Society of Legal Scholars,
115th Annual Conference

University of Bristol,
3 – 5 September 2024

Learning from Others: Lessons for Legal Scholars?

Clifton Suspension Bridge CREDIT Jim Cossey

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

Welcome

The 115th Annual Conference of the Society of Legal Scholars will be hosted by the University of Bristol. The University of Bristol has over 140 years of history, from its start as University College, Bristol (1876 – 1909) to the opening of the University of Bristol in October 1909. It was the first college in the country to admit men and women on an equal footing. The University of Bristol Law School was established in 1933.

The Conference will run from 3 – 5 September 2024 at our central Bristol campus based in the iconic Wills Memorial Building, designed by Sir George Oatley, and considered one of the last great Gothic revival buildings to be built in England.

Accommodation will be available nearby and there is easy access to Bristol City Centre, where the historic Clifton Village and lively harbourside area offer a large selection of bars and restaurants.

Conference delegates will have the chance to explore the heritage of Bristol with events held in the Wills Memorial Building and nearby landmarks linked to Bristol’s fascinating history, including the opportunity to climb to the top of the venue’s belltower with its stunning views of the city and the countryside beyond!

The conference theme is “Learning from Others: Lessons for Legal Scholars?”. As scholars, we interact with others – students; fellow academics; legal practitioners; the wider public – and the 2024 conference will reflect on the gains we can achieve from such interaction in a global academic environment. The conference will examine this theme in two ways.

First, as scholars attending the SLS conference, we benefit greatly from meeting colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines and, notably, from other legal jurisdictions (both within and outside the common law world). What can we gain from taking an international or comparative perspective? To what extent do different perspectives, such as socio-legal, interdisciplinary, or historical viewpoints, assist our work?

Secondly, one of the significant elements of the conference is the inclusion of papers from both junior and senior scholars. What lessons can we gain from each other, both in terms of mentoring and in recognising the need to promote the interests of early career legal scholars and offering support for those entering the academy? No scholar is an island. The SLS provides a positive inclusive environment for legal academics, at all stages of their career, to engage with and learn valuable lessons from each other.

The themes will be supported by plenaries drawing on the two main themes of the conference. I look forward to these themes inspiring a diverse range of papers across all the subject sections of the conference.

Bristol is a beautiful and vibrant city and is easily accessible by public transport, including its own airport with excellent links to Continental Europe and Ireland. In accordance with the Society’s commitment to environmental sustainability we would encourage colleagues to use public transport.

I very much look forward to welcoming you to Bristol in September 2024!

Professor Paula Giliker FAcSS

Professor of Comparative Law, University of Bristol and President, Society of Legal Scholars

Key Deadlines Summarised for 2024

Monday 29 January 2024
Abstract submission opens

Wednesday 3 April 2024
Abstract submission closes

Monday 29 April 2024
Conference registration opens

Friday 14 June 2024
Speaker registration closes

Friday 12 July 2024
Early bird registration closes

Monday 19 August 2024
Registration for live events closes

Friday 23 August 2024
Best Paper Prize closes

Banksy “Mild Mild West’ CREDIT Morgane Bigault 

Banksy “Mild Mild West’ CREDIT Morgane Bigault 

Please contact the Secretariat:

SLS 2024 Conference Secretariat
c/o Mosaic Events
Tower House
Mill Lane
Askham Bryan
York
YO23 3FS

Tel +44 (0) 1904 702165

Email: SLSconference@mosaicevents.co.uk

Please note the SLS Treasurer and SLS web team are unable to answer questions relating to the conference.

Contact us: