The Society Of Legal Scholars In The United Kingdom And Ireland

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Approximately £90,000-100,000+ (based on dedicated fund allocations)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Varies by program (conference papers: ~6 weeks)
• Grant Range: £500 - £15,000
• Geographic Focus: United Kingdom and Ireland
• Membership: Over 3,000 legal academics

Contact Details

• Website: www.legalscholars.ac.uk
• Email: admin@legalscholars.ac.uk
• Phone: 07398 032393
• Address: PO Box 3017, Bristol BS6 9HJ, United Kingdom

Overview

The Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) was founded in 1908 and is registered as charity 282719. It is the oldest and largest learned society for legal academics in the United Kingdom, with over 3,000 members primarily working in law schools across the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Society's charitable object is “the advancement of legal education and scholarship in the United Kingdom and Ireland.” With annual income of approximately £310,000 and total expenditure of £335,000 (2023-24), the Society operates through a governance structure of 30 trustees and an Executive Committee accountable to the Council. The SLS promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion across legal academia while supporting members through funding opportunities, publications (including the journal “Legal Studies”), and its annual conference.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Research Activities Fund (RAF)

• Amount: Up to £5,000 per project
• Total Annual Fund: £30,000
• Application Method: Annual deadline - 5:00pm first Monday in March
• Focus: Research projects advancing legal education and scholarship
• Additional: £5,000 available specifically for postgraduate researcher enrichment activities (conference attendance, workshops)

Small Projects and Events Fund

• Amount: Up to £5,000 per project
• Total Annual Fund: £30,000
• Application Method: Two deadlines annually - 1 May and 1 November
• Focus: Teaching or research events/projects that benefit the broader legal education community
• Note: Events must occur at least 3 months after application deadline

Subject Sections Fund

• Amount: Up to £3,000 per meeting/activity
• Total Annual Fund: £30,000
• Application Method: Rolling basis
• Focus: Development of subject sections, promoting subject development and stimulating discussion

Annual SLS Seminar Series

• Amount: Up to £15,000
• Application Method: Annual deadline - 5:00pm last Friday of May
• Focus: Funding for an annual symposium each calendar year

Annual Conference Additional Support Fund (ASF)

• Amount: Not specified
• Focus: Supporting attendance at the SLS annual conference

Priority Areas

• Legal education advancement and pedagogical innovation
• Legal research projects, particularly those involving comparative legal jurisdictions
• Projects addressing broader legal problems relevant to UK/Irish jurisdictions
• Events with open participation that benefit multiple individuals
• Activities promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in legal academia
• Subject section development and scholarly discussion

What They Don't Fund

• Normal postgraduate research costs including living expenses
• Essential fieldwork costs for PhD students
• Individual research projects (through Small Projects and Events Fund - use RAF instead)
• Projects that do not align with advancing legal education and scholarship
• Projects where funds cannot be spent within 12 months of award notification
• Applicants who are not ordinary members in good standing

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Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership (2024-25)

• President: Professor Duncan Sheehan (University of Leeds)
• Vice President: Professor Claudina Richards (University of East Anglia) - will become President October 1, 2025
• Immediate Past President: Professor Paula Giliker (University of Bristol)
• Honorary Secretary: Professor Anne Davies (Oxford)
• Honorary Treasurer: Position held by trustee
• Honorary Membership Secretary: Position held by trustee
• Subject Sections Secretary: Position held by trustee

Governance Structure

• 30 Trustees (no remuneration)
• Council (plenary body with one representative from each qualifying law school)
• Executive Committee (manages day-to-day operations, accountable to Council)
• Research Grants Committee
• Small Projects and Events Fund Committee
• President elected two years in advance, serving progression: Vice President Elect → Vice President → President

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Eligibility: Only ordinary members of the Society of Legal Scholars in good standing are eligible to apply for funding (overseas members are classified as associate members and are not eligible). Membership costs £60 annually for ordinary members, with reduced rates for early-career (£20), concessionary (£20), retired/associate (£40), and overseas (£50) categories.

