2023-12-31-accounts

Socio-Legal Studies Association CIO Trustees’ Annual Report

1 January 2023–31 December 2023

Registered in England and Wales, number 1186333

Principal office: c/ Cardiff University, Sbarc Spark, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ. [e-mail] | www.slsa.ac.uk

SLSA Trustees

Ex Officio Trustees

• Prof John Harrington (Chair) Cardiff University

• Dr Smita Kheria (Vice Chair) Edinburgh University

• Dr Philip Bremner (Treasurer) King’s College London

• Dr Emma Milne (Secretary) Durham University

• Mr Colin Moore (Membership Secretary) University of Essex

Trustees

• Dr Anna Bryson Queens University Belfast

• Dr Marie Burton University of Oxford

• Dr Beverley Clough Manchester Metropolitan University • Dr Richard Craven University of Sheffield

• Dr Simon Flacks University of Sussex

• Dr Sabrina Germain City University of London

• Dr Alex Green University of York

• Dr Elisabeth Griffiths Northumbria University

• Dr Matthew Howard University of Kent

• Dr Marie Hutton University of Sheffield

• Dr Emma Jones University of Sheffield

• Dr Kay Lalor Manchester Metropolitan University

• Dr Kirsten McConnachie University of Liverpool

• Dr Rebecca Moosavian University of Leeds

• Dr Raza Saeed University of Warwick

• Dr Mitchell Travis University of Leeds

Socio-Legal Studies Association, a charitable incorporated organisation (registered charity number 1186333). Principal office: c/ Cardiff University, Sbarc Spark, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ. [e-mail] | www.slsa.ac.uk

Contents
SLSA TRUSTEES	1
CONTENTS	2
CHAIR’S REPORT	3
VICE-CHAIR’S REPORT	7
TREASURER’S REPORT	8
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY REPORT	12
DATA PROTECTION OFFICER’S REPORT	12
GRANTS	13
SEMINAR COMPETITION	15
PRIZES	16
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION	19
PRECARITY	20
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES	21
RECRUITMENT	23
POSTGRADUATE ACTIVITIES	23
OPEN ACCESS	25
IMPACT	25
SOCIAL MEDIA	26
BLOG	27
WEBSITE, NEWSLETTER AND E-BULLETIN	28
YOUTUBE	30

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Chair’s Report

Board Membership/Charity Commission

The following SLSA Trustees stepped down at the AGM in 2023: Chris Ashford (ViceChair), Neil Graffin (Honorary Secretary), Clare Williams, Vanessa Munro, and Flora Renz. The Board is very grateful to each of them for their essential contribution.

The following Trustees were elected at the AGM: Marie Hutton, Alex Green, Raza Saeed, Kirsten McConnachie and Kay Lalor. Smita Kheria was elected to the position Vice-Chair, and Emma Milne to Honorary Secretary. We are looking forward to working with all of them.

Maddy Millar stepped down as Postgraduate Representative, and we are grateful to her for contribution in this important role. From a strong field we selected Mini Saxena as her replacement.

In order to inform current Trustees regarding their responsibilities, we invited SLSA member John Picton, an expert in Charity Law to address the Board. He provided an overview of Trustees duties, and of the wider landscape of charities regulation in which the SLSA operates. The recorded presentation along with links and further information is now available on our webpages. It functions thus as a resource for members considering running for Trustee roles, contributing to our EDI goal of widening participation in the Board and the activities of SLSA more generally.

SLSA’s annual return to the Charity Commission was submitted in July 2023.

Annual Conference

SLSA 2023 at Ulster University was a great success. With over 800 delegates, including 600 in person, from over 20 countries this was the largest and most international conference in the history of the SLSA. Delegates commented very favourably on the rich variety of (over 20) streams, panels and papers. Dinner and social events hosting at a range of venues in the historic and beautiful city of DerryLondonderry allowed for networking and catching up with colleagues.

We are very grateful to the organizing team – Mark Simpson, Ciara Fitzpatrick, Claire McCollum and colleagues – for the vision, commitment and hard work that they brought to organizing the conference. In 2024 we will meet at Portsmouth, with Dan Bedford, Emily Walsh and colleagues organizing, and are very much looking forward to making good the 2020 conference which was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Former Trustee Jed Meers led a review of our selection processes and support for conference stream convenors. I am delighted that Bev Clough has taken on the role of SLSA Stream Convenor, overseeing implementation of this important review. Jed also led the commissioning of future conferences. An open call generated a strong field. We awarded the conference to Liverpool (2025) and Sussex (2026).

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Postgraduate Conference

The SLSA Postgraduate Conference 2023 was organized by Linda Mulcahy and colleagues at the Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies. Attendees commented on how much they benefitted from sessions with expert and experienced scholars, as well as opportunities for socializing and informal discussions. Thanks to all involved in this essential fixture in the SLSA calendar.

For the first time we ran an open call for bids to host the PGR conference, making the award to Northumbria University Law School. We are grateful to Laura Graham and team for offering to include the runner-up applicants in planning and delivery so as to develop their capacity. In future we will run bids for two years worth of PGR Conferences (eg. 2025, 2026) as with annual conference.

Further to our internationalization strategy and collaboration with VSR – DutchFlemish Socio-Legal group – we have supported reciprocal participation by PGR researchers in each other’s events.

Academy of Social Sciences/ Fellowships

AcSS continues to provide support and insights for our work, as well as the opportunity to engage directly with other associations, though its Learned Societies CEOs meeting and Learned Societies Conference Group, both of which I attended through the year.

EDI is an important focus for the Academy as it is for SLSA, and I was able to share ongoing work by our EDI Committee with them, including the results of our general and precarity-focused EDI surveys. Both attracted positive notice, given in particular our pathbreaking work in support of precariously employed members, through mentoring, ringfencing grant funds, and dissemination of our survey results to heads of law schools, trade unions, parliamentary committees and others.

We have also gained useful insights into the format of our conference, and the sustainability of hybrid delivery, in light of other societies’ experiences. As regards the latter, it is apparent that SLSA is now among a smaller number of societies still delivering a fully hybrid conference. With the Treasurer, Vice-Chair and future conference organizers, we will continue to review this with a view to inclusivity and financial sustainability goals, as well as the capacity of host institutions.

SLSA made full use of its capacity to nominate 10 members for the AcSS Fellowship in two rounds during the year, having reviewed our internal selection procedures, and encouraged proposals from the diversity of our membership. We are delighted that all 10 nominees were successful in attaining the Fellowship, recognition of the strength of our field and the individual quality of socio-legal scholars.

Costs

The costs of running the SLSA have increased perceptibly over the last year, as the Treasurer’s report and financial statement will explain in more detail. This is in part due to cost inflation affecting our activities (eg. physical delivery of the Newsletter, transport costs for Board meetings), as well as necessary and overdue increases in the rates at which we pay providers of services to the Association. Pursuant to our ambitions for the SLSA, we have launched new initiatives to support the community,

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including our Impact and internationalization awards, and the ringfencing of funds for precariously employed members.

We remain committed to maintaining accessibility in general and to our conferences in particular. Notwithstanding general inflation, membership fees have not been increased since 2021, conference fees at the Early Bird rate have been fixed for the last two conferences, and we have made as many bursaries as is compatible with financial prudence (60 at SLSA 2023 in UIster University).

Membership Systems/Website

We are investing in systems and administrative support to ensure that our membership records are accurate and that new and existing members can access support and pay dues without inconvenience, and enjoy membership benefits related to conferences, prize- and grant-eligibility. This will also ensure we have an accurate view of membership numbers and income to assist with future planning.

I am pleased that we were able to appoint Emma Milne as our new SLSA Administrator during the year, after a competitive process, which eliminated conflicts of interest. As Emma is also a Trustee of the SLSA, we have taken care to comply with provisions of our CIO constitution concerning remuneration for services provided to the association. A plan of regular work and one-off upgrade to systems was agreed by the Board. Emma is advised and supported in her work by our Membership Secretary, Webmaster and Newsletter Editor.

The current SLSA website is now over ten years old and lacks appeal and functionality by comparison with those of many peer societies. We have initiated a scoping exercise with proposals for redesign, backup work, and comparative costs, to allow work to proceed in 2024.

Financial Sustainability

In seeking to cover increases in recurrent costs, as well as needed one-off work and maintaining accessibility, we have worked to secure and increase funds available to the SLSA. We benefit from continuing support from university law schools, who sponsor our Newsletter, increasing the number of sponsors from 21 to 29 over the last year. Ongoing support from Social and Legal Studies and Journal of Law and Society is complemented by bids to support projects and events to Modern Law Review , Legal Education Foundation and ESRC/AcSS.

SLSA has constituted a fundraising group under the leadership of Smita Kheria. Building on our attainment of Gift-Aid status, we are developing technical and informational resources on our webpages to enable members to donate in support of SLSA’s work.

