Events
School of Law Conference
Just Transition and Environmental Justice
Principles, Practice and Implementation Strategies for a Post-Oil Future
26th - 28th July 2023
The University of Bradford School of Law looks forward to welcoming you to Bradford for its conference on Just Transition and Environmental Justice: Principles, Practice and Implementation Strategies for a Post-Oil Future, holding in person and online.
Bradford Mock Trial Competition 2023
24th May 2023
The finals of the Bradford Mock Trial Competition (MTC) 2023 held on 24 May 2023. Two Bradford schools Woodhouse Grove and Bradford Grammar went on head-to-head in the finals at the Lady Hale Courtroom Pemberton Building University of Bradford where circuit judge HHJ Jonathan Rose presided over the exciting mock trials. The mock trial was over a fictitious scenario on assault occasioning grievous bodily harm contrary to Section 47 Offences Against the Persons Act 1861. The Year 12 students from Woodhouse Grove and Bradford Grammar School acted as prosecution and defence respectively. Ultimately, Bradford Grammar carried the day. It was truly an exciting Mock Trial Competition.
School of Law Summer School 2023: Law in a Time of Global Change
26 May - 6 June 2023
The School of Law will run the annual summer school programme this year from Friday 26 May to Tuesday 6 June.
Check out the School of Law Summer School 2023 schedule.
International Conference On Artificial Intelligence
28 April 2023
This conference is being held in partnership with School of Law Bennet University (The Times Group) Greater Noida India and School of Law University of Bradford.
World Water Day
Join the World Water Day online panel discussion on 22nd March at 1pm - 2.30pm (London time). The event is co-organised by the School of Law, University of Bradford, the University of Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action, the Institute of Global Innovation, and the Green Institute.
The theme for the discussion is "Accelerating change to tackle the water crisis". We look forward to your participation. Please select this link to register for the world water day discussion.
Budding lawyers brace for live-streamed showdown as part of annual law competition.
Dissemination Event for the School of Law HEIF-Funded Research Project - Equality, Access, and Inclusion: Small Business in the Bradford District and Government-funded Financial Support and Recovery Plans for Covid-19
As we know, COVID-19 had serious impacts on all aspects of our lives. Businesses were also significantly impacted by COVID-19. This was more so for smaller businesses that lacked the resilience that larger businesses had to mitigate the effect of the lockdowns and other restrictions that were introduced to address the pandemic. The United Kingdom government announced several initiatives including financial support schemes and recovery plans to cushion the effect of the pandemic on businesses and stimulate economic recovery. The schemes were mainly administered by local authorities, including the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC).
Against this backdrop, the University of Bradford School of Law undertook a study between May and July 2021 to assess the inclusivity and accessibility of the schemes for businesses, particularly micro and small businesses within the Bradford District. This was done between April and June 2021, in partnership with the Economy & Development, Department of Place, City of Bradford District Metropolitan Council (CBDMC); Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA); and FoMLSS Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN). The study was funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund and entailed a mixed research approach (qualitative and quantitative), involving the use of literature review, survey of businesses and focus group discussion.
Following the completion of the study, the School of Law hosted a dissemination event on 21st June 2022, which allowed vigorous discussion of the findings. The key takeaway from the findings and discussion were as follows:
- Awareness of the various schemes was quite high, at nearly 76%. However, this means that over 24% of the respondents, comprising the more vulnerable businesses that needed the help the most, were unaware of the schemes.
- Digital exclusion was a main factor affecting awareness of the schemes as well as the ability to apply.
- Meeting the eligibility criteria was also a challenge for some, especially newer businesses.
This led to further discussions about improving digital inclusion and equity, rethinking the scope of the eligibility criteria for financial support schemes, and harnessing the third and fourth pillars of policy making process (i.e., the voluntary and informal sectors and the policy beneficiaries).
