UCL FACULTY OF LAWS
Quain Chair of Jurisprudence
Further Particulars
This document sets out the following information for appointments to the Quain Chair of
Jurisprudence in the Faculty of Laws at UCL.
Page
Application Procedure
1
About UCL
2
About the UCL Faculty of Laws
4
Job Description
5
Person Specification
7
Application Procedure
In addition to completing the online application form, candidates should upload the following
supplementary documentation:
• A curriculum vitae (including list of publications)
• A letter of application explaining your interest in the post (2 pages maximum)
• A statement detailing your research achievements to date, and your research plans
over the next 12-24 months (2 pages maximum)
• Up to three research outputs for the selection panel to examine
• The names and addresses of three referees who are leading figures in Jurisprudence,
Philosophy or Political Theory (including at least one referee based outside the
candidate's country of residence)
• Details of current salary.
Please note the online system will accept up to two attachments, so the documents should be
merged. If you have difficulty uploading any documents please send these instead to
[email protected].
The closing date for submitting applications and supporting documents is Sunday 14 December
2014.
Shortlisting is expected to be completed by Friday 23 January 2015, and all candidates will be
notified of the outcome of their application.
Interviews are expected to take place on Thursday 12 February 2015. If you have limited
availability on this date, please indicate your preferred time in your letter of application. If you are
shortlisted and are unable to attend on the interview date, it will normally be impossible to offer you
an alternative date. However, where you can attend on the date but wish to change the time of
interview, we will try to accommodate you.
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Please note that when candidates are shortlisted, their referees will be asked to provide a
reference in advance of the interviews. All candidates are advised to alert their referees about the
possibility of a request for this being sent in late January, with a short window of time before it is
due.
If you wish to have an informal and confidential discussion about your suitability for the post, the
duties attached to the post, and/or Jurisprudence at UCL, please contact the Faculty Dean,
Professor Dame Hazel Genn QC ([email protected]), the Faculty Vice Dean (Staffing), Professor
Charles
Mitchell
([email protected])
or
Professor
George
Letsas
([email protected]).
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Faculty Staffing
Officer, Laura Allum ([email protected], 020 7679 1467).
About UCL
Background Information
UCL is one of the world's top universities. Based in the heart of London, it is a modern, outwardlooking institution. At its establishment in 1826, UCL was radical and responsive to the needs of
society, and this ethos – that excellence should go hand-in-hand with enriching society – continues
today.
UCL's excellence extends across all academic disciplines; from one of Europe's largest and most
productive hubs for biomedical science interacting with several leading London hospitals, to worldrenowned centres for architecture (UCL Bartlett) and fine art (UCL Slade School).
UCL is in practice a university in its own right, although constitutionally a college within the federal
University of London. With an annual turnover exceeding £800 million, it is financially and
managerially independent of the University of London.
The UCL community
UCL's staff and former students have included 21 Nobel prizewinners. It is a truly international
community: more than one-third of our student body – nearly 27,000 strong – come from 150
countries and nearly one-third of staff are from outside the UK.
UCL offers postgraduate research opportunities in all of its subjects, and provides about 200
undergraduate programmes and more than 400 taught postgraduate programmes. Approximately
45% of the student community is engaged in graduate studies, with about 37% of these graduate
students pursuing research degrees.
Quality of UCL's teaching and learning
UCL has the best academic to student ratio of any UK university (The Times, 2013), enabling small
class sizes and outstanding individual support.
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), UCL was rated the best research university in
London, and third in the UK overall, for the number of its submissions that were considered of
‘world-leading quality'. The RAE confirmed UCL's multi-disciplinary research strength, with
outstanding results achieved across the subjects, ranging from biomedicine, science and
engineering and the built environment to laws, social sciences and arts and humanities.
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UCL is independently ranked as the most productive research university in Europe (SIR). The
Thomson Scientific Citation Index – which catalogues journal articles and citations in the sciences,
social sciences and arts and humanities – shows that UCL is the second most-highly cited
European university.
Equality
UCL is proud of its longstanding commitment to equality and to providing a learning, working and
social environment in which the rights and dignity of its diverse members are respected. The
Equalities website has everything you need to know about Equalities at UCL and some initiatives
are highlighted below:

Sabbatical Leave following maternity - UCL provides one term of sabbatical leave
without teaching commitments for research-active academics returning from maternity,
adoption or long-term carer's leave. This support for returners enables staff to more quickly
re-establish their research activity.

Achievement of eight Athena SWAN awards - for good employment practice for women
working in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research.
