, particularly for those in the early stages of their career or precarious employment who may struggle to secure support to engage in external speakership. It's a low pressure, low stakes way to get some presenting experience on their CVs, build their confidence, make new connections and disseminate their work outside their institutions. Organised by Lucinda Bromfield (BPP University) and Cameron Giles (London South Bank University). See webpage to sign up.
Legal Humanities Association launched
A new UK-based learned society, the Legal Humanities Association (LHA), has been set up and is open for membership.
The LHA is a new UK-based learned society, fostering a community dedicated to cultural understandings of law. The LHA is open for inaugural members to join and get involved and help shape the future of the legal humanities academic community.
There will be an online inaugural event online in July 2025, which will include the first General Meeting at which members will vote in the LHA’s first Governance Committee. Any member can put themselves forward to join the Governance Committee or take up any of the officer roles, including Chair.
See website for full details. The Interim Committee invites you to share this call widely.
Academic Mentoring: Professor Didi Herman
Professor Didi Herman has retired from Kent Law School and is now offering confidential help to individuals and universities looking to improve scholarship for publication, mentoring, and the REF. See her website for details.
Professor Herman is now also offering expert consultancy to law schools for advance preparation for REF 2028.