Participants also exchanged ideas on potential avenues for future collaboration with the University and in particular with the School of Law, to support in providing solutions to some of the key issues identified by the study. This includes working with the government and policy makers to design equitable, accessible and inclusive policies, strategies and interventions to support local businesses as we move to a post-COVID-19 recovery phase. Additionally, local businesses can be further supported through the pro bono legal services from the School of Law’s Law Clinic – Bradford Justice.
University of Bradford School of Law World Water Day Lecture
22 March 2022
The School of Law hosted a lecture in celebration of the 2022 World Water Day on Tuesday, 22nd March 2022. The guest speaker was the renowned Professor Joyeeta Gupta, who is a full professor of environment and development in the global south at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research of the University of Amsterdam and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. Professor Gupta was co-chair of UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook-6 (2016-2019), published by Cambridge University Press, which was presented to governments participating in the United Nations Environment Assembly in 2019, and won the Association of American Publishers PROSE award for Environmental Science. She is presently co-chair of the Earth Commission (2019-2021), set up by Future Earth, together with Johan Rockström and Dahe Qin.
Professor Gupta, in her lecture titled: ‘Is water law helping or compromising the process of water governance in the Anthropocene?’, critically analysed the history of water law in various civilizations and timescales and key elements of water law in present day and the Anthropocene. The lecture also explored the links between water goals and other development goals that are reflected in the 2030 Agenda. Beyond drinking water and access and allocation issues, the lecture covered emerging themes such as green and atmospheric water, and future water law.
International Women’s Day 2022 Lecture
8 March 2022
Speaker: Judge Patrice Wellesley-Cole (retired)
Title: SDG 5: A ‘Serious Endeavour’
The International Women’s Day 2022 celebrations at the School of Law, University of Bradford, kicked off with a guest lecture that was delivered by Judge Patrice Wellesley-Cole (retired) a woman lawyer, renowned civil society leader, and a retired Judge in the London Immigration, Asylum and Human rights Tribunal. The lecture was one in a series of events that were organised by the School of Law to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of women in law.
Judge Wellesley-Cole (retired) is an active human rights advocate with vast experience in advancing women’s rights through active participation in the third sector. In delivering her guest lecture entitled “SDG 5: A ‘Serious Endeavour’”, Judge Wellesley-Cole (retired) kindly shared her inspirational personal journey of early education, qualifying as a lawyer and rising to the bench as a woman from an ethnic minority background. She also shared her reflections on the prospects and challenges for achieving gender equality, including the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The lecture ended with an interactive Q&A session and call to action for gender equality.
University of Bradford School of Law Conversations in Law Series
Royalty; Sex and Scandal: Demystifying the Legal Myths
23 February 2022
The maiden panel of the University of Bradford School of Law Conversations in Law Series (CILS) held on 23rd February 2022. The CILS is a convening space which brings together legal experts to discuss the legal ramifications of contemporary issues of national and international interest in a panel format.
This first panel was entitled “Royalty, Sex and Scandal: Demystifying the Legal Myths” following the controversies around the settlement in the civil sex assault case in the United States, involving Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and the complainant, Virginia Giuffre. The panel members were:
The panel discussion explored the complex legal and policy ramifications of the discourse surrounding the settlement in this case. It entailed questions such as:
- What is the standard of proof in criminal cases, compared to civil cases?
- What are some of the parallels between the UK and US system on the substantive and procedural aspects of civil litigation?
- Has justice been bought in this case, or is this a legitimate tool within the legal system?
- What do settlements of this kind mean for victims?
It was a very engaging session indeed, with active exchanges among the panellists and thought-provoking questions from the audience that were met with insightful and sometimes witty responses from the panel.
You can catchup on the discussion with the Zoom recording through the Royalty sex and scandal lecture Zoom recording.
