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Meet our alumni
Bentham Association
Established in 1949, the Bentham Association was formed to help maintain and strengthen relationships with our former students, colleagues and friends of UCL Laws.
Over the years, the Association has been led by many distinguished figures, including Lord du Parcq, the first President, as well as Sir David Hughes Parry, Lord Hallisham, Lady Hale and Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury.
Today the Bentham Association retains its distinctive community of UCL Laws supporters but is also open to all UCL alumni working in legal areas. It offers opportunities for professional networking and development, with alumni being eligible for a 15% discount on our CPD courses. Members are invited to attend special alumni events and reunions including the Presidential Address and Dinner which takes place each year.
Our alumni play a vital part in the life of UCL Laws by judging student moots and client interviewing competitions, sharing their experiences at careers and recruitment events, and through their professional connections, help us to obtain sponsorship to support and promote our events and activities and offer internships and placement opportunities to our students.
With the generous support of our alumni, we are able to support students with limited means to study with us and also award prizes in recognition of their achievements at the annual Prizewinners Ceremony.
- Past Presidents of the Bentham Association
2023 Patrick O'Connor KC
2020 Karon Monaghan QC
2019 Lord Reed - Watch Lord Reed's lecture
2018 Professor Dame Hazel Genn DBE QC - Watch Professor Genn's lecture
2017 Professor Kate O'Regan - Watch Professor O'Regan's lecture
2016 The Honourable Chief Justice Geoffrey MA Tao-li, GBM
2015 Lord Falconer of Thornton PC, QC - Watch Lord Falconer's 2015 Presidential Address on YouTube
2014 Lord Dyson – Lord Dyson's Bentham Address (pdf)
2013 Professor Sir Robin Jacob
2012 Lady Justice Hallett DBE – Watch Lady Justice Hallett DBE's Presidential Address on YouTube, or download a pdf.
2011 Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury – Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury's Bentham Address (pdf)
2010 Lord Hope of Craighead – Lord Hope of Craighead's Bentham Address (pdf)
2009 Lord Pannick QC 2008 Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe – Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe's Bentham Address (pdf)
2007 Baroness Ruth Deech – Baroness Ruth Deech's Bentham Address (pdf)
2006 Sir John Laws – Sir John Laws' Bentham Address (pdf)
2005 Lady Hale – Lady Hale's Bentham Address (pdf)
2004 Mr Justice Edwin Cameron – Edwin Cameron's Bentham Address (pdf)
2003 Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers – Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers' Bentham Address (pdf)
2002 Sir Ian Kennedy
2001 Lord Hoffmann – Lord Hoffmann's Bentham Address (pdf)
2000 Lord Bingham of Cornhill – Lord Bingham of Cornhill's Bentham Address (pdf)
1999 Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws, Q.C.
1998 The Hon. Justice Richard Posner
1997 Sir Richard Scott
1996 Lord Steyn
1995 Sir Iain Glidewell
1994 Lord Woolf, CH
1993 Lord Browne Wilkinson
1992 Lord Slynn of Hadley
1991 Sir T. L. Yang
1990 Lord Donaldson of Lymington
1989 Lord Justice Butler-Sloss, D.B.E.
1988 Sir Robert Megarry
1987 Sir Roger Ormrod
1986 Lord Goff of Chieveley
1985 Sir Jack Jacob, Q.C.
1984 Lord Roskill
1983 Lord Lloyd of Hampstead, Q.C.
1982 Lord Emslie
1981 Lord Hailsham
1980 Lord Elwyn-Jones
1979 Sir Garfield Barwick
1978 Baroness Wooton of Abinger
1977 Lord Goodman, C.H
1976 Rt. Hon. Bora Laskin
1975 Lord Edmund-Davies
1974 Lord Cross
1973 Lord Morris
1972 The Hon. Warren E. Burger
1971 Lord Diplock
1970 Lord Gardiner
1969 Professor Otto Kahn-Freund
1968 Lord McDermott
1967 Lord Kilbrandon
1966 Lord Justice Scarman
1965 Lord Parker
1964 Sir Francis Vallat, Q.C.
1963 Professor G.W. Keeton
1962 Mr Justice Thompson
1961 Lord Justice Salmon
1960 Professor J.L. Montrose
1959 Sir David Hughes Parry
1958 Lord Tangley
1957 Lord Hodson
1956 Lord Devlin
1955 Professor H.G. Hanbury
1954 Professor H.F. Jolowicz
1953 Lord Evershed
1952 Lord Justice Denning
1951 Sir Cecil Carr, K.C
1950 Lord Normand
1949 Lord du Parcq