Adam Perry
Associate Professor of Law
Biography
I grew up in Canada, where I studied economics and law. I came to Oxford in 2006 for the Bachelor of Civil Law and stayed to complete the MPhil and DPhil degrees. After holding academic positions at the European University Institute, the University of Aberdeen, and Queen Mary University of London, I returned to Oxford to take up my current position in 2015. I write and teach in administrative law, constitutional law, and the philosophy of law. I am Articles Editor for the Oxford Journal of Legal Studies.
Publications
Monograph
- The Conventional Constitution (Oxford University Press 2025)
Peer-reviewed articles
- ‘Judicial Review: Substance and Procedure’, Modern Law Review, forthcoming (with A. Ryu)
- ‘Wednesbury Unreasonableness’, Cambridge Law Journal, 2023, vol 82, 483-508
- ‘According to Law’, Analysis, 2023, vol 83, 717-722
- ‘Precedent and Fairness’, Legal Theory, 2023, vol 29, 185-201
- ‘Plainly Wrong’, Modern Law Review, 2023, vol 86, no 1, pp 122-143
- ‘Pardons’, Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy, 2021, vol 8, pp. 215-244
- ‘Law’s Boundaries’, Legal Theory, 2020, vol 26, pp. 103-123
- ‘Enforcing Constitutional Conventions’, International Journal of Constitutional Law, 2020, vol. 17, pp. 1146-1165 (with F. Ahmed and R. Albert)
- ‘Judging Constitutional Conventions’, International Journal of Constitutional Law, 2019, vol. 17, pp. 787-806 (with F. Ahmed and R. Albert)
- ‘Strained Interpretations’, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 2019, vol. 39, pp. 316-343
- ‘Mercy’, Philosophy & Public Affairs, 2018, vol. 46, pp. 60-89
- ‘Top-Down Constitutional Conventions’, Modern Law Review, 2018, vol. 81, pp. 765-789 (with A. Tucker)
- ‘Standing and Civic Virtue’, Law Quarterly Review, 2018, vol. 134, pp. 239-256 (with F. Ahmed)
- ‘Mercy and Caprice Under the Indian Constitution’, Indian Law Review, 2017, vol. 1, pp. 1-13
- ‘The Flexibility Rule in Administrative Law’, Cambridge Law Journal, 2017, vol. 76, pp. 375-398
- ‘Constitutional Statutes’, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 2017, vol. 37, pp. 461-481 (with F. Ahmed)
- ‘The Crown’s Administrative Powers’, Law Quarterly Review, 2015, vol. 131, pp. 652-672
- ‘The Internal Aspect of Social Rules’, Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 2015, vol. 35, pp. 283-300
- ‘The Quasi-Entrenchment of Constitutional Statutes’, Cambridge Law Journal, 2014, vol. 73, pp. 514-535 (with F. Ahmed)
- ‘The Coherence of the Doctrine of Legitimate Expectations’, Cambridge Law Journal, 2014, vol. 73, pp. 61-85 (with F. Ahmed)
- ‘Expertise, Deference, and Giving Reasons’, Public Law, 2012, vol. 2, pp. 221-230 (with F. Ahmed)
- ‘Unlucky Section 13: Sexual Activity Between Children and the Sexual Offences Act 2003’, King’s Law Journal, 2009, vol. 21, pp. 327-339
Chapters, Notes, Reviews
- ‘R (Evans) v Attorney General‘ in L. Graham (ed), The Supreme Court at 15: Reflections on Public Law Cases (Routledge 2025)
- ‘Interpretive Theory in Public Law’ in P. Daly and J. Tomlinson (eds), Researching Public Law in Common Law Systems (Edward Elgar 2023) (with F. Ahmed)
- ‘Consistency in Administrative Law’ in H. Kristjansson, S. Lewis, and T. Endicott (eds), Philosophical Foundations of Precedent (OUP 2023)
