Successful year of Seminars in Law

glar_logoGlobal Law at Reading (GLAR) is the home of public international law, EU law and human rights law at the University of Reading.  2016 saw a very successful year of seminars with key speakers for ‘Axis of Protection: Human Rights in International Law’ and the ‘Ghandhi Research Seminar Series’
The ‘Axis of Protection: Human Rights in International Law’ seminar series, inaugurated in Autumn 2013, provides an opportunity for scholars to engage in discussion of contemporary and challenging issues concerning the protection of human rights in international law with emphasis on human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international refugee law. It is co-convened by Dr Ana Beduschi (Exeter), Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne (Reading), Dr Annika Jones (Durham), Dr Dr Kubo Mačák (Exeter), and Dr Reuven (Ruvi) Ziegler (Reading and Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford). This academic year, the series has received a grant from the Society of Legal Scholars Small Projects and Events Fund.

The first seminar for this academic year took place at Reading on 3 February 2016. The session, chaired by Dr Ruvi Ziegler, featured Professor Hélène Lambert (Westminster) (‘Arbitrary Deprivation of Nationality and Refugee Status’). A podcast is available at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/GlobalLaw/GLARPodcast17.aspx.

The other series seminars for 2015-2016 were held at the University of Exeter on 16 March 2016, featuring Dr Louise Arimatsu (LSE) (‘the legal protection of displaced persons’); at the Refugee Studies Centre, Oxford on 12 May 2016, featuring Dr. David Cantor (SAS) (‘Protection, surrogacy and defining refugees’) and at Durham University on 6 June 2016, featuring Dr Nicola Palmer (KCL) (‘Pluralism in Practice: Interpreting the International, National and Localised Legal Responses to the Rwandan Genocide).

 

In 2015, GLAR launched the Ghandhi Research Seminar Series, which showcases the work of leading experts in these global law fields. The series is convened by Professor James A. Green, and is named in honour of Professor Sandy Ghandhi, who taught at the School of Law from 1978 to 2013.  Five world-renowned external speakers presented papers at Reading in 2015-16, on topics ranging from the concept of aggression in international law to the legal relationship between business, trade and human rights.  The series’ programme for 2016-17 will be announced in October.  GLAR also produces a monthly podcast, which is free to download or stream: it features guest presentations, discussion forums and workshops: https://www.reading.ac.uk/GlobalLaw/GLAR-podcast.aspx.

Corporate and Banking Insolvency Conference 2016 – The Impact of Regulation on Insolvency

Latest Trends in Corporate and Bank Restructuring & Resolution
Reading, 18 May 2016

On 18 May the Centre for Commercial Law and Financial Regulation (CCLFR) held the first conference in Corporate and Banking Insolvency: ‘The Impact of Regulation on Insolvency. Latest Trends in Corporate and Bank Restructuring & Resolution’. The event was attended by over 40 students, legal professionals and prospective students interested in studying at the CCLFR, University of Reading.

Banking Conference

The conference started with a Welcome Speech from the Head of the School of Law, Professor Susan Breau who outlined the law programmes at CCLFR, the current developments and future ambition. The Chair for the Keynote session was Dr Andrea Miglionico, who oversaw speech by Professor Rodrigo Olivares-Caminal (Queen Mary University of London) who presented an overview of the corporate, banking and sovereign debt. The corporate session chaired by Dr Bolanle Adebola commented on the special insolvency regimes. Dr Jorge Guira spoke about selected issues of shadow banks and funds in insolvency and Drew Sainsbury (Senior Associate, Ashurst) presented the MF Global & Lehman Bros case. Graham Lane (Partner, Willkie Farr) commented the special administrations in regulated industries – the case for a differentiated regime for the healthcare.

The banking session chaired by Professor Brian Scott-Quinn (ICMA Centre, Reading) discussed the challenges faced by the bank resolution during the current period of global uncertainty. Professor Christos Hadjiemmanuil (LSE, University of Piraeus) commented the mutual recognition of bank resolution actions in Europe. Dr Stephen Connelly (University of Warwick) spoke about the implementation of the BRRD’s derivative bail-in powers in the UK Finally, Bob Penn (Partner, Allen&Overy) presented the practical barriers to resolution under the BRRD: the experiences in Portugal.

The concluding remarks of the conference were given by Professor Gerard McCormack (University of Leeds) who discussed the challenges faced by corporate and banking insolvency during the crisis. The event was concluded with a Drinks Reception, which gave our participants an opportunity to network with legal professionals and to catch up with old friends.

International Gathering for Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill at All Souls College, Oxford, 14-15 May 2016: co-convened by Dr. Ruvi Ziegler

Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill

On 14-15 April 2016, an international gathering in celebration of the scholarship of Professor Guy S. Goodwin-Gill, Professor of International Refugee Law and Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College, was convened at All Souls College by Professor Jane McAdam (UNSW), Dr Cathryn Costello (Refugee Studies Centre & Faculty of Law, Oxford), and Dr. Ruvi Ziegler (Reading).