Author Archives: John Cairns

Memorial: Alan Watson, Edinburgh 29 May, 2019

Posted on 11/04/2019 by John Cairns

On 29 May, the life of the late William Alexander Jardine (Alan) Watson, 27 October 1933-7 November 2018 will be commemorated at an event in Old College, University of Edinburgh, at 3 p.m. in the Adam Lecture Theatre in the … Continue reading →

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Tumbling Lassie

Posted on 19/02/2019 by John Cairns

Many readers of this Blog will know of the Tumbling Lassie project that aims to raise awareness of issues of modern slavery and human trafficking, as well as raise funds for various anti-modern slavery and human trafficking charities. If interested in … Continue reading →

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Slavery in Scotland: Contemporary Case and Roman Law.

Posted on 18/02/2019 by John Cairns

On 12 February, 2019, the High Court of Justiciary issued the opinion of the Apeal Court in John Millar v. Her Majesty’s Advocate [2019] HCJAC7. The appeal arose out of the well publicised trial of “travelling people” for holding some … Continue reading →

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Peter Gonville Stein Book Award American Society for Legal History

Posted on 12/02/2019 by John Cairns

Peter Gonville Stein Book Award American Society for Legal History The Peter Gonville Stein Book Award is awarded annually for the best book in legal history written in English. This award is designed to recognize and encourage the further growth … Continue reading →

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Legal History and Empires, University of the West Indies

Posted on 21/12/2018 by John Cairns

Between 11 and 13 July, 2018, the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, hosted an intentional Conference entitled: “Legal History and Empires: Perspectives from the Colonised”. It followed on from a conference at Singapore devoted to “Legal … Continue reading →

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The Matter of Slavery

Posted on 10/12/2018 by John Cairns

Cross-institutional collaborations can be very fruitful. The first workshop of “The Matter of Slavery in Scotland”–a collaboration between Professor Nuala Zahedieh of the University of Edinburgh, and Dr Sarah Laurenson of the National Museums of Scotland–was was held on Friday … Continue reading →

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John Millar, his Russian Pupils, and the founding of the Moscow University Law School

Posted on 06/12/2018 by John Cairns

As many readers of this blog will know, this blogger has had a long-standing interest in the work of John Millar, Regius Professor of Civil Law in the University of Glasgow from 1761-1801. In exploring aspects of Millar’s development of … Continue reading →

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Eighteenth-Century Session Papers & Hairdressers and Barbers

Posted on 06/12/2018 by John Cairns

An earlier blog post – “Adam Smith and a Close Shave” – introduced the litigation of the Barbers of Edinburgh v. The Hairdressers of Edinburgh. and discussed a spoof or possible genuine Session Paper. Your blogger has discussed this with … Continue reading →

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Inaugural Lecture Chair of Roman Law Paul J du Plessis

Posted on 29/10/2018 by John Cairns

On 10th October, 2018, Professor Paul du Plessis gave his inaugural lecture in his Chair of Roman Law in the Playfair Libraryin Old College. The lecture was chaired by the Head of the School of Law, Professor Martin Hogg. The … Continue reading →

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Forthcoming Legal History Events in Edinburgh

Posted on 23/10/2018 by John Cairns

Readers of the Blog may be interested in the two forthcoming events. The first is a Seminar on Thursday 25th October by Dr Emma Macleod of the University of Stirling on the subject of ‘How to Do a Treason Trial: … Continue reading →

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