2024 Bentham Association Presidential Address & Dinner
UCL Laws' Annual Alumni event
2024 Bentham Association Presidential Address & Dinner
26 Mar 2025, 18:15 – 22:30
Professor Eloise Scotford, Dean of UCL Laws, is delighted to invite UCL Laws Alumni and UCL Alumni working in the Law to
The 2024 Bentham Association Presidential Address
by Professor Nicola Lacey (LSE, UCL Alumna)
on Criminal Justice and Social (In)Justice
Chaired by Professor David Ormerod (UCL Laws)
About the Address
A recognition of the obstacles to achieving criminal justice in a society marked by structural injustice has been a longstanding feature of philosophical, legal and criminological literatures. Inequalities and injustices in social attitudes to certain groups and in the distribution of resources and opportunities in fields ranging from family life, education, health care, shelter and secure employment are perhaps the most obviously relevant features of a social order. Moreover the experience of abuse, prejudice, violence or nutritional or emotional deprivation is now understood to affect not simply economic and life opportunities but psychological and cognitive development. In my address, I consider the implications of these problems for criminal lawyers, and the room for manoeuvre in mitigating such injustice afforded by the criminal law and criminal process.
About our 2024 President
Nicola Lacey is School Professor of Law, Gender and Social Policy at the London School of Economics. She is a Fellow of the British Academy, served as a member of the British Academy’s Policy Group on Prisons, which reported in 2014, and was from 2014-2019 the Academy’s nominee on the Board of the British Museum. In 2011 she was awarded the Hans Sigrist Prize by the University of Bern, for scholarship on the rule of law in modern societies; and in 2022 she won the Law and Society Association’s International Prize. Her publications include A Life of HLA Hart (OUP 2004); Women, Crime and Character: From Moll Flanders to Tess of the D’Urbervilles (2008); The Prisoners’ Dilemma (2008), and In Search of Criminal Responsibility (2016).
Nicola is a graduate of UCL Laws (1979) and received an LLB (First Class Honours), as well as winning many prizes including the Hurst Prize in English Law; the Maxwell Law Prize, 1978; and the Maxwell Medal for top degree of year in the Faculty, 1979. Nicola taught at UCL Laws between 1981-84, before moving to New College Oxford (1984-95); Birkbeck College, University of London (1995-97); LSE (1998-2010); All Souls College, Oxford (2010-13); and LSE (2013 to present).
Nicola has numerous awards and distinctions - Elected Fellow of the British Academy, 2001; Swiney Prize, 2004; Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship, 2006-9; Elected an Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford, 2007; Clarendon Law Lectures, 2007; Hamlyn Lecturer, 2007; Elected an Honorary Fellow of University College, Oxford, 2010; Elected an Honorary Bencher, Inner Temple, 2011; Hans Sigrist Prize, the University of Bern, for scholarship on the rule of law in modern societies, 2011; CBE for services to Law, Justice and Gender Politics, 2017; Maccabaean Lecture in Jurisprudence, British Academy, 2017; Honorary Doctorate in Laws, University of Edinburgh, 2018; Elected Member of the Academia Europaea, 2021; Honorary Doctorate, University of Oslo 2022; and the Law and Society Association International Prize, 2022
18:15 Reception (The Hub, UCL Faculty of Laws)
19:00 Bentham Association Presidential Address (Gideon Schreier Lecture theatre)
19:55 Dinner guests walk to the dining hall
20:15 Dinner
22:30 Carriages
This event is open to UCL Laws graduates and UCL graduates now working within the Law. Guests must be accompanied by a UCL graduate.
UCL Alumni and their Guests = £85
UCL Young Graduate (up to 5 years from graduation - 2019-2024) = £70
Sponsor a current students to attend = £70
UCL Alumni Attendance Lecture Live Stream Only = £5
Book your place here and pay via card: https://2025-ucl-bentham-association-dinner.eventbrite.co.uk
If you cannot make your booking using the link above, please contact Lisa Penfold and she can give you the UCL bank details and reference to make a bank transfer. Unfortunately we can no longer accept payment by cheque.
Established in 1949, the Bentham Association was formed to help maintain and strengthen relationships with our former students, colleagues and friends of UCL Laws. The Association is open to UCL Laws Alumni and UCL Alumni now working within the Law.
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.
If you have any queries about this event, please email lisa.penfold@ucl.ac.uk
Further information
Ticketing
Pre-booking essential
Cost
Free
Open to
UCL alumni