Category Archives: Events

Events in June: (1) political influences, (2) transnational human rights litigation and (3) dissenting judgments

UK Constitutional Law Group members and blog readers are invited to three events in June.

10 June 2013, starting at 5 pm: a joint event by the UK CLG, Devolution Club and London Metropolitan UniversityHow politics influences the constitution: time for new constitutional conventions? Foreword – Aleesandro Torre (chairman of the Devolution Club); chair – Sebastian Payne (co-convenor, UK CLG); speakers – Lord Norton of Louth (University of Hull and House of Lords) and Giovanni Rizzoni (House of Deputies, Italy); discussant – Peter Leyland (London Metropolitan University). Venue: Italian Cultural Institute, 39 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NX.

The following two events are organised by BPP University College in the “Fresh Perspective on Law” series. For more information please contact the seminar convenors, Chris Monaghan (ChrisMonaghan@bpp.com) or Thomas Bennett (ThomasBennett@bpp.com).

11th June 2013, starting at 6pm: ”Barriers in International Law to Transnational Human Rights Litigation” by Paul Mora, Lecturer, BPP Law School. “An international trend towards States providing reparation for violations of human rights has become discernible in recent years. However, this movement has not overcome the barriers imposed by international law on individuals who seek to obtain civil remedies before the national courts of foreign states for their alleged abuses. This lecture will evaluate the international doctrines of jurisdiction and immunity in light of the recent decisions of the US Supreme Court in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, and the International Court of Justice in Germany v. Italy. It will argue that these decisions are correctly decided in so far as they recognise the horizontal nature of the international legal system whereby sovereign States are equal, and their national courts cannot assert regulatory competence over another.” Paul David Mora is a Lecturer in Law at BPP Law School, University College. He has a research interest in public international law, and his work in this field was cited by an amicus curiae brief before the US Supreme Court in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum. This event is accredited for 1 CPD Point. Venue: BPP Law School Waterloo, 137 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NN. Register here.

26th June 2013, starting at 6pm:An Evening of Dissent: Exploring the importance of Dissenting Judgments in English Law“. A discussion panel will examine the importance of dissenting judgments in English Law. In what should be a lively and informed event, the panel will look at dissenting judgments from a contemporary and historical perspective. There will be focus on the value of dissenting judgments for practitioners, as well discussing whether there is a need for clearer judgments (such as at the ECtHR). Confirmed panellists include: Professor Ian Loveland, City University; Catharine MacMillan, Reader in Legal History at Queen Mary, University of London; Richard Booth QC, One Crown Office Row; Chris Monaghan, Senior Lecturer in Law, BPP University College;· Neal Geach, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Hertfordshire. This event is accredited for 1.5 CPD Points. Venue: BPP Law School Waterloo, 137 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NN. Register here.

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Event: Seminar on the impeachment of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka 27 February 2013

BHRClogo_1The Bar Human Rights Committee invites UK Constitutional Law Group members and blog readers to attend a seminar on Wednesday 27 February 2013, 6-8 pm, on the impeachment of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Further details are here.

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Event: ALBA annual lecture by Lord Dyson MR 6 November 2012

ALBA, the Constitutional and Administrative Law Association, invites UKCLG members to attend their annual lecture, to be given by Lord Dyson MR: ‘Where the common law fears to tread’.  No advance registration is necessary but please note that seats are limited. (ALBA’s AGM precedes the lecture, and a reception follows for ALBA members).

Time: Tuesday 6 November 2012 at 6 pm

Venue: Lincoln’s Inn Old Hall, London.

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News: IACL website

The website of the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL) has had a make-over: see here. Paid-up subscribers to the UK Constitutional Law Group (which is the British section of the IACL) automatically become members of the IACL. If you would like to support the work of the UKCLG, and have not yet paid for your 2012 subscription, please consider joining (details here). Funds are used to pay the UKCLG institutional membership fee to the IACL and to cover the costs of running this blog. Any queries about the IACL should be sent to Andrew Le Sueur (contact details here), who serves on the IACL executive committee.