We have also benefitted from notable surpluses generated by recent conferences. We acknowledge the commitment of members attending, and the major contribution made by organizers at York and Ulster. SLSA will manage this income in light of three main considerations: 1) retaining a reserve adequate to cover increased costs; 2) planning for financial contingencies, as exemplified during Covid-19; 3) seeking to return as much as is prudent to the membership in the form of grants, bursaries, and affordable membership levies.

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REF 2029

A sub-group of the SLSA Board responded to Research England’s consultation on the form and scope of the coming REF exercise. We also benefitted from the views of Joanne Conaghan, chair of the REF 2021 Law Panel. Our response was submitted in October 2023, and widely shared with the community through the SLSA E-Bulletin. I am pleased that many of the points we raised regarding fairness and the burden of the exercise were reflected in the subsequent response and revised plans.

Research Funders/Interdisciplinarity

Following an approach by UKRI and other funders, we organized a roundtable for information and consultation with members and other attendees at SLSA 2023 at Ulster University. AHRC, Nuffield Foundation, Legal Education Foundation and the British Academy sent representatives. All remarked on the lively and vibrant atmosphere at the conference.

SLSA was pleased to contribute to AHRC’s planning of its Law and Social Justice research centre competition through this conference event, and in ongoing discussions. We will continue to showcase the strength of our discipline to UKRI and other funders.

The conference at Ulster also included a roundtable on interdisciplinarity to initiate the SLSA’s Learned Societies Initiative. Ann-Marie Gray, chair of the Social Policy Association, Joanne Conaghan, chair of the REF 2021 Law Panel, and Nick Ellison, chair of the REF 2021 Social Policy Panel, reflected on the challenges of working across disciplines in team and individual projects, on publication, funding and impact strategies.

EDI/International/CARA

The EDI group advanced a set of schemes concerning precarity, mentoring, and renewed data collection. These are discussed more fully in the committee’s report. It was pleasing in particular to see the successful launch of our pilot mentoring scheme. I am very grateful to those senior socio-legal scholars who have given of their time to mentor other colleagues.

This year saw implementation of our international strategy. Under the direction of our International Committee, an award scheme was launched to support members in building and sustaining links with colleagues and institutions overseas. As their report indicates, we have also negotiated/pursued partnerships with VSR (Netherlands/Belgium), ALSA (South/East Asia), and LSAANZ (Australia/New Zealand).

Following an approach from CARA (the Council for at Risk Academics) we implemented a waiver of membership fees for academics working in our field who have moved to the UK as refugees. Building on this link we will run a plenary at SLSA 2024 on the historic and current contribution of migrant scholars to socio-legal studies. This will include presentations from three current CARA fellows, and support from the Modern Law Review .

John Harrington, Chair

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Vice-Chair’s Report

This is my first report as Vice Chair and I am grateful to my predecessor, fellow trustees, and the SLSA chair, for their support in my first year of this role.

SLSA Annual Book Prizes

I chaired the three SLSA book prizes for the 2023/24 round. We received a larger than usual number of nominations: 59 nominations this year. To help with the increased workload, we expanded the book prize sub-committee to include two more members. The quality of entries across all three competitions – the Hart/SLSA Book Prize, the Hart SLSA Prize for Early Career Academics, and the Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize, continued to be very high. The judging is in progress and the winners will be announced at the Annual conference in 2024.

Fundraising group

I chaired a new fundraising working group to improve SLSA’s fundraising activities, with a focus on attracting donations, use of gift aid status, as well as receiving legacies, and aiming to formalize, expand and give more prominence to our fundraising efforts. The group discussed and agreed on SLSA’s ability to fundraise as per the CIO constitution as well as formal steps required to implement this (i.e. declaration on the next Charity Commission return). The group’s planned work will include a revision of SLSA’s webpage on donations to succinctly highlight SLSA’s activities and the difference it makes (through community-building work, bursaries, grants, seminars, PGR conference) as well as reasons and mechanisms for supporting SLSA’s work through a donation. The mechanism for donations will be simplified and streamlined i.e. a simple ‘donate’ button that gives the option to make a one-off donation or regular contribution, via easy payment methods, and including the ability to add gift aid. There will be a suitable section on a legacy option enabling donations to be made through wills. Once the work on the webpages is complete, steps will be taken to communicate and promote the donation options. These activities commenced in the second half of 2023 and will continue in 2024.

Miscellaneous

In this reporting period, I attended, along with the SLSA Chair, an online meeting of the Academic Associations Forum, where updates were offered on the IALS Archives, IALS Library, and new School of Advanced Study Research training. I contributed to the process of recruiting a new SLSA administrator, as well as reviewing EOIs for hosting the PGR conference in 2024. I contributed to the first mentor meeting for the launch of the SLSA Pilot mentoring scheme. I also contributed to SLSA’s response to Research England’s consultation on the form and scope of the coming REF exercise. As and when requested by the SLSA Chair, I also provided input on various other matters arising including rules for prizes, funding schemes, finances and forecasting, costs of website development and the upgrade of membership system.

Smita Kheria, Vice-Chair

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Treasurer’s Report

The SLSA’s finances continue to be in a healthy position. As you will see from the breakdown below, our actual income this year (£71,881) was roughly in line with our projected income (£73,600). However, our income projection was based on a £30,000 donation from the Ulster conference which we are still in the process of finalising (and which we anticipate will exceed expectations from previous years). In effect, therefore, we will have considerably exceeded our projected income (albeit that this will be reflected instead in next year’s accounts).

We feel that it is important that our budget forecasts are as accurate as is practical. Therefore our budget forecast for 2024 includes an increased projected conference donation of £45,000. We continue to ask that a projected donation of £20,000 is built into conference budgets but in recent years this higher figure reflects the actual donation that has been made. In addition our forecast reflects the fact that our income has been boosted by the ongoing support from law schools through our newsletter sponsorship scheme for which we are grateful. We have also begun to implement new administrative procedures in relation to membership payments, with the support of our membership secretary and administrator, which has resulted in an increase in income from memberships.

Our budget forecast below also reflects the increase in expenditure we have been able to implement as a result of this increased income. We have made additional funding available within our existing funding schemes particularly to support precariously employed colleagues and international collaboration. This is supported by the generous sponsorship we have received from the Social & Legal Studies to promote collaboration with colleagues in the Global South. Our budget forecast also reflects increased costs associated with running the PGR conference, board meetings and SLSA administration costs. We will also experience some one-off costs this year as we invest in the SLSA website and membership database, each of which are essential to the effective running of the SLSA.

With our projected expenditure (and projected income) at around £100,000 now we believe it is important to continue to maintain one year’s operating costs in reserve. We are in the process of moving some of this reserve into savings accounts such that notice will be required to access some of the funds (£30,000) in order to take advantage of higher interest rates and some will remain instantly accessible either in a savings account (£40,000) or current account (£30,000).

Below is the overview report with the breakdown of accounts from 1st Jan-31st Dec 2023. The accounts were sent at the end of January 2024 to the Kelvin Partnership for independent examination in line with the requirements of our CIO registration with the Charities Commission.

Philip Bremner, Treasurer

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Summary of Accounts

Overall Assets

Opening Balance as 1.1.23 Total Income 1.1.23 - 31.12.23 Total Expenditure 1.1.23 - 31.12.23

Closing Balance as 31.12.23

£173,898

£71,881 £79,882

£165,887

Coop Account

Opening Balance as 1.1.23 Closing Balance as 31.12.23

£148,029.29 £143,392.81

Lloyds Account

Opening Balance as 1.1.23 Closing Balance as 31.12.23

£18,107.40 £19,448.40

Paypal Account

Opening Balance as 1.1.23 Closing Balance as 31.12.23

£7,761.10 £3,046.01

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Breakdown of Income & Expenditure: Period: 1/1/23 – 31/12/23

Income

Memberships	33,973
Annual Conference Donation	0
Newsletter Sponsorship	30,400
Prize/Other Sponsorship	4,000
Grant Return/Underspends	3,488
Miscellaneous	20

TOTAL £71,881

Expenditure

Exec Meeting Expenses	5,103
PG Conference Expenses	6,065
SLSA Admin Support	3,445
Newsletter & E-Bulletin Editorial	23,435
Newsletter Production	10,027
Small Grants	11,264
Seminar Competition	4,850
Impact Funding	2,800
Fieldwork Grants	6,022
Annual Prizes	1,600
SLSA One Day Conferences	0
Website & Subscriber CRM	2,818
Insurance Premium	506
Travel Bursaries	0
Training & Mentoring Grant	0
ACSS Subscription	652
Production Flyers	0
IALS Storage Fee	96
Auditor Fee	1,200
Miscellaneous	0

Total: £79,882

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Forecast budget for 2024

Below is a proposed forecast budget for 2024 (2023 Actuals in Red):

Income

Memberships Annual Conference Donation Newsletter Sponsorship Prize/Other Sponsorship Grant Return/Underspends Miscellaneous

33000 [33,973] 45000 [TBC] 18000 [30,400] 4000 [4,000] 0 [3,488] 0 [20]

TOTAL

100,000 [71,881]

Expenditure

Executive Committee Expenses PG Conference Expenses SLSA Admin Support Newsletter & E-Bulletin Editorial Newsletter Production Small Grants Seminar Competition Fieldwork Grants Impact & Engagement Grants Annual Prizes Website & Database ACSS Subscription IALS Storage Fee Charities Insurance External Auditor Fee Internationalisation Award Scheme Miscellaneous

6000 [5,103] 8000 [6,065] 6500 [3,445] 23500 [23,435] 12000 [10,027] 12000 [11,264] 7000 [4,850] 5000 [6,022] 7500 [2,800] 1600 [1,600] 3000 [2,818] 700 [652] 100 [96] 600 [506] 1500 [1,200] 5000 [0] 0 [0]

TOTAL

100,000 [79,882]

11

Membership Secretary Report

Overall Membership Numbers

As of 15/01/2024 our membership database holds information for the following members.