University of Bradford School of Law Conversations in Law Series
Might, Right and War: International Law and the Ukrainian Invasion
Thursday 17 March 2022
The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces on Thursday 24 February 2022 has brought to the fore the complex intersections between international humanitarian, human rights and criminal laws, particularly during armed conflicts. In the wake of the invasion, on Thursday 17 March 2022, Bradford School of Law convened its second 'Conversation in Law' series panel to discuss the topic: ‘Might, Right and War: International Law and the Ukrainian Invasion’.
The members of the second Conversation in Law series were:
With experts drawn from various Law Schools across universities in the UK, the panel analysed the legality of the Russian/Ukraine war and other related complex questions that are emerging from the war and the wider implications for international law.
The panel discussion was both thought-provoking and insightful. View the Might, Right and War Zoom recording.
Law in a Time of Global Change
Online School of Law Summer School
6 June – 14 June 2022
Join a cohort of our global student community to explore some of the key legal issues arising from the changes in our world, focussing on current topics in in international commercial law, regulation of technology, sustainability and human rights and inclusion.
Mock-trial competition in collaboration with Proctor & Hobbs Solicitors.
Mock-Trial Competition and a chance to win a car, entries , live-streamed mock-trials 30th May - 13th June 2022
Proctor and Hobbs Solicitors is holding a mock-trail competition in collaboration with the School of Law. The competition is open exclusively to students of the University of Bradford with an element of law in their degree. The winner of the completion will be awarded a smart car.
Annual Law Lecture 2022 : Andrew Skipper
Speaker: Andrew Skipper, Senior Counsel Chair of Africa Practice, Hogan Lovells
"Global Challenges and Ethical Solutions: What Role for the Twenty-First Century Lawyer?"
In the C/21 lawyers have a fast-developing global role which is taking us well beyond the pure application of law. At the same time, the law itself is becoming more complex, so the need for the legal profession to deliver informed ethical solutions and not just present problems is paramount. Lawyers now find themselves at the centre of a range of complex global issues where they can make a difference for good or for ill. Andrew Skipper has practised as a commercial lawyer for 36 years in the domestic and international market and in the private and public sectors, as well as being heavily engaged in arts and business in Africa. In this lecture he will outline his approach to being a commercial lawyer, and how this links with a number of issues facing the developing world, and Africa in particular. These will include a focus on the need to understand and respect markets and cultures, the impact of demographics and climate change on issues such as the “just transition” in the context of COP 27, issues of diversity and representation, and the commercial opportunities presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). This is a personal view derived from experience.
Bio:
Andrew has over 35 years’ legal experience at the same law firm, Hogan Lovells, and is currently Chair of its Africa Practice. He was head of Hogan Lovells global corporate practice and on their international management committee for 10 years. He is also a member of the working group on legal services for UK-Nigeria Economic Development Forum (EDF). In the wider world, Andrew is Co-chair of the UK government's Africa Investors Group, a member of the Council of the Royal Africa Society and on the board of South Africa Chamber of Commerce in the UK. Andrew is vice chair of the advisory board of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, and is on the advisory Board of the Art Fair 1-54. He is a regular commentator on African affairs, hosting a popular podcast called the A Perspective Podcast.
Registration and networking: 5.00pm (Norcroft Centre Lounge)
Lecture: 5:45pm to 7:00pm
Climate Change: Red Hot Challenge
Climate Change Talks at Bradford School of Law - 2021
Law and Climate Change: A Red-Hot Challenge
10 November 2021
The University of Bradford School of Law symposium on ‘Law and Climate Change: A Red-Hot Challenge’ held online on 10 November 2021, as part of events to mark the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26). This event was put together against the backdrop of an increasing urgency for global action to address the climate change challenge and the consensus that climate change action requires joined-up action from diverse sectors, disciplines and stakeholders.
The aim of the event was particularly to contribute towards raising awareness for climate change action while also exploring the complexities of advancing such action through laws, policies and multi stakeholder initiatives at various levels, from the international to the local. It generated interest and attracted participation from a diverse range of stakeholders, including academia, the third sector and the practice community.