- ‘Mercy and the Roles of Judges’ in J. Jacobs and J. Jackson (eds), Routledge Handbook of Criminal Justice Ethics (Routledge 2016) 255-266
- ‘Constitutional Conventions and the Prince of Wales’, Modern Law Review, 2013, vol. 76(6), pp. 1119-1128
- ‘Review: Parliamentary Democracy in Crisis’, University of British Columbia Law Review, 2010, vol. 43, pp. 269-279
Publications
Perry A and Ryu A, ‘Judicial Review: Substance and Procedure’ (2026) 89(2) Modern Law Review 227
PERRY A, ‘Precedent and Fairness’ (2023) 29(3) Legal Theory 185
PERRY A, ‘According to Law’ (2023) 83(4) Analysis 717
PERRY A, ‘Wednesbury Unreasonablenes’ (2023) 82(3) Cambridge Law Journal 483
PERRY A, ‘Plainly Wrong’ (2022) 86(1) The Modern Law Review 122
PERRY A, ‘Law’s Boundaries’ (2020) 26(2) Legal Theory 103
Perry A, Albert R and Ahmed F, ‘Enforcing Constitutional Conventions’ (2020) 17(4) International Journal of Constitutional Law 1146
Perry A, Albert R and Ahmed F, ‘Judging Constitutional Conventions’ (2019) 17(3) International Journal of Constitutional Law 787
Perry A, ‘Strained Interpretations’ (2019) 39(2) Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 316
Perry A, ‘Mercy’ (2018) 46(1) Philosophy and Public Affairs 60
Perry A and Tucker A, ‘Top-Down Constitutional Conventions’ (2018) 81(5) Modern Law Review 765
Perry A and Ahmed F, ‘Standing and Civic Virtue’ (2018) 134 The Law Quarterly Review 239
Perry A, ‘Mercy and Caprice Under the Indian Constitution’ (2017) 1(1) Indian Law Review 56
Ahmed F and Perry A, ‘Constitutional Statutes’ (2016) 37(2) Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 461
Perry A, ‘The Internal Aspect of Social Rules’ (2015) 35(2) Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 283
Ahmed F and Perry A, ‘The Quasi-Entrenchment of Constitutional Statutes’ (2014) 73(3) The Cambridge Law Journal 514
Ahmed F and Perry A, ‘The Coherence of the Doctrine of Legitimate Expectations’ (2014) 73(1) The Cambridge Law Journal 61
Perry A, ‘The Crown’s Administrative Powers’ [2014] The Law Quarterly Review
Perry A, ‘Constitutional Conventions and the Prince of Wales’ (2013) 76(6) Modern Law Review 1119
Ahmed F and PERRY A, ‘Expertise, Deference, and Giving Reasons’ (2012) Vol 2 Public Law 221
Perry A, ‘Unlucky Section 13: Sexual Activity Between Children and the Sexual Offences Act 2003’ (2009) 20(2) King’s Law Journal 327
Perry A, The Conventional Constitution (Oxford University Press 2025)
PERRY A and Ahmed F, ‘Interpretive Theory in Public Law’ in P Daly (ed.), Researching Public Law in Common Law Systems (2023)
PERRY A, ‘Consistency in Administrative Law’ in T Endicott, H Kristjánsson and S Lewis (eds.), Philosophical Foundations of Law (1stst edn., Oxford University Press 2023)
PERRY A, ‘Pardons’ in D Sobel and S Wall (eds.), Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy Volume 8 (1stst edn., Oxford University Press 2021)
PERRY A, ‘Mercy and the Roles of Judges’ in J Jacobs and J Jackson (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Criminal Justice Ethics (Routledge)
Perry A, ‘The Flexibility Rule in Administrative Law’ (2017) 76(2) Cambridge Law Journal 375 (review)
PERRY A, ‘Book Review: Parliamentary Democracy in Crisis’ (2010) Vol. 43(No. 1) University of British Columbia Law Review 269 (review)