Full Members (inc/ overseas	1040 (an increase of 140 members).
Honorary Life Members	14
PG Members	333 (a decrease of 344 members)
Retired Memberships	25 (an increase of 2 members)
Total	1412 (a decrease of 152)

• Thank you to new SLSA Administrator, Dr Emma Milne for her excellent work in chasing membership dues and for he her help during my ongoing illness.

• Membership continues to increase steadily in the full section.

• PGR memberships have decreased, mainly as we have become stricter about making sure PGR students only receive one free year and moving them to full memberships once their studies have ended.

• New processes have been implemented to ensure members are chased for fee payment and are then removed from membership if fees are not received (after a period of notice). These plans have been approved by the Board of Trustees.

Colin Moore, Membership Secretary

Data Protection Officer’s Report

There were no data protection requests this year.

Colin Moore, Data Protection Officer

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Grants

Awards made in January 2024

Small research grant winners:

Winners –

• (1) Diamond Ashiagbor, Kent University, Reconceptualising Labour Law: Race, Legal Form and the Legacies of Colonialism, £1,500

• (2) Hannah Hirst, Sheffield University, Exploring Gender Diverse Children’s Participation in Clinical Decision-Making, £1,500

• (3) Paulien de Winter, University of Groningen, Unravelling the Paradox: Investigating Contrasts in Administrative and Criminal Sanctions in the Dutch Social Security System, £1500

• (4) Allison Holmes, Kent University, SQE-mish? The future of sexual offences in legal education, £1279.56

• (5) Cameron Giles, London South Bank University, Law in Universities, Law in Society: Exploring Students’ Perspectives on LLB Degree Design and The Role of Academic Legal Education in England and Wales, £1,155.80

• (6) Joshua Shaw, Kent University, The Legal Somatics of Bioart and Bodily Aesthetics, £961.40.

• (7) Pardis Tehrani, Sunderland University, Enhancing Government Responsiveness by Overcoming Legal Challenges of AI-Driven Chatbots in the Public Sector, £1,500

• (8) Jana Kujundzic, Northumbria University, Towards an Abolitionist Feminist Framework in Former Yugoslavia, £1500

A total of £961.40 was awarded from the ringfenced £2000 precarity pot.

A total of £8435.36 was awarded from the main £10,000 small grants pot. £9396.76 awarded in total for small grants.

Fieldwork research grant winners:

Winners –

• (1) Saptarshi Mandal, Kent University, A Jurisprudence of Statues: Caste, Law, and Public Spaces in India, £1000

• (2) Dalia Saris, QMUL, A practice analysis of the symbiotic relationship between humanitarian security practitioners and private security companies in Nairobi, £1000

• (3) Ayisha Pattnaik, Oxford University, Concealed Claims, Contested Citizens: A Study of India’s Informal, Internal Migrant Workers, £1000

• (4) Atreyee Sengupta, SOAS, Rethinking Feminist Engagement with Institutional Anti-Sexual Harassment Mechanisms: A Study of University Spaces in India, £1000

• (5) Waruguru Gaitho, Cambridge University, “To Revolutionary Type Love”: Legal Mobilization by Black lesbian bisexual and queer (LBQ+) women and nonbinary people in Kenya and South Africa, £1000

Award = £5000 total

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Winners are to be announced in the spring 2024 SLSA newsletter.

New internationalisation award introduced:

This is the first year the internationalisation scheme has run.

Winner - Michael Ashworth, Newcastle University, with Rachel Pougnet at the Max Planck Institute, and Ignacio Riquelme Espinosa at O’Higgins University (Chile), ‘Exploring socio-legal methods and methodologies in studies of governance and regulation’ - £1000.

This is the only award for this round, making a total pot spend of £1000 which is to come from the part of the pot ringfenced for global south collaborations.

Grants guidance amended:

Following points agreed in the May 2023 meeting, RM worked on the following amendments to guidance for Fieldwork, Small Grants and Seminar guidance:

• Confirmation that award winners have the additional option of reporting on how they spent the award via blog or video.

• At the executive board’s request, the guidance regarding non-submission of a report to the SLSA newsletter following the grant of an SLSA award was strengthened.

• The fieldwork guidance was also amended to add a condition that awards cannot be retrospective, and they only cover work undertaken after the awards are announced (i.e. from February each year).

• (Seminar guidance only) A note regarding the importance of diversity of representation of invited speakers at seminars.

• Confirmation that applications must be 1500 words max.

• The academic reference requirement has been removed.

The amended and approved guidance documents were posted to the SLSA website for the 2023 round of applications.

Chasing up old incomplete grant awards:

In January 2023 the executive board discussed approx. £11,000 of incomplete historic grant awards (where awards were granted but the grant-holders ‘fell off the radar’ and had not completed the required final report on their research project). The board asked RM to take steps to chase up any unspent sums from these awards.

RM spent a lot of time chasing up outstanding award holders and/or heads of school. Ultimately all cases were resolved by either the provision of a written report for the SLSA newsletter on the relevant project or the return of unspent award funds to the SLSA account.

Rebecca Moosavian, Chair of the Grants subcommittee

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Seminar Competition

In the time period 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023 the SLSA Seminars SubCommittee awarded five seminar grants out of five applications. All were awarded due to their extremely high quality, demonstrating the significant range of socio-legal research activities taking place among members, and the availability of funds to reward the quality of applications. We had hoped to attract more applications, but this relatively low number reflected the downward trend since Covid 19.

However, although applicant numbers have declined since the pandemic (from 18 applications in the last round pre-Covid), we were pleased to see applications rise for the December 2023 deadline to 13. This, we think, resulted from attempts to advertise the scheme more widely and enthusiastically on social media and other channels.

We will continue to devise ways of encouraging more applications, and this will be discussed at the AGM.

Grants Awarded:

Grants Awarded:
Applicant name and seminar title:	Amount awarded
James Brown and Sarah Carrick Socio-Legal Approaches to Protecting Athletes from Financial and Physical Harm: Challenges, Reflections and Solutions	£1000
Hannah Wishart and Kat Langley Prevent, Surveil and Protect: The fight against Terrorism	£900
Roxanna Dehaghani, Samantha Fairclough, Harriet Pierpoint The Vulnerable Accused in the Criminal Justice System Conference,	£1000
Gregory Davies and Robert Jones Prisoner Rights: Time for a Rethink?	£1000
Victoria Barnes and Amanda Perry-Kessaris Fantasy Legal Exhibitions	£950

Total: £4850

Simon Flacks, Chair of the Seminar subcommittee

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Prizes

The SLSA has seven annual prizes:

• Prize for Contributions to the Socio-Legal Community

• Hart SLSA Book Prize

• Hart SLSA Prize for Early Career Academics

• Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize

• Socio-Legal Article Prize

• Annual Impact Prize

• Poster competition

2023

Below we outline the nominees for each prize awarded in 2023, with the winner highlighted in bold.

