School of Law

Birkbeck's School of Law, founded in 1992, houses a large community of teaching and research experts and offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

It is proud of being a pioneer in establishing and developing a hub for the field of critical legal studies. While our national and international reputation has been forged through critical legal research, more recently we have gained recognition for critical criminological and activist research, socio-legal scholarship and policy-engaged empirical research.

In recognition of this, the last Research Excellence Framework exercise ranked us as being in the top 10 law schools in the UK and in the top three in London for research intensity.

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ABOUT US

Our people

Find out who the key people are in the School of Law, including our Executive Dean, professional services staff and visiting staff.

Our history

Throughout our short history, we have established ourselves as inclusive and high achieving.

School activities for students

Read about the School of Law's mooting and Writers in Residence programmes.

Research ethics

Read about our research ethics policy which applies to research involving personal data or other risks.

Our publications

Read about the School of Law's two publications, the Birkbeck Law Press and the Law and Critique.

School news

Find out about our latest news, and what's happening within the school.

Our departments

Visit our department sites to find out which courses we offer for prospective students.

Department of Criminology

The Department of Criminology has a proud tradition of critical criminological scholarship and internationally recognised research.

Department of Law

The Department of Law is a leading international centre for world-class legal teaching, research and scholarship.

Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research

The ICPR produces and disseminates knowledge about justice, informs public and political debate, and contributes to improvements in policy and practice.

Studying LLB Law at Birkbeck, University of London

Hear from some of our students and lecturers about what it's like to study LLB Law at Birkbeck. As well as learning how to engage with the way law works in practice, you'll develop your develop your communication, presentation and analytical skills.

Find out more about studying law at Birkbeck

OUR RESEARCH CLUSTERS

Our clusters sum up our core research themes and activities.

Critical legal and criminological theory research cluster

In this cluster, we focus on approaching law and criminology through critical theory.

Human rights research cluster

We bring together human rights, international law and European law.

Law and humanities research cluster

We work together to use the humanities to understand the law, its institutions and practices.

Policy, practice and activism research cluster

Our group explores social policy and practice.

Race, gender and culture research cluster

In this cluster, we explore the place of sex, gender and race in the law, especially inequalities and failures of justice.

Regulation, risk and surveillance research cluster

Together, we focus on governance and regulation in finance, criminal justice, schools and the creative industries.

OUR RESEARCH CENTRES

Centre for the Critical Study of European Law

The Centre for Critical European Law builds on the school’s rich heritage in the field of critical jurisprudence, to promote studies of European Law.

Centre for Law and the Humanities

Birkbeck's Centre for Law and the Humanities promotes and develops research at the intersection of law and the humanities.

Centre for Research on Race and Law

Birkbeck's Centre for Research on Race and Law explores the conceptual and practical connections between race and law.

EVENTS

Find out what's happening in the School of Law and what events are available for students to attend.

Annual events

Read about the School of Law's seminars, lectures and conferences that take place every year.

School events

We run a wide range of events, showcasing the breadth of our academic and research interests.

Careers support

Read about the annual events, workshops and seminars that help students understand the different legal career paths open to them.

Law on Trial

Law on Trial is an annual, week-long programme of free, public events around a chosen legal theme.