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Tackling underrepresentation - UCL has two workforce equality targets. These targets
are to increase the employment of black and minority ethnic (BME) support staff in grades
1-8 to 31% in line with the economically active BME population of Greater London; and to
incrementally equalise the representation of men and women in senior grades (9 and 10)
with the ultimate aim of a 50:50 split of women and men at this level.
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Encouraging flexibility - 82% of respondents to the 2009 UCL staff survey felt that their
working time could be flexible. UCL's Work Life Balance policy gives employees the right to
request a flexible working pattern.
Location and working environment
Based in Bloomsbury, UCL is a welcoming, inclusive university situated at the heart of one of the
world's greatest cities. UCL's central campus is spread across approximately three square
kilometres of central London and is within easy reach of Euston, King's Cross and Marylebone
mainline stations, the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras and the following Underground stations –
Euston Square, Warren Street, Goodge Street and Russell Square. Road connections to the M1
and M40 motorways give easy access.
For more information about UCL's teaching, research, community engagement, achievements and
history, please see http://www.ucl.ac.uk/about-ucl
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About the UCL Faculty of Laws
The Faculty of Laws
For almost 200 years, UCL Laws has been one of the leading centres of legal education in the
world. Recognised as offering an outstanding educational experience to our students, we combine
a strong theoretical foundation in the law with practical teaching from world-leading academics and
practitioners.
Our community of intellectually dynamic scholars responds to today’s global challenges, and
through our research, we help to shape government policy, national and international law and its
practice. At the heart of legal London, we attract the leading figures in the field to contribute to our
vibrant programme of events, informing public debate and understanding of contemporary social,
legal, environmental and economic issues.
The UCL Laws student body numbers around 960 students, divided between 500 undergraduate,
400 taught graduate, and 60 graduate research students. The faculty has an academic staff of
some 55 professors, lecturers and readers, as well as many visiting professors, lecturers and
distinguished judicial visitors, and our dedicated team of professional services staff provides
valuable support to both our students and academic staff.
Throughout our long history, we have been committed to the values of the founders of UCL:
justice, liberty and equal rights for all. As a faculty, we work together to promote these values
among our staff and students, and as part of UCL, we harness the potential of cross-disciplinary
research and expertise to address the world’s key problems.
Jurisprudence at UCL Laws
The Faculty has a long and distinguished history of enquiry into theoretical aspects of all laws as
well as into theoretical questions about the nature of law itself. From the outset of law teaching at
UCL in 1828, the influence of theory upon both legal education and the growth of legislation in
accordance with utilitarian principles was heavily influenced by John Austin, one of the two
founding professors of law. This reforming and theoretical influence was immense and is part of
the spirit of the Faculty today. The Bentham Project, a college-based collaborative research team
which is producing the authoritative edition of Jeremy Bentham’s Collected Works, is organised
out of the Faculty. Jurisprudence is taught as a compulsory subject on the LLB curriculum and
informs a large part of the Faculty’s interdisciplinary approach to research.
The importance of jurisprudence and legal theory within the Faculty is marked by the Quain
Professorship. Ronald Dworkin, whose work in the past 30 years has had a global impact on the
agenda of the modern debate in legal and political philosophy, held the Quain Chair from 1998 to
2005. Other holders of the Chair have included Glanville Williams, well-known for his theoretical
approach to the criminal law, Lord Lloyd of Hampstead QC, whose Lloyd on Jurisprudence has
introduced decades of law students world-wide to Jurisprudence, and William Twining (now
Research Professor in the Faculty) whose influence on academic legal education around the world
has been immense. The most recent holders of the Chair have been Ross Harrison (now Emeritus
Quain Professor at UCL), the political philosopher and former Provost of King’s College,
Cambridge, G.A. Cohen, the distinguished moral and political philosopher, and former Chichele
Professor of Social and Political Thought at All Soul’s College, Oxford, and John Tasioulas (now
Yeoh Professor of Politics, Philosophy & Law at KCL), best known for his work on the philosophy
of human rights and international law.
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Job Description
Job Title
Quain Chair of Jurisprudence
Grade
10
Hours
Full Time (36.5 hours per week)
Available
01 September 2015
Responsible to
Dean of Faculty of Laws
The appointment will be made on the Professorial Grade 10 salary scale dependent on
qualifications and experience of appointee.
This is a full-time position, however working on a part-time basis will be considered, subject to
discussion with the appointee. The usual minimum is 15 hours per week.