Hart SLSA Book Prize

• Jaime T Lindsey (2022) Reimagining the Court of Protection: Access to Justice in Mental Capacity Law Cambridge University Press

• Lucy Series (2022) Deprivation of Liberty in the Shadows of the Institution Bristol University Press

• Silvana Tapia Tapia (2022) Feminism, Violence Against Women and Law Reform: Decolonial Lessons from Ecuador Routledge

• Sharon Thompson (2022) Quiet Revolutionaries: The Married Women’s Association and Family Law Hart

Hart SLSA Prize for Early Career Academics

• Jaime T Lindsey (2022) Reimagining the Court of Protection: Access to Justice in Mental Capacity Law Cambridge University Press

• Silvana Tapia Tapia (2022) Feminism, Violence Against Women and Law Reform: Decolonial Lessons from Ecuador Routledge

Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize

• Lucy Series (2022) Deprivation of Liberty in the Shadows of the Institution Bristol University Press

• Sharon Thompson (2022) Quiet Revolutionaries: The Married Women’s Association and Family Law Hart

Socio-Legal Article Prize

• Henrique Carvalho (2022) ‘Dangerous patterns: joint enterprise and the culture of criminal law’ 0(Ahead of Print) Social and Legal Studies

• Antonia Layard and Room 13 at Hareclive E-Act Academy (2022) ‘Vehicles for justice: buses and advancement’ 49(2) Journal of Law and Society 243–443

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• Natalie Ohana (2021) ‘The politics of the production of knowledge on trauma: the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’ 48(4) Journal of Law and Society 497–523

Annual Impact Prize

• Banning LGBTIQ+ ‘Conversion Therapy’: Engaging Policymakers and LGBTIQ+ Organisations to Change UK Law

• Host institution: School of Law, University of Leeds

• Research team: Dr Ilias Trispiotis, Associate Professor in Human Rights Law, University of Leeds (lead researcher); other participants – Dr Craig Purshouse, Senior Lecturer, University of Liverpool; and Mr Elliot Ross, PhD Candidate, Hertie School, Berlin

• Establishing the Liverpool Access to Advice Network: No Wrong Door, Free Legal Advice for All

• Host institution: University of Liverpool with lead delivery partner Citizens Advice Liverpool

• Research team: Dr James Organ and Dr Jennifer Sigafoos, School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, and Dr Sophie Wickham, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool

• Supporting Online Justice: Enhancing Accessibility, Participation, and Procedural Fairness

• Host institution: Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford

• Research team: Linda Mulcahy, University of Oxford, Anna Tsalapatanis, University of Oxford, Emma Rowden, Oxford Brookes University, Nikki Macmicheal, University of Oxford, Lara MacLachlan, University of Oxford, and Rowen Siemens, University of Oxford

The winner of the SLSA Prize for Contributions to the Socio-Legal Community in 2023 was Professor Rosemary Hunter.

The winner of the SLSA poster competition was Katie Morris, 'Caring about food: rethinking the UK's approach to the right to food through Tronto's political theory of care.

2024

Below we outline the nominees for each prize that will be awarded in 2024. The winners will be announced at the SLSA Annual Conference in Portsmouth, March 2024.

Hart SLSA Book Prize

• Başak Ertür, Spectacles and Specters: A Performative Theory of Political Trials (2022) Fordham University Press

• Oreva Olakpe, South-South Migrations and the Law from Below: Case Studies on China and Nigeria (2023) Hart Publishing

• Sally Sheldon, Gayle Davies, Jane O'Neill and Clare Parker, The Abortion Act 1967: A Biography of a UK Law (2022) Cambridge University Press

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Hart SLSA Prize for Early Career Academics

• Priyasha Saksena, Sovereignty, International Law, and the Princely States of Colonial South Asia (2023) Oxford University Press

• Jess Smith, Law, Registration, and the State: Making Identities through Space, Place, and Movement (2023) Routledge

Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize

• Başak Ertür, Spectacles and Specters: A Performative Theory of Political Trials (2022) Fordham University Press

• Toby Seddon, Rethinking Drug Laws: Theory, History, Politics (2023) Oxford University Press

• Sally Sheldon, Gayle Davies, Jane O'Neill and Clare Parker, The Abortion Act 1967: A Biography of a UK Law , Cambridge University Press

Socio-Legal Article Prize

• Fatima Ahdash, ‘Countering terrorism in the family courts: a dangerous development’ (2023) Modern Law Review 86(5): 1197–123.

• Robert Jones & Gregory Davies, ‘Prisoner voting in the United Kingdom: an empirical study of a contested prisoner right’ (2023) Modern Law Review 86(4) 900–926.

• Yüksel Sezgin, ‘Undignified jurispathy: Muslim family law at Ghanaian courts’ (2023) Law and Social Inquiry 48(4): 1303–1333.

Annual Impact Prize

• Seán Columb, University of Liverpool, ‘Exposing the organ trade: seeking truth in violence’

• Melanie Klinker, Bournemouth University, ‘Protection, investigation and justice efforts in relation to mass graves’

• Carin Tunåker, University of Kent, and Helen Carr, University of Southampton, ‘Homelessness in the countryside: a hidden crisis’

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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

A key focus this year has been on implementing strategic initiatives that came from our 2021 EDI Member Survey and 2022 Report on this.

The first strand of this has been on improving our ongoing data collection. This year, the EDI sub- committee has drafted, and the Board has approved, the text of an online EDI data collection form. Once it is operational, a link to this confidential and voluntary form will be sent to members who: apply for funding through one of the SLSA’s funding schemes, nominate someone or are nominated for a book or article prize, or take up a conference stream convenor role. The form will not be connected to, or have any bearing on, the outcome of an application for funding, prize nomination or stream convenor application, but collecting this data will help the SLSA monitor and progress EDI issues.

The second strand has been focused on precarity. In late 2022, the Precarity Rep to the SLSA Board conducted a membership survey to build a picture of the challenges precarious colleagues face and identify ways the SLSA can better support them. A report on the results of the survey was published in 2023. One initiative following the survey has been to ringfence funding for precariously employed members and to update the text of application packages for the next funding round to make this clear. Heads of Law Schools and other interested bodies like the Academy of Social Science, UKRI and UCU were provided with a copy of the report. The report authors filmed a short summary of the report for the SLSA’s YouTube channel and a blog post written by a precariously employed member was published on the SLSA Blog in 2023.

The third strand has been developing a pilot mentor scheme for our members. Both the EDI Survey and the Precarity Survey highlighted the need to improve community inclusion and diversity by creating opportunities for connection and channels for the transfer of knowledge from more established socio-legal scholars to those in earlier stages of their careers or those wishing to return following career breaks. To that end, the Board launched a pilot mentoring scheme. We received 31 applications from potential mentees and 20 mentor volunteers, demonstrating the appetite and need for this initiative. We paired 10 mentees with senior academics in 2023 and will conclude at the 2024 annual conference.

Bev Clough and Arwen Joyce, Co-Chairs of the EDI subcommittee

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Precarity

In late 2022, the SLSA conducted a membership survey on precarious contracts in academia to build a picture of the challenges precarious colleagues face and identify ways the SLSA can better support them. The Precarious Employment Survey Report (the Report) was published in April 2023.

The Report highlights the concerns of members about precarious employment practices in the higher education sector. Our objectives in running this survey and publishing the results were to build a picture of the challenges precariously employed colleagues face, to raise awareness of these issues, and to identify interventions and support that could provide a bulwark against these worrying trends in higher education.

Four main themes were identified in the survey data.

• The first theme was financial precarity . Respondents described the financial pressures they experienced due to low rates of pay and the scarcity of research funding associated with precarious employment.

• Another theme was career impact : respondents noted the stress of constantly looking for their next role and the career disruption and erosion of research time they attributed to an insecure employment status.

• Respondents also raised the issue of burnout including the mental health impact of precarity, excessive workloads and exhaustion from juggling multiple roles to make ends meet.

• Finally, respondents shared that they felt undervalued by and excluded from their institutions when working on precarious contracts. This links with a desire for belonging . Feelings of exclusion also came up in connection with immigration-related precarity.

To raise awareness of the challenges related to precarity and to advocate for precariously employed members, we have shared the Report widely including with the Heads of many UK Law Schools, the Academy of Social Sciences, UKRI, the University and College Union, and an All-Party Parliamentary Group investigating the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on students. The Report was also publicised through X/Twitter, the SLSA newsletter, an SLSA blog post and a YouTube video. A post written by a precariously employed member was also published on the SLSA Blog in 2023.

One initiative following the survey has been an effort to make the SLSA’s funding schemes more inclusive and available to precariously employed researchers. To that end, we ringfenced funds in 2023 for precariously employed members and have updated the text of the application packages to make this clear. That has now been done for the SLSA’s two types of research grants, seminar funding grants and impact grants. We have also made clear in the application forms that joint applications are encouraged where permanent members of academic staff are partnering with precarious/unaffiliated researchers. This is meant to encourage applicants to involve precariously employed academics in projects that can bolster their CVs, academic contacts, and experience.

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Finally, we have made efforts to increase opportunities for precariously employed members to feel part of a supportive community. To that end, we launched a pilot mentoring scheme in 2023 (although this was not limited to people on precarious contracts). We have also encouraged those who apply for seminar funding to include in their proposed budget funds cover for the cost of travel and attendance of precarious and/or unaffiliated researchers who would be otherwise unable to attend or participate in the proposed seminar.

