Working for better legal education and justice since 2008

***All the work of the UKLSA is done on a voluntary basis.***

 

The UKLSA was founded in 2008 with the aim to:

  • Further advance the legal education/training in the UK;

  • Identify areas for academic development;

  • Represent UK law students/lawyers-to-be at a national and international level;

  • Identify and enhance career opportunities;

  • Facilitate global exchange and enhance international cooperation;

  • Promote equal access to the legal profession and justice;

  • Provide a common platform for UK lawyers-to-be towards improving legal training and experience.

 

 

England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legal system, and each jurisdiction has its own regulatory and representative bodies. However, the UK has a common Legislature and Supreme Court, and acts as ‘the UK’ at an international level. Inspired by his work representing an NGO at the United Nations, Fatos Selita, the Founder of the UKLSA, recognised the need for a UK-wide organisation to represent and support UK law students and graduates.

 

25 University Law Societies in the first month

 

In the first month of its operation, 25 University Law Societies across the UK, including Queens Belfast in Ireland, Aberdeen in Scotland; Leicester and Queen Mary in England, joined the Association.

 

 

Our Work

 

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Our Board

 

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Timeline

 

 

2008 – The UKLSA was founded

 

In Feb 2008, the UKLSA organised its first large inter-university event with participants from seven UK Universities, and members of the legal profession, judiciary, academia and the executive.

 

2009

Lord Bingham – one of the greatest contributors to justice – became the Patron of the Association, followed by the first President of the Supreme Court, Lord Phillips.  In 2012,  Lord Neuberger, then President of the Supreme Court, became the Patron of the Association.

The UKLSA commenced its first Annual National Inter-institution Advocacy & Moot Competition, where only one representing team from each educational institution can take part. The first competition was won by King’s College, London. In two years the competition grew to 48 educational institutions, including the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.

2011

The UKLSA started organising its Annual National Equalities Conference, promoting equal access to the profession and justice. The first conference, which was hosted by the Honourable Society of Inner Temple, included student from England, Wales,  Scotland and Ireland. Over 40 practitioners, including Dame Heather Carol Hallett DBE, also participated in the first conference.

2011

The Association Started its Law Journal, Legal Issues Journal (previously The UK Law Student Review), publishing its first issue in April 2012, with a Foreword by the President of the Supreme Court The Right Hon the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, and sponsored by Oxford University Press.

2015

To reflect the Journal’s aim, mission, and cross-border coverage,  the Journal’s name was changed to Legal Issues Journal.

To reflect our work in matters of law and society, we updated the name to The United Kingdom Law and Society Association (UKLSA).

2017

The UKLSA organised the 1st known International Digital Moot Court Competition – iMAC Digital, International Moot & Advocacy Competition – Digital