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Event: invitation to the 2012 ‘Public Law’ lecture, Thursday 6 December 2012 at 6.30 pm

Professor Neil Walker on Our Constitutional Unsettlement

6.30pm, Thursday 6 December 2012

Arts Two Building,  Queen Mary, University of London,  Mile End Road, London E1 4NS

Please book online here. This is a CPD accredited event. This event will be followed by a drinks reception to which all attendees are invited. #QMpubliclaw

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Event: Human rights protection in Australia and the UK / Thursday 5th July, 6.15 pm

Members of the UKCLG are invited to the following event on Thursday, co-hosted by the Anglo-Australian Lawyers Society (UK Chapter) and ALBA. Please note that advance registration is essential.

Human rights protection in Australia and the UK: Contrasts and Comparisons

The Hon Justice Robert French AC

Chief Justice, High Court of Australia

A lecture to be chaired by

Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Thursday 5 July 2012

Australia House, Strand WC2B 4LA

6.15pm to 7.15pm

Accredited for 1 hour Bar CPD

Admission is free, however for this event we must have in advance the names of those attending, so if you wish to attend it is essential to RSVP to aidan.douglas@minterellison.com by no later than 12.30pm, Thursday 5th July 2012. There is no entry without an RSVP.

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Event: Scottish Public Law Group Annual Conference

Scottish Public Law Group Annual Conference

The SPLG’s Annual Update Conference on public law will take place on Monday 11th June at the Roxburghe Hotel in Edinburgh. This full day conference will include sessions covering:

  • An update on Public Law in Scotland
  • Developments in England, Luxembourg and Strasbourg
  • Scotland’s constitutional future: the EU and international law dimensions
  • An insight into the future of the Scottish legal landscape

Confirmed speakers and chairs include The Rt Hon Lord Hamilton (shortly to retire as President of the Court of Session),  The Rt Hon The Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC (Advocate General for Scotland),  Sheriff Principal Taylor,  Roseanna Cunningham (Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs), James Mure QC (Axiom Advocates),  Simon Collins QC (Judge of the First Tier Tribunal),  Professor Christine Bell (University of Edinburgh),  Professor Robin Churchill (University of Dundee),  Dr Robert Lane (University of Edinburgh),  Lorna Jack (Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland),  Judith Morrison (Office of the Solicitor to the Scottish Parliament),  Sam Grodzinski QC (Matrix Chambers)  and  Dr Elaine Webster (University of Strathclyde).

The conference will run from 9am to 5pm, followed by a drinks reception.

Tickets are priced at £75 (£25 concessions) (group bookings: 6 places for the price of 5).  Book on-line at:

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=h7meksjab&oeidk=a07e5u5c1bdec4569e4

This event should not be missed by those working in public law in Scotland, or with an interest in Scotland’s continuing constitutional development.  The conference is supported by Axiom Advocates, Arnot Manderson Advocates, the Murray Stable and Biggart Baillie LLP. Please direct any enquiries to emily.gilmour@shepwedd.co.uk or jennifer.jack@biggartbaillie.co.uk. Click www.splg.co.uk for more details.

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Reminder of UKCLG-sponsored meeting on Monday 21 May 2012, 6 pm

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UKCLG meeting: The referendum in the United Kingdom, 21 May 2012, 6 pm

UK Constitutional Law Group’s next meeting is on

“The Referendum in the United Kingdom”

(The 7th Italian-British Constitutional Conversation)

Monday 21 May 2012, 6 pm

Italian Cultural Institute of London, 39 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8NX

Foreword:  Alessandro TORRE , Chairman of the Devolution Club

Chair: Brendan DONNELLY, Director of the Federal Trust

Speaker: Dennis KAVANAGH, University of Liverpool

Discussant: Peter LEYLAND, London Metropolitan University

The event is organised by the Italian Cultural Institute of London, the Devolution Club, the UK Constitutional Law Group, the Federal TrustLondon Metropolitan University, and the Center for Constitutional Studies and Democratic Development.

* Note from Sebastian Payne and Andrew Le Sueur (co-convenors): supporters of the UK Constitutional Law Group who have not already paid their 2012 subscriptions are encouraged to do so.  The £15 sub may either be paid through the new online payments system or cheques may be sent to the Group’s honorary treasurer: Professor Dawn Oliver, UCL Faculty of Laws, Bentham House, Endsleigh Gardens, London WC1H 0EG (including your name and address).

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