In addition to serving as the Precarity Representative, I am also a co-chair of the EDI Committee. Some of the work mentioned above is also documented in the EDI Committee report herein.

Arwen Joyce, Precarity Representative to the Board of Trustees

International Activities

I continued to chair the International subcommittee, and organise internationalisation work to be progressed on the basis of previously agreed three key strands: 1) contributing to global and multilateral developments and discussions involving sociolegal associations; 2) developing bilateral relations with other socio-legal associations; and, 3) developing initiatives that enable SLSA members to develop, sustain and widen their international networks.

International collaboration funding scheme

In 2023, as planned, a new funding scheme was launched to support SLSA members to undertake international collaborative activities that are specifically aimed at building connections with socio-legal scholars and socio-legal communities beyond the UK.

The scheme provides seed core funding of up to £1000, and can be used to initiate and build new connections as well as strengthen existing relationships with sociolegal scholars or socio-legal communities beyond the UK in order to lay the groundwork for, and develop, new collaborative research initiatives or capacitybuilding activities. The scheme will enable SLSA members to participate in and contribute to the international community of socio-legal scholars, and thus to advance the discipline in accordance with SLSA’s CIO constitution. The scheme is being funded through a combination of SLSA’s own resources and a new annual donation from the Social & Legal Studies Board to the SLSA. The scheme was launched in the summer of 2023, with the deadline at the end of October, and is being administered as a distinct pot by the Grants committee.

The scheme is anticipated to be developed in the future through liaison with other socio-legal organisations and exploration of opportunities for co-funding and joint applications between memberships.

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Collaboration with USAID Justice for All activity in Ukraine

I held discussions with a representative from USAID Justice for All activity based in Ukraine, to explore potential for collaboration between this initiative and SLSA.

The USAID Justice for All Activity assists its Ukrainian governmental and nongovernmental partners in improving legal education as a precursor for strengthening the rule of law in Ukraine. After several discussions and approval by the board, it was agreed to hold a joint online event to introduce the UK experience in socio-legal studies to Ukrainian law schools. The aim of the online event to is to promote sociolegal studies to scholars from Ukraine interested in this field, including its importance through specific examples of socio-legal research covering interactions between law, society, and justice. A call for contributions is planned to be sent out to SLSA’s membership at the start of 2024, with the online event planned to take place in the first half of the year.

PGR exchange with the Dutch and Flemish Association (VSR)

The planned collaboration with the Dutch and Flemish Association (VSR) through a PGR exchange at our respective conferences, was put into action in 2023. A call for SLSA PGRs to sign up for VSR’s PhD school in July (for 5 reserved places at a reduced rate) was circulated through various SLSA communication channels. This fist part of the exchange took place in July when SLSA PGRs attended VSR’s PhD school. SLSA PGR rep, Lara MacLachlan attended the activity and along with the VSR rep, wrote a short piece about the exchange experience for the SLSA newsletter. Likewise, places for VSR PGRs were opened for SLSA’s PG conference in January 2024.

Other PGR collaboration at international level

I liaised with SLSA PGR reps to support their plans to organise a PGR focussed international collaboration panel at the SLSA Annual conference in 2023. After discussions with the International subcommittee, SLSA PGR reps Lara MacLachlan and Mini Saxena, commenced work with the PGR rep from Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand (LSAANZ) to explore opportunities to facilitate connection between PGRs from both organisations.

Smita Kheria, International Liaison Officer,

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Recruitment

Summary of main matters arising in 2023:

EDI work

Across 2023 RM continued contributing to the work of the EDI committee and joined as a committee member. The EDI committee undertook work (which is ongoing) to increase the diversity of applicants and award holders (see report for details) and this aligns with enhancing the recruitment of a diverse membership.

RM drafted an EDI model questionnaire that the SLSA board discussed and approved for use across various grants awards (fieldwork, small grants and internationalisation). This questionnaire was rolled out for the first time in the autumn 2023 round of applications and will enable the SLSA to start monitoring EDI progress.

Internationalisation work

RM also continued contributions to the internationalisation agenda led by SK by: (1) attending internationalisation strategy meetings and contributions as set out in SK’s report; (2) co-ordinating the grading and administering of the new internationalisation awards (see annual grants report for further details).

Rebecca Moosavian, Recruitment Secretary

Postgraduate Activities

PGR Conference

The SLSA PGR Conference was held at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford on the 5[th] and 6[th] of January. The conference was very successful.

We had significant interest for the conference and the allocated 50 spaces were filled very quickly. This demonstrates the high demand for this type of event in the socio legal space. There was a high registration to attendance conversion. Feedback from the event was very positive. The PGR representatives are grateful to the team at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies for planning and delivering the sessions, as well as to the delegates for their contributions throughout.

PGR Activities at Annual Conference

The PGR Activities at the SLSA Conference at Ulster University were a great success. All PGR sessions were delivered in a hybrid format to enable attendees to participate both online and in-person. There was a total of three sessions delivered by a range of facilitators including PGRs from Ulster University and PGRs with experience across a number of contexts including Australia, The Netherlands, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. PGRs also participated in the annual Postgraduate Poster Competition.

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Their submissions this year were of particularly high quality and demonstrated the wide range of research interests within the SLSA community.

PGR Representative

In May, Maddy Millar stepped down from her role as PGR representative. Maddy was a wonderful colleague who made very worthwhile contributions to the SLSA community during her time in this role. The SLSA Board would like to express their gratitude to Maddy for her work. Lara MacLachlan remained in her role as PGR representative. In August, Mini Saxena, based at SOAS University of London, was recruited as the new SLSA PGR representative.

PGR Writing Group

In October, we held the first session of our tri-annual writing group for PGRs. Sign-ups were collected via a google registration form with a cap of 25. There was a positive response from the community in relation to registration. Feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive, and each participant mentioned that they found the group incredibly useful both for writing and for building community. We now plan to hold the next sessions in February and May 2024.

Recruitment

The PGR representatives conducted a recruitment drive to encourage new PGRs to become SLSA members. Socio-legal PGRs from across the UK and Ireland were contacted through their institutions and invited to become a member. This year, building on work from last year’s recruitment drive, we expanded the drive to include a more diverse range of disciplines. The PGR representatives now maintain a list of approximately 120 contacts. This supports the development of aims identified in both our EDI survey and our recent precarity survey to widen participation amongst the socio-legal community and create a more inclusive environment.

Across November and December, the PGR Representatives helped to support preparation for the 2024 PGR Conference. The PGR Representatives also prepared for the PGR Activities for the 2024 SLSA Conference at University of Portsmouth. These include a session on researching in different contexts, a session on doing interdisciplinary work, and finally a session on writing during your PhD. These sessions were guided by feedback from the 2023 conference and include PGR speakers as well as academic speakers at other career stages.

Lara MacLachlan and Mini Saxena, Postgraduate Representatives

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Open Access

In 2023, SLSA’s open access working group continued to keep abreast of UKRI’s new Open Access policy and updates.

Members have been kept informed about the Working Group's activities via the Socio-Legal Newsletter, the weekly SLSA ebulletin and the SLSA blog. This has included informing members about updates to UKRI policy, and the announcement that, from 1 January 2024, this will apply to monographs, book chapters and edited collections that need to acknowledge UKRI funding. We also issued a call for blog items in relation to Open Access, and we will issue this call again in Spring 2024.

Simon Flacks, Open Access Working Group Chair

Impact

The Impact Grant Committee was newly constituted in 2022, to carry out activities related to the series of new ‘Impact’ funding streams announced at the 2022 Annual Conference. These include, specifically – (1) an Impact Grant Scheme; (2) an Annual Impact Prize; and (3) liaising with Annual Conference Stream Convenors regarding funding to facilitate Impact

The Committee was chaired by Vanessa Munro up until the 5th April 2023 and since May 11th 2023 has been chaired by Mitchell Travis. The committee is also comprised of – Anna Bryson, Marie Burton, Sabrina Germain, Rebecca Moosavian and Mini Saxena. We met on MS Teams to assess applications received throughout the year in respect of the schemes above, making reports on our decision-making for the approval of the Board of Trustees at our meetings.

Impact Grant Scheme:

In its second round, we received a total of 6 applications. Each application was scored (out of 5) with feedback provided from each committee member on their scoring, in accordance with the criteria for the awards as advertised. 4 awards were made (see below), creating a total spend of £5,083.20. Feedback was provided to the unsuccessful applicants by MT, based on the committee’s views.

