Conference
Conference Report: ESELS Annual Conference 2023 Warsaw
The European Society for Empirical Legal Studies (ESELS) convened its highly successful 2023 Annual Conference, bringing together over a hundred participants from across the globe in Warsaw, Poland. This two-day event was marked by a rich array of sessions and activities, fostering intellectual exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration specifically interested for a European audience.
Day 1
Opening
The inaugural day of the conference began with a warm welcome from Jessie Pool, ESELS President, and the Organizing Committee, represented by Jaroslaw Beldowski. Their opening remarks underscored the vital role of interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledgesharing in tackling contemporary challenges that European empirical legal scholars are dealing with. Subsequently, Professor Krzysztof Kozlowski, Vice-Rector of the Warsaw School of Economics, inaugurated the conference, reaffirming the institution’s dedication to academic excellence.
Keynote by Professor Jennifer Robbenolt
Next up was a compelling keynote address by Professor Jennifer Robbenolt, the Alice Curtis Campbell Professor of Law and Psychology at the Illinois College of Law. In her lecture titled “Apologies, Remorse, and Amends: Empirical Legal Studies Across Domains and Disciplines,” Professor Robbenolt explored the significance of apologies within legal contexts and gave valuable insights in how apologies are nowadays applied in various different settings around the world with different purposes and motivations.
Panel Sessions
The conference then transitioned into panel sessions, where scholars engaged in dynamic discussions spanning various disciplines. These sessions facilitated the exchange of ideas and encouraged interdisciplinary perspectives on a wide spectrum of topics ranging from insolvency law to criminal law and methodological perspectives. Following the panels, participants convened for a networking lunch, fostering further discussions and collaborations on how to advance empirical legal knowledge.
General Assembly
In the afternoon, ESELS members gathered for the General Assembly, where they contributed their insights and recommendations for the future of the society. During the assembly, the 2023/2024 board was elected, consisting of Catrien Bijleveld (President), Jessie Pool (Past President), Urska Sadl (Future President), Mariia Domina (Board Member), and Pieter Desmet (Board Member). Sonja Bekker and Mattias Derlen were elected to the financial committee.
Round Table on Interdisciplinarity
The day concluded with a round table on interdisciplinarity, moderated by Bijleveld and Beldowski. Panelists Libor Dusek, Rita Gsenger, and Kyra Wigard shared their perspectives on the value and challenges of interdisciplinarity, both in teaching and research. The evening concluded with a dinner featuring some typical Polish specialties.
Day 2
Panel Sessions
After a good night of sleep, the second day of the conference commenced with another set of engaging panel sessions, providing participants with ample opportunities to explore interdisciplinary topics of interest.
Keynote by Professor Adam Bodnar
The second keynote address was delivered by Professor Adam Bodnar, Dean of the Faculty of Law at SWPS University, Poland, and former Ombudsman of Poland. His lecture, titled “Rule of Law Crisis in Poland and Its Impact on Legal Safety of Business and Citizens,” sparked stimulating discussions among attendees and touched upon some very relevant current debates in Poland.
Networking Lunch and Panel Sessions
Following the morning sessions, attendees enjoyed another networking lunch, further strengthening the connections formed during the conference. The afternoon featured two additional rounds of stimulating panel sessions, offering participants the chance to delve into a diverse range of subjects and engage in fruitful dialogues for example on how to teach methods to lawyers.
Closing Ceremony: European Journal of Empirical Legal Studies and ESELS 2024 Conference in Elche, Alicante
The closing ceremony chaired by Catrien Bijleveld, incoming President of ESELS, included the exciting announcement by Johan Lindholm of the European Journal of Empirical Legal Studies. Additionally, Elena Beatriz Fernández Castejón revealed that the 2024 ESELS conference will be held in Elche, Alicante on June 20 and 21.
In conclusion, the ESELS Annual Conference 2023 was an overwhelming success, promoting interdisciplinary dialogue, knowledge-exchange, and networking among scholars and professionals from around the world. The conference exemplified the importance of European collaboration in advancing empirical legal research and addressing pressing challenges. Expectations are high for the 2024 conference in Elche, where we hope to witness even more outstanding contributions from our European ELS community.
June 1-2 2023
Empirical Legal Studies in EU Law Conference
The London School of Economics Law School organises the Conference ‘Empirical Legal Studies in EU Law: Foundations, Methods, Themes’
This conference adressess the new empirical turn in scholarship on EU law. It brings together the main protagonists – as well as some of its critics – of the trend towards empirical legal research in the EU, to discuss its objectives, potential, and future. The conference will feature 30 leading legal and political science scholars working in the field of empirical legal studies. Sessions are on The emergence of EU Empirical Legal Studies, The Point of EU Empirical Legal Studies, Data, Methods, and several Substantive Themes.
Attendance is free – everybody is invited to join, including students and non-LSE researchers. Visit the Conference Website. You can also download a pdf of the Programme here.
Conference venue: Marshall Building, room MAR 2.05, 44 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 2ES London, UK
The proceedings will be live streamed. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Toulouse June 9-10 2023
International conference Empirical Legal Research
ESELS founding board member Julien Bétalle and others are organising the International Conference on Empirical Legal Research – A State of Knowledge Across Europe at the Université Toulouse Capitole on 9 and 10 Juni 2023. Sessions are on Trends across European Empirical Legal Research, Empirical Legal Research across legal disciplines in Europe and on Empirical Legal Research across European environmental scholarship. Download the pdf booklet containing the programme and practical information below. No deadline for registration is mentioned, one can register with Sylvie.Trentin@ut-capitole.fr. The registration fee is € 100, except for students, Phd candidates & Toulouse university staff.
Save the Date!
ESELS Conference Warsaw 25-26 September 2023
The 2023 conference of the European Society for Empirical Legal Studies will take place on 25 and 26 September and will be hosted by the Warsaw School of Economics. Conference venue: College Science Building (Szkoła Główna Handlowa) – Building C, al. Niepodległości 128, 02-554 Warszawa (Mokotów)
Important milestone
formal establishment of the European Society for Empirical Legal Studies
It’s official! Friday the 10th of March, the European Society for Empirical Legal Studies was officially established at TeekensKarstens advocaten notarissen in snow-covered Leiden, the Netherlands. More news will follow!
International ELS Conference 2
Founding of the European Society for Empirical Legal Studies
The report on the Empirical Legal Studies Conference of 2022 can be viewed on our ESELS Conference page.