This week saw the UK launch of the European Law Institute (ELI), an entirely new and unique body bringing together practitioners, judges and scholars in all fields of law.
The ELI's aim is to improve the quality of all branches of law in Europe - it currently has ongoing or projected activities in contract law, criminal law, tax law and administrative law. It plans to co-operate in fields of transnational law with bodies such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Unidroit and the American Law Institute.
Recent completed projects included the proposal for a European Sales Law and the reform of the procedures of the European Court of Human Rights. In both cases the project was led by a British lawyer: the sales law project by Sir John Thomas, president of the Queen's Bench Division; and the Strasbourg Court project by Paul Mahoney, who has subsequently been elected the UK judge on the Strasbourg Court.
Get involved
As a body that could play a key role in shaping the future of EU law, the Law Society encourages solicitors from England and Wales to contribute to the work of the ELI.
As well as the opportunity to take an active part in its work, you will be well placed to:
- follow the development of the law across Europe, and sometimes beyond
- establish contacts with leading figures
- have the opportunity to have their own expertise recognised.
The membership fee for individuals is €60 a year; for law firms, there is a sliding scale dependent on the firm's size.
Further details on the European Law Institute website