• Grundler (£1,500) ‘From the University to the Grand Chamber’

• Hewitt and Simpson (£783.20) ‘Getting on YOUR case: Basic Justice’

• Stockton Brown (£1,300) ‘Tattooing in the Archive’

• Ohana (£1,500) ‘Grenfell Community Project’

Annual Impact Prize:

We received a total of 5 applications for the second year of this prize, all of which we determined to be eligible. As with grants, the committee individually reviewed and scored each application, providing some feedback on scoring in line with advertised criteria for the award. These comments were circulated on an anonymous basis

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across the committee along with scores. A shortlist for the prize of 3 nominees (see below) were settled upon, with the winner to be announced at the Annual Conference in Spring 2023. The annual prize is fixed at £250.

• Seán Columb, ‘Exposing the Organ Trade: Seeking Truth in Violence’

• Melanie Klinker, ‘Protection, Investigation & Justice efforts in relation to Mass Graves’.

• Carin Tunåker, ‘Homelessness in the Countryside: A Hidden Crisis’

Stream Convenor Impact Funding:

We have received no applications for use of these funds ahead of the 2024 Annual Conference, but will use the opportunity of that conference to remind members and Convenors of the funding for future use.

General:

We believe that the introduction of this funding support and recognition for Impact activity within the socio-legal community has been a useful innovation, and that there has been a strong interest in it given its novel status as a funding stream for the SLSA. The quality of the applications under the existing schemes was good, with a spread of applicants at various career stages and at a range of institutions. We anticipate that the schemes will go from strength to strength as awareness of their existence continues to develop. In the coming year we will look to build community awareness of the fund.

Mitchell Travis, Impact Committee Chair

Social Media

X (formerly Twitter) followers: 7,189 February 2024 (previously 6, 648 February 2023)

Activity

As in previous years, social media has been an important means of keeping members updated and engaged with both the SLSA postgraduate conference and the SLSA annual conference and other member events. X (formerly Twitter) is also used for publicising calls for session convenors for the PG conference, registration for both conferences, call for current topics for the annual conference, as well as pushing out the CFPs for the annual conference. Throughout, social media has been useful for responding to individual queries and signposting members to the conference website/email addresses. The SLSA also uses X to engage with Law and Society Association content and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies content as well as the Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies blog and events. It is a useful means of making sure the SLSA is across relevant international content.

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Social media has also played an important role in disseminating information about surveys, grants, competitions, prize winners, and so on. Social media has also continued to be used to promote engagement with the SLSA blog, publicising new posts and encouraging broader dissemination.

It has also become an important route for dissemination of our new YouTube channel which hosts short lightning talks and more in depth, ‘in conversation pieces, with prize winners and members of the SLSA Board of Trustees.

The SLSA Board took the decision to close the Facebook group in October 2023 as this forum was not well engaged with. Members were given warning and an opportunity to comment ahead of the closure, but no comments were received. The group was suspended, and members are gradually being removed. Engagement with the X (formerly Twitter) account continues to grow.

Elisabeth Griffiths, Social Media Officer

Blog

The SLSA Blog was created in 2016 as a venue for academics and practitioners with an interest in socio-legal issues.

During 2023 the SLSA blog published a total of fifteen new posts covering a wide range of topical issues. Examples include the influence of ‘rape myths’, the impact of the cost of eating on the right to food, the relationship between law and drag and the cost of precarity.

Emma Jones, SLSA Blog Editor

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Website, Newsletter and E-Bulletin

Overview of role and responsibilities

• To work closely with SLSA Board – including attending Board meetings, Annual Conference and running Board email list;

• to keep SLSA members up to date with SLSA activities and important deadlines via website, newsletter and ebulletin;

• to gather socio-legal news from multiple sources, including from members, to circulate via SLSA website, ebulletin and Socio-Legal Newsletter ;

• to deal with or forward as appropriate any other relevant SLSA business eg general enquiries from members and other individuals/organisations, and to liaise with individual SLSA Board members/officers.

Socio-Legal Newsletter

The Socio-Legal Newsletter is published termly – spring, summer and autumn/winter. During 2023, we published three 16-page newsletters (nos 99, 100 and 101). The newsletter is mailed to all SLSA members in the UK and EU. Members in other parts of the world receive a link to an online version. Members who receive a paper copy have the option to change to the online version if they prefer. The current mailing list is approximately 1450 (an increase of about 250 on last year). The newsletter sponsors (see below) also receive five copies each for circulation to nonSLSA colleagues and students to promote the SLSA’s work and aims to a wider audience.

The newsletter was launched in 1989 and has been published without interruption since then. Electronic versions dating back to 2002 are available on the SLSA website.

Content

The newsletter content is focused on the activities of the SLSA Board and SLSA members. Members are actively encouraged to contribute material for each issue. From January 2023 to December 2023, we covered, among many other things:

• announcement and details of SLSA AGM and Trustee nominations and elections

• news arising from SLSA Board meetings, including coverage of key SLSA initiatives, eg report of the SLSA precarity survey, new Stream Convenor Policy, the launch and progress of the Mentoring Pilot Scheme etc;

• SLSA 2023 hybrid Annual Conference at the Ulster University – call for papers, details of conference in advance and a comprehensive report afterwards;

• SLSA 2024 hybrid Annual Conference at the University of Portsmouth – call for papers and advance details;

• reports of other SLSA events – for example SLSA Online Postgraduate Conference 2023 (University of Oxford), SLSA seminars – ‘New Directions in Law and Time’ (QMUL), ‘Prevent, Surveil and Protect’ (online), ‘Fantasy Legal Exhibitions’ (various locations in London), ‘Socio-Legal Approaches to Protecting Athletes’ (Manchester), ‘Law, Narrative and Masterplot’ (Southampton & Durham), ‘The Vulnerable Accused’(Birmingham), ‘Prisoner

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Rights’ (Liverpool) – and the joint SLSA, SLS, ALT and Law Commission event on ‘Influencing Law Reform’;

• announcement of the winner of the SLSA Annual Prize (Professor Rosemary Hunter) and shortlists and prize announcements for the SLSA Book and Article Prizes and the Impact Prize

• announcement of all new award holders for research and fieldwork grants, impact grants and seminar competition;

• numerous summaries and reports from SLSA grantholders (research/fieldwork/impact)

• and regular sections featuring research, events and publications news from members and other relevant organisations.

Newsletter sponsorship scheme

As mentioned in previous annual reports, a large portion of newsletter printing and production costs is covered by our sponsorship scheme which has been running since 2008. During that time the newsletter has been supported by sponsorship from about 20 UK Law Schools which commit to making an annual financial contribution per year for three years. The current three-year cycle is in its second year. The sponsorship scheme currently consists of 29 institutions from across all four UK nations who are committed to an annual sponsorship payment of £700.

SLSA website and ebulletin to members

The website carries full details of all SLSA activities, including funding schemes, events and prizes, the SLSA Board of Trustees and its subcommittees and an extensive ‘Socio-legal News’ section which is the basis for the weekly ebulletin. The website is updated weekly during termtime to ensure that members have access to the latest information.

In late summer 2023 (with the support of our website technician Lewis Gowers) we successfully migrated the SLSA website to the most up-to-date version of Joomla (the open-source content management platform that we use to host the website) to ensure the stability and security of the site over the next few years.

We also provide a weekly ebulletin service to members during term-time which is a key component of the SLSA’s relationship with members, keeping them informed about Board activities and also offering them an opportunity to share their own news with colleagues (see SLSA Weekly Ebulletin 24 November 2023). The final ebulletin of December 2023 was sent to 1439 recipients (increased from 1195 in December 2022). The ebulletin is extremely popular with members with a consistent ‘opening’ rate for 2023 of between 46% and 79% and a constant stream of membership news for inclusion. The SLSA also uses its electronic mailing list to send one-off messages about important events/news, for example the announcement of our AGM and the call for papers and posters for the Annual Conference.

In summary

The increase in circulation of the hardcopy newsletter and the increase in uptake of the weekly ebulletin and other e-announcements over the past 12 months show that the SLSA Board’s commitment to communicate with members is stronger than ever. I hope to continue to work with the Board over the coming months to build on this work to make sure that members are fully informed of all SLSA activities and

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initiatives while also offering them numerous opportunities to share their own news, events and activities with socio-legal colleagues.

Marie Selwood, Newsletter and Ebulletin Officer and Webeditor

YouTube

The SLSA YouTube Channel is used to release videos that:

• celebrate the winners of SLSA prizes;

• allow those who have been awarded SLSA grants to discuss the outcome of the award;

• showcase conference plenary panels;

• explain the role of an SLSA Trustee.

As of the 5 February 2024, we have 106 subscribers. Over 2023 the channel had 2,341 views, with a total watch time of 153.9 hours, and an average view duration (average minutes watched per visit) of 3.56 minutes.

During 2023, we worked with the winners of the SLSA prizes from 2023 to produce an “In conversation” video with a member of the SLSA, and also a 90-second highlight video:

• Richard Collier, SLSA Prize for Contributions to the Socio-Legal Community

• Silvana Tapia Tapia, Hart–SLSA Book Prize

• Jaime T Lindsey, Hart–SLSA ECR

• Sharon Thompson, Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize

• Natalie Ohana, Socio-Legal Article Prize

These videos will be released in 2024.

