Open Library of Humanities to publish Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal

The Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal (OUCLJ) will be published by the Open Library of Humanities (OLH) from spring 2027, making its research freely available to readers worldwide. 

OUCLJ is the flagship journal of Oxford University’s postgraduate law community. It is designed for doctrinal and theoretical contributions from academics, professionals and policymakers on matters of current interest to Commonwealth legal systems. Founded in 2001, it provides a forum for international debate on both private and public law topics. Some pieces are explicitly comparative, while others concern only a single jurisdiction. 

Professor John Armour, Dean of Oxford’s Faculty of Law, said: “We are delighted that the Open Library of Humanities will be taking forward publication of the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal. The OLH is an innovative publisher run by academics for academics and has a sector-leading model for ensuring open access for all, to the benefit of readers and authors. We look forward to a fruitful partnership.” 

OUCLJ General Editors Amy Hemsworth and Zoya Yasmine, both DPhil candidates at Oxford, added: “We are thrilled to be the first law journal published by OLH. The OUCLJ has worked for 25 years promoting the exchange of legal scholarship throughout the Commonwealth, and to make all of this research freely available to readers across the world is really valuable for the academic community.” 

OUCLJ is currently preparing for the transition and will publish its first issue with OLH in spring 2027. A new journal website and submissions portal will be announced shortly. 

OLH Executive Director Professor Caroline Edwards said: “We’re excited to accept OLH’s first journal of legal scholarship, which complements our growing journals portfolio of humanities and social sciences subjects.”