Socio-Legal Studies Association

According to a statement of ethical practice in the Socio-Legal Studies Association's 1995 Directory of Members, socio-legal studies may be defined as embracing "disciplines and subjects concerned with the social effects of the law, legal processes, institutions and services". SLSA was established to promote and support the work of socio-legal scholars, to facilitate the regular exchange of ideas and information and to represent the socio-legal research interest in discussions with other bodies. SLSA grew out of an informal group of academics that met at annual conferences to discuss matters of interest. In 1988 it was decided that the group needed a higher profile, and a conference was arranged in Oxford which was attended by over 100 people. The success of the conference permitted another to be held in Edinburgh in 1989, at which the proposal was made to create a formal Association. A Steering Committee was set up to formally establish the SLSA at the 1990 conference in Bristol, using some funds from various law faculties and from the Nuffield Foundation. A newsletter was first published in March 1989; in 1990 an editor was appointed to produce a regular newsletter. Chairs of SLSA are as follows: 1990-1993 Professor Hazel Genn; 1993-1996 Professor Martin Partington; 1996-date Professor Sally Wheeler.