We also continue to work with those awarded our research grant scheme, fieldwork grant, and seminar competition, to release “90-second high-light” videos. As these videos are completed, we will release the them over the course of 2024.

During the SLSA 2023 Annual Conference, the plenary panels were live streamed over the YouTube Channel and recordings of the talks have subsequently been released on the channel.

Emma Milne, YouTube Editor

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REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE019582 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1186333

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

for

Socio-Legal Studies Association

The Kelvin Partnership Ltd Chartered Accountants The Cooper Building 505 Great Western Road Glasgow G12 8HN

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

	Page
Report of the Trustees	1 to 3
Independent Examiner's Report	4
Statement of Financial Activities	5
Balance Sheet	6 to 7
Notes to the Financial Statements	8 to 12
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities	13

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Socio-Legal Studies Association is a learned society for Socio-Legal Studies. Its objects are for the public benefit to advance education and learning in the field of socio-legal studies and to promote research, the useful results of which shall be published for the public benefit, teaching and the dissemination of knowledge in the field.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

The SLSA has continued to advance education, learning and research in the field of socio legal studies through its annual seminar and small grants schemes (including PhD fieldwork grants). The number and value of applications to these schemes had fallen during the pandemic. While there has since been an increase, overall numbers have still not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. SLSA is working to publicize these opportunities to its community, to ensure that it fulfils its aim of supporting socio-legal studies as far as possible, consistent with prudential stewardship of its resources and the maintenance of appropriate reserves. It has also introduced an impact grant scheme for members to support their work in translating socio-legal scholarship in to 'real world' outcomes. The first round of awards from that scheme was made in 2023. Alongside these grants the SLSA continues to award a range of annual prizes, including a new impact prize. The SLSA's annual conference in Ulster was run in hybrid format, maximizing participation. The significant costs of running the event in both formats was covered by delegate fees, as well as generating a healthy anticipated surplus. Support from journals, universities, and individual members continue to be instrumental to the success of the SLSA. PGR students also had the opportunity to attend the SLSA's annual PGR Conference which was run in-person. The SLSA continues to produce regular newsletters and e-bulletins highlighting events and items of interest for members. It has also expanded its You Tube channel showcasing the work of prize winners and grant holders, in interview format. The SLSA blog remains a lively outlet for discussion regarding the state of the socio-legal field, as well as showcasing cutting edge research.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The SLSA is in a good financial position with increased income from newsletter sponsorship and membership payments. We are in the process of finalising the Ulster 2023 conference donation but we anticipate this will exceed expectations from previous years.

Principal funding sources

The SLSA is funded through a combination of membership fees, institutional and publisher sponsorship as well as institutional donations following the annual conference.

Reserves policy

The SLSA maintains financial reserves that would allow for the continuance of its operations in the event a sudden decrease in income (e.g. as a result of a lower than expected conference donation). We are in the process of spreading this reserve across savings accounts and our existing current accounts.

Page 1

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

FUTURE PLANS

In addition to its regular activities the SLSA will fund a range of initiatives around equality, diversity and inclusion and in relation to precarity with the socio-legal community.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Trustees are appointed at the AGM in order to replace trustees who are stepping down.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number

CE019582 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1186333

Registered office

Cardiff University Sbarc/Spark Maindy Road CARDIFF CF24 4HQ

Trustees

Doctor P Bremner Treasurer Doctor N Graffin (resigned 5.4.23) Professor J Harrington Chair Doctor S Kheria Vice Chair C Moore Membership Secretary Ms R Moosavian Professor V Munro (resigned 5.4.23) Doctor F Renz (resigned 5.4.23) Professor C Ashford (resigned 5.4.23) Doctor E J Jones Doctor S Flacks Doctor E Milne Secretary Doctor C Williams Doctor M J Travis Doctor B A Clough Doctor S Germain Doctor A Bryson Doctor M L Howard Doctor M P Burton Doctor R Craven Doctor E R Griffiths Doctor R Saeed (appointed 5.4.23) Doctor A G Green (appointed 5.4.23) Doctor M A Hutton (appointed 5.4.23) Doctor K L Lalor (appointed 5.4.23) Professor K McConnachie (appointed 5.4.23)

Page 2

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Company Secretary

Doctor E Milne

Independent Examiner

The Kelvin Partnership Ltd Chartered Accountants The Cooper Building 505 Great Western Road Glasgow G12 8HN

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 12 March 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

Professor J Harrington - Trustee

Page 3

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Socio-Legal Studies Association

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Socio-Legal Studies Association ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Craig M Fotheringham BSc CA

The Kelvin Partnership Ltd Chartered Accountants The Cooper Building 505 Great Western Road Glasgow G12 8HN

12 March 2024

Page 4

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

31.12.23 Unrestricted funds Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 71,881 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities 2 Outgoing resources 80,011 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (8,130) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 172,697 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 164,567	31.12.22 Total funds £ 149,960
	55,363
	94,597 78,100
	172,697

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 5

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Balance Sheet 31 December 2023

31.12.23 Unrestricted funds Notes £ CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank 165,887 CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year 6 (1,320) NET CURRENT ASSETS 164,567 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 164,567 NET ASSETS 164,567 FUNDS 7 Unrestricted funds 164,567 TOTAL FUNDS 164,567	31.12.22 Total funds £ 173,897 (1,200) 172,697 172,697 172,697 172,697 172,697

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2023.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

• (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

• (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 6

continued...

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Balance Sheet - continued 31 December 2023

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 12 March 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:

J Harrington - Trustee

P Bremner - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 7

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

continued...

Page 8

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

2. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct Costs £ Outgoing resources 57,960 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting): Independent examiner's fee	Grant funding of activities £ 17,286	Support costs £ 4,765 31.12.23 £ 1,320	Totals £ 80,011
			31.12.22 £ 1,200

3. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

4. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

Trustees' remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2023 amounted to £1,662 (2022 - £NIL). This was paid to Doctor E Milne, trustee, as the administrator for Socio-Legal Studies Association.

Trustees' expenses

Trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2023 amounted to £5,103 (2022 - £2,224). This is to cover the executive meeting expenses and attendance at board meetings.

5. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL	ACTIVITIES
	Unrestricted
	funds
	£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies	149,960
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
Outgoing resources	55,363
NET INCOME	94,597
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward	78,100
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD	172,697

continued...

Page 9

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

6. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Accrued expenses 7. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS At 1.1.23 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 172,697 TOTAL FUNDS 172,697 Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: Incoming resources £ Unrestricted funds General fund 71,881 TOTAL FUNDS 71,881 Comparatives for movement in funds At 1.1.22 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 78,100 TOTAL FUNDS 78,100

31.12.23 31.12.22 £ £ 1,320 1,200 Net movement At in funds 31.12.23 £ £ (8,130) 164,567 (8,130) 164,567 Resources Movement expended in funds £ £ (80,011) (8,130) (80,011) (8,130) Net movement At in funds 31.12.22 £ £ 94,597 172,697 94,597 172,697

continued...

Page 10

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

7. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds General fund TOTAL FUNDS A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined Unrestricted funds General fund TOTAL FUNDS	Incoming Resources Movement resources expended in funds £ £ £ 149,960 (55,363) 94,597 149,960 (55,363) 94,597 position is as follows: Net movement At At 1.1.22 in funds 31.12.23 £ £ £ 78,100 86,467 164,567 78,100 86,467 164,567

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

	Incoming	Resources	Movement
	resources	expended	in funds
	£	£	£
Unrestricted funds
General fund	221,841	(135,374)	86,467
TOTAL FUNDS	221,841	(135,374)	86,467

continued...

