Public Law Lecture 2026: 

The 2026 annual Public Law lecture will be delivered by Lord Justice Singh on the topic “Substantive Principles of Public Law: What Happened after 1987?” The event will be held at the London School of Economics on 11th March, from 5.30pm. The lecture will reflect on Jowell and Lester’s influential Public Law article, “Beyond Wednesbury: Substantive Principles of Administrative Law”.

Further details and sign up available here: https://lselaw.events/event/substantive-principles-of-public-law-what-happened-after-1987/#:~:text=In%20Public%20Law%20in%201987,principles%20of%20proportionality%20and%20reasonableness 

Call for Guest Editors of Public Law’s Annual Themed Analysis Section (2027):

The Editorial Committee of Public Law invites Guest Editors to submit proposals for a themed set of ‘Analysis’ papers to be published in the April 2027 issue of the journal. This set of papers will follow publication (April 2023) of Themed Analysis Sections on ‘Government Outsourcing in the Modern Administrative State’ (edited by Joe Tomlinson (York) and Janina Boughey (UNSW)), ‘Public Law and Vulnerability’ (April 2024) (edited by Maria O’Sullivan (Deakin University) and Robert Thomas (University of Manchester), ‘Race and Public Law’ (April 2025) (edited by Vidya Kumar (SOAS)), and ‘Protest Law at Forty: Reflections on Part II of the Public Order Act 1986’ (edited by David Mead (University of East Anglia) and forthcoming in April 2026).

Themed ‘Analysis’ Sections: 

One issue of Public Law each year contains a special ‘Analysis’ section containing a range of short pieces organised around a specific theme within the coverage of the journal. Guest editors are invited to propose a harmonising topic for the section, and an outline of those pieces to be included. Each proposal should comprise four to six pieces of approx. 4,000 words each (inclusive of footnotes), up to a maximum of 25,000 words. The April issue of Public Law will ordinarily contain the special analysis section in each year. 

The special sections may be on any theme within the broad remit of the journal and may be linked—for instance—by subject matter, or by approach. Public Law’s Editorial Committee is particularly keen to ensure that the journal reflects the diversity of the disciplinary field and will welcome proposals which address subject fields or viewpoints which have been underrepresented in Public Law’s coverage. 

Proposal and Selection: 

The proposal will take the form of a 500-word outline of the theme of the proposed special section, along with a list of those pieces which are intended to feature. Brief biographical details of the proposed Guest Editors and contributors are also to be included. The selection of the special analysis section will be undertaken by Public Law’s Editorial Committee (or a sub-group of that committee). The Editorial Committee will have regard to the diversity of suggested contributors/perspectives—as well as the quality, originality and importance of the proposal—in the selection of the annual themed analysis section.  

The proposed content of the special analysis section will be the responsibility of the Guest Editors, who are expected to undertake initial editorial work to ensure the quality and coherence of the submissions. Submissions will be subject to Public Law’s standard processes of peer-review, which will be coordinated by the General Editors.

Timeline:

1: Submission of proposals: 3 April 2026

2: Selection of theme by editorial committee and communication of outcome: by 1 May 2026

3: Submission of collected papers: 4 September 2026

4: Peer review: September-October 2026

5: Submission of final versions of papers: 27 November 2026

6: Publication: April 2027

Submission and Queries:

Queries and submissions can be addressed to the General Editors—Roger Masterman and Aileen McHarg—by email: public.law@durham.ac.uk