Application Process:

1. Ensure ordinary membership status is current as of 30 September prior to application
2. Use the standard application form for the relevant fund
3. Include referee form where required (Research Activities Fund)
4. Follow application rules and guidance notes specific to each fund
5. Submit via email to admin@legalscholars.ac.uk by the relevant deadline

Program-Specific Requirements:

• Subject Sections Fund: Applications must be made by or have support of Subject Section Convenors
• Annual SLS Seminar: Seminars comparing other jurisdictions must address legal problems relevant to UK jurisdictions
• Costing: Refer to Grants Costing Guidance when preparing applications

Decision Timeline

• Conference Paper Submissions: Approximately 6 weeks (based on conference abstract timelines)
• Grant Applications: Decision timelines not publicly specified - contact admin@legalscholars.ac.uk for specific program timelines
• Notification: Via email from Administrative Secretary

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available. The Society has distributed funding consistently across multiple years, with published reports from 2016-2025 showing regular RAF awards to researchers across UK institutions.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Contact admin@legalscholars.ac.uk for guidance on reapplication after unsuccessful attempts.

Post-Award Requirements

• Reports: Submit report within 18 months of receiving award using standard report form
• Publication: Reports published in The Reporter and on the Society website
• Claims: Use standard Claim Form; reimbursement not processed until report received
• Acknowledgment: Must acknowledge SLS support in all materials and publications
• Spending: Funds must be spent within 12 months of award notification
• Repurposing: Not permitted unless exceptional circumstances apply

Application Success Factors

Quality and Significance: All funding committees prioritize “quality and significance” of proposed activities in advancing legal education and scholarship. Projects must demonstrate clear contribution to the field.

Alignment with Charitable Objects: Proposals must explicitly align with “advancement of legal education and scholarship” in the UK and Ireland. Applications should clearly articulate this connection.

Inclusive Approach: The Society values projects that benefit multiple individuals and the broader legal education community rather than solely individual benefit. Consider equality, diversity, and inclusion in project design.

Comparative and Broader Relevance: For research involving other jurisdictions, applications should demonstrate how the work compares legal systems or addresses legal problems relevant to UK/Irish contexts.

Appropriate Fund Selection: Ensure you apply to the correct fund - individual research projects should use RAF, while teaching/pedagogical events or broader community activities should use Small Projects and Events Fund.

Realistic Budgeting: Maximum amounts are clearly stated (£3,000-£15,000 depending on fund). Applications should use Grants Costing Guidance and provide detailed, justified budgets.

Strong References: RAF requires referee forms - select referees who can speak to the academic merit and feasibility of your project.

Examples of Funded Work: Recent RAF recipients include researchers investigating socially responsible investment, EU agency roles in human trafficking protection, comparative jurisdictional research, and participation in international legal scholarship conferences. Projects span commercial law, EU law, criminal law, human rights, and other legal specialisms.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Membership is essential: Only ordinary members in good standing can apply - associate/overseas members are ineligible. Ensure membership status before applying.
• Choose the right fund: RAF for individual research, Small Projects/Events Fund for teaching/community events, Subject Sections Fund for section activities, Annual Seminar for symposia.
• Plan ahead for deadlines: Most funds have fixed annual deadlines (March, May, November) - only Subject Sections Fund operates on rolling basis.
• Emphasize broad impact: Applications that benefit multiple individuals and the broader legal education community are favored over purely individual benefit.
• Budget within limits: Don't request more than the stated maximums (£3,000-£15,000 depending on program). The Society does not ordinarily exceed these caps.
• Fulfill reporting obligations: Published reports from previous grantees demonstrate accountability - plan for 18-month reporting requirement.
• Consider EDI factors: The Society explicitly promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion - applications addressing these values may be viewed favorably.

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
• The Green Hall Foundation
• The Wolfson Foundation
• The Foundation of Saint Matthias
• Comic Relief (Charity Projects)
• Irish Youth Foundation (UK) Limited
• Jill and Norman Franklin Trust
• The Access to Justice Foundation
• The Percy Bilton Charity
• The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical Philosophical and Philological Studies

References

• Society of Legal Scholars official website: www.legalscholars.ac.uk
• Research Activities Fund page: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/research-activities-fund/
• Small Projects and Events Fund page: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/small-projects-events-fund/
• Subject Sections Fund page: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/subject-sections-fund/
• Annual SLS Seminar page: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/annual-sls-seminar/
• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=282719
• Research Activities Fund Reports: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/research-activities-fund-reports/
• How the SLS Operates: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/how-the-sls-runs/
• SLS Welcomes 2024-25 President: https://www.legalscholars.ac.uk/news/sls-welcomes-the-2024-25-president/