Page 11

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

8. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

Other than those disclosed in Note 4, there are no related party transactions for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Page 12

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 December 2023
	31.12.23	31.12.22
	£	£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Donations and legacies
Memberships	33,973	22,412
Sponsorships	34,400	18,050
Flyer inserts	-	700
Grants returned	3,488	2,396
Annual conference donation	-	105,733
Miscellaneous	20	669
	71,881	149,960
Total incoming resources	71,881	149,960
EXPENDITURE
Charitable activities
Insurance	506	501
Sundries	8	-
Executive meeting expenses	5,103	2,224
Newsletter production	33,462	25,465
One day conferences	6,065	60
Website	2,818	2,001
Subscription	652	652
Storage fee	96	107
Seminar competitions	4,850	2,700
Annual prizes	1,600	1,030
Impact Funding	2,800	5,810
Small research grants	11,264	7,937
Fieldwork grants	6,022	3,976
	75,246	52,463
Support costs
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fee	1,320	1,200
Administrative expenses	3,445	1,700
	4,765	2,900
Total resources expended	80,011	55,363
Net (expenditure)/income	(8,130)	94,597

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 13

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: CE019582 (England and Wales) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1186333

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

for

Socio-Legal Studies Association

The Kelvin Partnership Ltd Chartered Accountants The Cooper Building 505 Great Western Road Glasgow G12 8HN

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

	Page
Report of the Trustees	1 to 3
Independent Examiner's Report	4
Statement of Financial Activities	5
Balance Sheet	6 to 7
Notes to the Financial Statements	8 to 12
Detailed Statement of Financial Activities	13

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Socio-Legal Studies Association is a learned society for Socio-Legal Studies. Its objects are for the public benefit to advance education and learning in the field of socio-legal studies and to promote research, the useful results of which shall be published for the public benefit, teaching and the dissemination of knowledge in the field.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

The SLSA has continued to advance education, learning and research in the field of socio legal studies through its annual seminar and small grants schemes (including PhD fieldwork grants). The number and value of applications to these schemes had fallen during the pandemic. While there has since been an increase, overall numbers have still not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. SLSA is working to publicize these opportunities to its community, to ensure that it fulfils its aim of supporting socio-legal studies as far as possible, consistent with prudential stewardship of its resources and the maintenance of appropriate reserves. It has also introduced an impact grant scheme for members to support their work in translating socio-legal scholarship in to 'real world' outcomes. The first round of awards from that scheme was made in 2023. Alongside these grants the SLSA continues to award a range of annual prizes, including a new impact prize. The SLSA's annual conference in Ulster was run in hybrid format, maximizing participation. The significant costs of running the event in both formats was covered by delegate fees, as well as generating a healthy anticipated surplus. Support from journals, universities, and individual members continue to be instrumental to the success of the SLSA. PGR students also had the opportunity to attend the SLSA's annual PGR Conference which was run in-person. The SLSA continues to produce regular newsletters and e-bulletins highlighting events and items of interest for members. It has also expanded its You Tube channel showcasing the work of prize winners and grant holders, in interview format. The SLSA blog remains a lively outlet for discussion regarding the state of the socio-legal field, as well as showcasing cutting edge research.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The SLSA is in a good financial position with increased income from newsletter sponsorship and membership payments. We are in the process of finalising the Ulster 2023 conference donation but we anticipate this will exceed expectations from previous years.

Principal funding sources

The SLSA is funded through a combination of membership fees, institutional and publisher sponsorship as well as institutional donations following the annual conference.

Reserves policy

The SLSA maintains financial reserves that would allow for the continuance of its operations in the event a sudden decrease in income (e.g. as a result of a lower than expected conference donation). We are in the process of spreading this reserve across savings accounts and our existing current accounts.

Page 1

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

FUTURE PLANS

In addition to its regular activities the SLSA will fund a range of initiatives around equality, diversity and inclusion and in relation to precarity with the socio-legal community.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Trustees are appointed at the AGM in order to replace trustees who are stepping down.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number

CE019582 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1186333

Registered office

Cardiff University Sbarc/Spark Maindy Road CARDIFF CF24 4HQ

Trustees

Doctor P Bremner Treasurer Doctor N Graffin (resigned 5.4.23) Professor J Harrington Chair Doctor S Kheria Vice Chair C Moore Membership Secretary Ms R Moosavian Professor V Munro (resigned 5.4.23) Doctor F Renz (resigned 5.4.23) Professor C Ashford (resigned 5.4.23) Doctor E J Jones Doctor S Flacks Doctor E Milne Secretary Doctor C Williams Doctor M J Travis Doctor B A Clough Doctor S Germain Doctor A Bryson Doctor M L Howard Doctor M P Burton Doctor R Craven Doctor E R Griffiths Doctor R Saeed (appointed 5.4.23) Doctor A G Green (appointed 5.4.23) Doctor M A Hutton (appointed 5.4.23) Doctor K L Lalor (appointed 5.4.23) Professor K McConnachie (appointed 5.4.23)

Page 2

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Company Secretary

Doctor E Milne

Independent Examiner

The Kelvin Partnership Ltd Chartered Accountants The Cooper Building 505 Great Western Road Glasgow G12 8HN

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 12 March 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

Professor J Harrington - Trustee

Page 3

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Socio-Legal Studies Association

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Socio-Legal Studies Association ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Craig M Fotheringham BSc CA

The Kelvin Partnership Ltd Chartered Accountants The Cooper Building 505 Great Western Road Glasgow G12 8HN

12 March 2024

Page 4

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

31.12.23 Unrestricted funds Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 71,881 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities 2 Outgoing resources 80,011 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) (8,130) RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 172,697 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 164,567	31.12.22 Total funds £ 149,960
	55,363
	94,597 78,100
	172,697

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 5

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Balance Sheet 31 December 2023

31.12.23 Unrestricted funds Notes £ CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank 165,887 CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year 6 (1,320) NET CURRENT ASSETS 164,567 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 164,567 NET ASSETS 164,567 FUNDS 7 Unrestricted funds 164,567 TOTAL FUNDS 164,567	31.12.22 Total funds £ 173,897 (1,200) 172,697 172,697 172,697 172,697 172,697

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 December 2023.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

• (a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

• (b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 6

continued...

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Balance Sheet - continued 31 December 2023

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 12 March 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:

J Harrington - Trustee

P Bremner - Trustee

The notes form part of these financial statements

Page 7

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

continued...

Page 8

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

2. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct Costs £ Outgoing resources 57,960 NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting): Independent examiner's fee	Grant funding of activities £ 17,286	Support costs £ 4,765 31.12.23 £ 1,320	Totals £ 80,011
			31.12.22 £ 1,200

3. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

4. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

Trustees' remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2023 amounted to £1,662 (2022 - £NIL). This was paid to Doctor E Milne, trustee, as the administrator for Socio-Legal Studies Association.

Trustees' expenses

Trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 December 2023 amounted to £5,103 (2022 - £2,224). This is to cover the executive meeting expenses and attendance at board meetings.

5. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL	ACTIVITIES
	Unrestricted
	funds
	£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and legacies	149,960
EXPENDITURE ON
Charitable activities
Outgoing resources	55,363
NET INCOME	94,597
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward	78,100
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED
FORWARD	172,697

continued...

Page 9

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

6. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Accrued expenses 7. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS At 1.1.23 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 172,697 TOTAL FUNDS 172,697 Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: Incoming resources £ Unrestricted funds General fund 71,881 TOTAL FUNDS 71,881 Comparatives for movement in funds At 1.1.22 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 78,100 TOTAL FUNDS 78,100

31.12.23 31.12.22 £ £ 1,320 1,200 Net movement At in funds 31.12.23 £ £ (8,130) 164,567 (8,130) 164,567 Resources Movement expended in funds £ £ (80,011) (8,130) (80,011) (8,130) Net movement At in funds 31.12.22 £ £ 94,597 172,697 94,597 172,697

continued...

Page 10

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

7. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Unrestricted funds General fund TOTAL FUNDS A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined Unrestricted funds General fund TOTAL FUNDS	Incoming Resources Movement resources expended in funds £ £ £ 149,960 (55,363) 94,597 149,960 (55,363) 94,597 position is as follows: Net movement At At 1.1.22 in funds 31.12.23 £ £ £ 78,100 86,467 164,567 78,100 86,467 164,567

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

	Incoming	Resources	Movement
	resources	expended	in funds
	£	£	£
Unrestricted funds
General fund	221,841	(135,374)	86,467
TOTAL FUNDS	221,841	(135,374)	86,467

continued...

Page 11

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the Year Ended 31 December 2023

8. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

Other than those disclosed in Note 4, there are no related party transactions for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Page 12

Socio-Legal Studies Association

Detailed Statement of Financial Activities
for the Year Ended 31 December 2023
	31.12.23	31.12.22
	£	£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Donations and legacies
Memberships	33,973	22,412
Sponsorships	34,400	18,050
Flyer inserts	-	700
Grants returned	3,488	2,396
Annual conference donation	-	105,733
Miscellaneous	20	669
	71,881	149,960
Total incoming resources	71,881	149,960
EXPENDITURE
Charitable activities
Insurance	506	501
Sundries	8	-
Executive meeting expenses	5,103	2,224
Newsletter production	33,462	25,465
One day conferences	6,065	60
Website	2,818	2,001
Subscription	652	652
Storage fee	96	107
Seminar competitions	4,850	2,700
Annual prizes	1,600	1,030
Impact Funding	2,800	5,810
Small research grants	11,264	7,937
Fieldwork grants	6,022	3,976
	75,246	52,463
Support costs
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fee	1,320	1,200
Administrative expenses	3,445	1,700
	4,765	2,900
Total resources expended	80,011	55,363
Net (expenditure)/income	(8,130)	94,597

This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements

Page 13