Oxford Private Law Research Group hosts 'The Laws of Restitution' Symposium

On Saturday 28 October 2023, the Oxford Private Law Research Group hosted a symposium at Keble College to celebrate the publication of Professor Robert Stevens’ newly published book, The Laws of Restitution. The symposium brought together students, practitioners, members of the judiciary, and academics to discuss the ideas in the book and their practical implications.

The symposium consisted of four panels discussing and debating the various chapters in the book:

•  The first session on ‘Summary and Foundations’ was chaired by Professor Birke Häcker (Universität Bonn), and involved contributions from Lord Burrows (Supreme Court of the United Kingdom), Professor Gerhard Dannemann (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), and Professor Charlie Webb (London School of Economics).
• The second session on the concept of ‘Performance’ was chaired by Mr Justice Foxton (Commercial Court), and involved contributions from Dr Timothy Liau (London School of Economics), Professor Yip Man (Singapore Management University), and Professor Sonja Meier (Universität zu Köln).
• The third session on ‘Property and Trusts’ was chaired by Professor Ben McFarlane (University of oxford), and involved contributions from Professor Lusina Ho (University of Hong Kong), Dr Rachel Leow (London School of Economics), and Professor William Swadling (University of Oxford).
• The fourth and final session on ‘Countervailing Reasons’, ‘Wrongdoing’, and ‘Intervention in Another’s Affairs’ was chaired by Professor Dame Sarah Worthington (University of Cambridge), and involved contributions from Professor Helen Scott (University of Cambridge), Professor Lionel Smith (University of Cambridge), and Professor Stephen Watterson (University of Cambridge).

The Symposium was attended in-person by approximately 70 people and contained a number of online participants, bringing together a number of members of the private law community both nationally and internationally.