The panel for the symposium was made up of distinguished experts and leaders in their respective spheres of practice across Africa, Europe and the Caribbeans, respectively. The panel members were as follows:
- Professor Engobo Emeseh
- Prof. Prathivadi Anand
- Prof. Raphael Heffron
- Mr. Tim Lloyd
- Dr. Pedi Obani (Moderator)
The panel explored some of the urgent issues, challenges and opportunities for climate action and legal frameworks in an insightful manner that reflected the speakers’ significant wealth of experience, commitment and passion for inclusive climate action. A key theme of the discussions was the central role which laws, policies and institutions broadly could play in providing a supporting framework for action. The complexities of just energy transition for the global south and the global north, the opportunities for advancing accountability and climate justice through litigation, and the role of academic institutions were some of the issues that received in-depth focus.
While there are no simple solutions, the event was a call to action and reminder of our collective responsibility for advancing climate justice! View the Zoom recording of the Climate Change Talks at Bradford lecture 2021 (Passcode: #RLAXdx8).
Mock trial competition
Competition adjourned… for now. That’s after Proctor & Hobbs Solicitors announced the six shortlisted candidates for the inaugural mock trial competition that they are holding in partnership with the University of Bradford. Students have been sending in their submissions throughout the month of July, which consisted of them having to mention three interesting facts about themselves, followed by why they wish to be a lawyer and their favourite case. It was a very difficult and strenuous process to narrow it down to just six, nevertheless following very careful deliberation, Babita Dhand, Joseph Corina, Katie Siobhan, Shaikhul Amin, Tkay Agama and Wiktoria Lenkiewicz were all successful in the initial application stage. Congratulations to those who were not only shortlisted but also took part and entered in the competition.
These lucky six will now be prepared by the team at Proctor & Hobbs for the next stage of the competition which consists of them being pitted against each other in three mock trial scenarios and battling it out in a unique courtroom setting over at the University of Bradford, all to determine who will be crowned the best of the rest. The First trial is scheduled to begin on Monday 6th September 2021 with the second on Wednesday 8th September 2021 and the final trial on Friday 10th September 2021. All three will be exclusively live streamed on the Proctor & Hobbs YouTube channel and upon completion of the final trial, the voting lines will open to the general public for one whole week so that they may cast their vote for whom they think was the best advocate.
Public voting will amount to 40% of the overall result with the remaining 60% to be decided by a panel of Solicitors, Barristers and Lecturers. The winning candidate will be gifted their very own smart car by Proctor & Hobbs Solicitors. So stay tuned for advancements on the competition on the Proctor & Hobbs Instagram/ YouTube platforms.
Mel Nebhrajani: International Women’s Day 2021 Lecture
We are really pleased to have hosted Mel Nebhrajani CB - Director of Litigation, Litigation Group, UK Government Legal Department, as guest speaker for the School of Law, University of Bradford, International Women’s Day 2021 lecture. It was an inspiring evening, with Mel Nebhrajani CB delivering a lecture entitled: “Your Career Journey, Leadership, and Emotional Resilience”.
Link to International Women's Day 2021 Lecture event recording: Passcode: uwq&V6^3
Law Summer School 2020
Our June 2020 programme is archived below. Check back in our events page for the programme for the 2021 Summer School Programme.
Monday 15 June
'Law in a Time of Global Change'
Perhaps more than at any other time in history, rapid advances in technology is prompting dramatic changes in all aspects of human interactions. Globalisation and the interconnection facilitated by the internet has blurred traditional lines of space and boundaries. Innovative technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence are revolutionising all sectors of human activities. How is the law to respond to the challenges of regulating this brave new world? The School of Law intends to grapple with this question - focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Covid-19, and Climate Change.
