Dean's message to alumni - MT 2025

There continues to be an enormous amount of activity taking place in the Law Faculty. Amongst the biggest of our projects is the ongoing review of our undergraduate degree programmes. The introduction of the SQA and the abolition of the idea of a qualifying law degree as a route to practice as a solicitor, along with other changes such as the advent of AI, have led us to undertake the first review of our programme structure and content in over two decades. As part of our data-gathering in developing proposals, we would like to hear from alumni of our undergraduate programmes about how study here helped to prepare you for your subsequent career, and what additional skills, if any, you think it would be valuable for our graduates to acquire. Please do take a few minutes to complete the survey which will help us to learn from your experiences.

Another very major project concerns the St Cross Building. After many years of anticipation, the English Faculty finally vacated their premises in the building on 1 December, having moved to the new Schwartzman Centre for the Humanities. The University Congregation recently approved the Law Faculty’s proposal to take over this vacant space, which constitutes a very significant (70 per cent) increase in our floor space. We are currently working with a design team led by Associated Architects to refurbish this space to provide high-quality teaching rooms, workspace for research students, additional offices, and a central meeting area with a café where all members of the Faculty can sit and discuss ideas. When these plans are implemented, which we currently expect will be in 2028, the St Cross Building will become a much more effective hub for the Law Faculty’s activities. 

This year, we have been fortunate to make several excellent new appointments to Faculty positions. These include Dr Or Brook, who has been appointed to an Associate Professorship of Competition Law in association with Pembroke College; Dr Michael Foran, appointed to an Associate Professorship of Law in association with Keble College, Professor Assaf Hamdani, appointed as Professor of Corporate Law in association with Jesus College, Dr Jaime Lindsay, appointed to an Associate Professorship of Medical Law in association with Oriel College and Professor Rachel Murray, appointed as the Director of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights in association with Mansfield College. 

We also welcomed 3] new Dean’s Scholars: Abdullahi Ali Hassan (DPhil Socio-Legal Studies), Arifur Rahman (DPhil Law) and Niki Giannakou (MJur). Abdullah’s is looking at how social media is transforming transnational business dispute mediation among Somali communities in South Africa. While, Arifur is exploring the intersection of transnational corporations, international law and LGBT+ rights from a normative perspective.  

I am enormously grateful to those of you who have donated to the Dean’s Scholars Fund, to enable these talented scholars to join us. 

I wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and look forward to sharing more news with you in 2026.

John Armour