Assize Seminars: Cutting Edge Criminal Law

The Assize Seminars provide a space for cutting edge academic work to play a practical role in understanding and developing the law. They are a chance to challenge, debate and refine criminal justice, providing a bridge from academia to criminal legal practice. Just like the Assize of old, the seminars are peripatetic, in this case rotating over the next 18 months between three leading academic institutions: Oxford, Cambridge and University College London, all with the support of the Criminal Bar Association. Each institution normally offers a speaker or commentator at each event, with the other half of the slots filled by academics, judges, practitioners, law reformers and others. Events attendance and speaker slots are open to all.

The next event will be on 14 May 2021, hosted by the University of Oxford, on Zoom. The presentations from the speakers will be available in advance, to be watched before the session on 14 May. Details are below and places are limited to facilitate discussion. Book your place now to avoid disappointment.

Book your place

Speakers

Mark Dsouza (UCL)

Matthew Dyson (Oxford, Chair)

Paul Jarvis (CBA)

Findlay Stark (Cambridge)

Rachel Tolley Clement (Cambridge)

Running order

15:00 - Introduction

15:10 - Discussion sesion 1

Speaker: Dr Mark Dsouza, Associate Professor, UCL
Title: "False beliefs and consent to sex"
Commentator: David Emanuel QC, Garden Court Chambers

15:55 - Break

16:00 - Discussion session 2

Speaker: Dr Gabrielle Watson, Shaw Foundation Fellow in Law, Lincoln College, Oxford
Title: "Ethical Perspectives on the Guilty Plea"
Commentator: HHJ Farrell QC, Honorary Recorder of Cambridge and Peterborough

16:45 - Break

16:50 - Discussion session 3

Speaker: Abenaa Owusu-Bempah, Assistant Professor of Law, LSE
Title: "The irrelevance of rap"
Commentators: (double bill)
Kirsty Brimelow QC, Doughty Street Chambers and
Joel Smith, Furnival Chambers and Junior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court

17:35 - Breakout sessions for those interested in further discussion

18:00 - Close

Queries

For any queries regarding the logistics or content for this event please contact Dr Matt Dyson at matthew.dyson@law.ox.ac.uk