Heroes on the Frontline - Employment rights within the Gig Economy
Together with more casual ‘employees’, members of the ‘gig economy’ workforce are no longer forgotten since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, such workers and even those with the recently confirmed ‘key worker’ status have less protection in employment law protection than employees, and they are subject to enduring financial exploitation. The ‘Deliveroo and Uber cases’ and the Covid-19 crisis have shown how necessary it is for the judiciary and the government to consider more the employment law status and therefore the rights of workers in the gig economy.
Tuesday 16 June
Climate Change Mitigation - Opportunities and Challenges
Tackling climate change has proved tricky due to technological, economic and socio-political factors. What are the key challenges to regulation at international and national levels? What are the opportunities and challenges? What lessons, if any, can the policy responses to COVID 19 and the adaptation strategies provide in future to nations and businesses in mitigating global green-house gasses? Crucial to our discussions will be a broad discussion of the underlying principles, regulatory approaches, and the role of science and technology as an intrinsic part of the solution to climate change.
Wednesday 17 June
Regulation of Artificial Intelligence - The Latest Legal Developments
Artificial Intelligence (AI) remains in the centre of attention of policymakers and regulators. Current proposals for the regulating AI range from no or minimal central legal interventions, to extensive state involvement. The “minimalists” favour the use of soft-law to provide limited non-obligatory guidance to the industry which therefore will have to take the main responsibility for developing and policing the AI standards. The “maximalists” favour strong public controls through mandatory rules and extended state supervision. There are also those who favour a mix of policies in seeking a median solution.
Thursday 18 June
Policing and Security Response to Covid-19
Measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020 and The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 have given the UK public officials sweeping powers to fundamentally interrupt daily life. While there may be general agreement that such powers are necessary as we deal with the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, the expansion in executive and police power and the encroachment on civil liberties is similarly unprecedented in modern times. This session will consider some of these powers. The speaker will also be keen to hear your view on the appropriateness of the measures and the response.
Bradford Cultural Virtual Tour
Brew yourself a nice cup of Yorkshire Tea and sit back to relax with this virtual tour of Bradford's hidden highlights. We will show you some of the many exciting and interesting aspects of Bradford's culture and heritage through the local area. We shall see the work and activities which celebrate Bradford's recognition as a UNESCO City of Film with its excellent Science and Media Museum, and also the architectural gems of the city plus the model workers' village of the suburban Saltaire, a UNESCO site, and more!
Friday 19 June
‘Cat Bond’ as Reinsurance for Disaster Financing
Natural disasters such as destructive hurricanes have occurred over the past two decades, and more disasters are likely to occur in the not-usually foreseeable future. Finance is essential for ensuring post-disaster resilience and sustainable development. In this session, we will see how catastrophe bond, often known as ‘cat bond’ and as a kind of reinsurance, is relevant to disaster financing. Questions to be explored are: What is ‘cat bond’? What are the key elements of the legal framework for a cat bond to operate? What technologies are essential for it?
Presentations, Awards and Closing Ceremony
Be recognised for your efforts in attending the full programme of the School of Law Summer School. Hear presentations and feedback and participate in the awards and closing ceremony with Prof Engobo Emeseh, Head of School of Law.
School of Law | PGR research seminars 2021/22
Seminar 1 ¦ Wednesday 6 October 2021 ¦ 1pm-2.30pm MS Teams
Presentations by PhD Researchers Believe Edemadide, Aleksandra Marcinkowska and Ebiemere Osaro + Q&A session
Seminar 2 ¦ Wednesday 3 November 2021 ¦ 1pm-2.30pm MS Teams
‘Publishing from your PhD’ - Dr Tom McMeeking, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Leeds
Presentation by PhD Researcher Luke Steele
Seminar 3 ¦ Wednesday 1 December 2021 ¦ 1pm-2.30pm MS Teams
Research Ethics and the Ethical Approval Process - Dr Chris Taylor, School of Law, University of Bradford
Presentation by PhD Researcher Nigel Pitchford