Skip to content

EVENTS

Arthur Watts public international law seminar series sponsored by Volterra Fietta: The Revolution in Foreign Relations Law in the UK and other Commonwealth Jurisdictions

Event Details

Time: Seminar - 18:00-19:30, Drinks reception - 19:30-20:30

Venue: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP


Background

What legal principles govern the external exercise of state power within the common law legal systems of the UK and other Commonwealth states? Traditional doctrines served largely to exclude foreign relations from the purview of municipal law. But recent developments have challenged those assumptions across many fronts, from the state's commercial transactions to the battlefield.

Cases pending in the English courts - such as Belhaj, Khan and Serdar Mohamed - continue to contest the contemporary scope of the act of state doctrine in cases involving the actions of the British and foreign governments in dealing with defence and security issues abroad. Has there been a revolution in Anglo-Commonwealth foreign relations law? If so, what are the guide-posts to this changing landscape?

This seminar will examine the contemporary function of foreign relations law and how it is changing, from both academic and practitioner perspectives. Speakers will comment on the tension between foreign relations law and human rights, and between the rule of law and other forms of public accountability.

The seminar will be followed by a drinks reception.

Participants

Speakers

  • Richard Hermer QC, Matrix Chambers
  • Iain Macleod, Legal Adviser, Foreign & Commonwealth Office
  • Professor Campbell McLachlan QC, Victoria University of Wellington Law School, Author of Foreign Relations Law

Chair

  • Lord Collins of Mapesbury, former Justice, UK Supreme Court

Download the Event Flyer

Join the discussion for this event @BIICL #ForeignRelationsLaw


Sponsored by

Reception co-sponsored by

Event convened by Jill Barrett, Arthur Watts Senior Research Fellow in Public International Law, British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL).


CPD points

This event is accredited for 1.5 CPD points.


Pricing and Registration

BIICL Members:

  • Individual - £35
  • Full-time Academic - £20
  • Full-time Student - £12

Non-members:

  • Individual - £59
  • Full-time Academic - £35
  • Full-time Student - £20

N.B. The Academic rate also applies to staff of government and non-profit organisations.


Contact

If you have any queries, please contact the Events team


Photography and audio recording

Please note that our events may be photographed or audio recorded. These materials will be used for internal and external promotional purposes only by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. If you object to appearing in the photographs, please let our photographer know on the day. Alternatively you can email BIICL Marketing Manager, Claudia Mansaray, in advance of the event that you are attending.

 
-
Donate Now Keep In Touch
Save and continue