The successful candidate will be a world-class scholar in the general area of legal philosophy and
legal theory, which may include major theoretical contributions in substantive law or in a discipline
related to law.
The Quain Professor will join an active group of colleagues among whom are Sylvie Delacroix,
Stephen Guest, Jeff King, George Letsas, Riz Mokal, Prince Saprai and Philip Schofield in Laws,
Cécile Laborde and Saladin Meckled-Garcia in Political Science, and Veronique Munoz-Darde and
Jonathan Wolff in Philosophy.
In addition to contributing to our LLB and LLM teaching and supervising PhD students, activities
may include co-convening the UCL Colloquium in Legal & Social Philosophy, teaching on the
cross-disciplinary MA in Legal and Political Theory, and contributing to the work of several
research centres, including the Centre for Ethics and Law and the Institute for Human Rights
The role and responsibilities for the post are outlined below.
The Role and its Responsibilities
1
Research
The Quain Professor must contribute to the advancement of Jurisprudence by research and
scholarship (defined as commitment to, and practice in, the acquisition and synthesis of
knowledge and understanding) that is world-leading, and meets the highest standards of
excellence in terms of originality, impact and rigour.
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To contribute to the advancement of scholarship in the field, through publications and other
research activity of international significance and which makes strong impact both in terms
of reach and significance.
To effectively share the research findings with a range of audiences.
To seek out, engage in and lead funded research projects and initiatives.
To contribute to and enhance the Faculty’s research culture.
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2
Learning and Teaching
The Quain Professor must contribute to the advancement of Jurisprudence through teaching
and by pedagogical innovation.
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To contribute to teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses offered by the
Faculty.
To offer specialist supervision to research students.
To contribute to the development and organisation of courses and programmes.
To use new technologies and media appropriately to support teaching and postgraduate
research.
Colloquium in Law and Social Philosophy
As well as contributing to the advancement of Jurisprudence through research, scholarship
and pedagogical innovation, the Quain Professor must work with colleagues in the
organization of the annual Colloquium in Law and Social Philosophy at which distinguished
thinkers in legal and political philosophy present new research. The Colloquium brings
together expertise in legal and political philosophy from around UCL and beyond. It features
leading legal, political, and moral philosophers who discuss work in progress. Speakers over
the years have included philosophers whose work has had a major impact in contemporary
philosophy, such as Simon Blackburn, GA Cohen, John Finnis, Rainer Forst, Samuel
Freeman, Charles Fried, Frances Kamm, Christine Korsgaard, Onora O'Neill, Joseph Raz,
Samuel Scheffler, Amartya Sen, Bernard Williams, and many others.
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Quain Lectures in Jurisprudence
The Quain Professor must also work with colleagues in the organisation of this annual lecture
series and editing of the associated book series. The Quain Lectures were founded in 2011
and are the first published lecture series in Jurisprudence. The list of Quain lecturers includes
Philip Pettit, Joseph Raz, John Gardner and Cass Sunstein.
5
Knowledge transfer/exchange and engaging communities
The Quain Professor is expected to contribute to quality of life or the economy through the
application of knowledge in practice to the benefit of the broader community (i.e. commerce,
industry and the public domain).
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To engage in a range of knowledge transfer or public engagement activities.
Enabling
The Quain Professor must contribute to the Faculty’s strategic leadership, and governance, or
make a significant contribution to the achievement of the Faculty’s and UCL’s wider goals and
aims, which furthers the discipline, and/or facilitates and enhances the personal contributions
of academic colleagues.
7
Staff and Professional Development
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To pursue academic excellence through a continuing commitment to academic,
professional and personal development.
Such other duties as may reasonably be requested.
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In addition:
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The postholder will be expected to actively follow UCL policies including Equal
Opportunities policies.
The postholder will be expected to maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and
Health & Safety Regulations.
As duties and responsibilities change, this job description will be reviewed and amended in
consultation with the postholder.
In undertaking your responsibilities you will be responsible to the Dean of Faculty and, ultimately,
to the Provost.
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Person Specification
The successful candidate must be recognized as a world-leading scholar in their field, and must
present evidence of the ability to teach successfully at higher education level, and research of a
world class level of excellence (REF 4*).
Candidates must demonstrate the following:
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An outstanding international research profile with substantial seminal contributions to
knowledge or other outcomes appropriate to the discipline and demonstrable impact;
Evidence of contributions to peer review bodies/committees, professional organisations,
learned societies, government committees or Research Councils etc;
Evidence of academic leadership and a proven ability to lead, develop and motivate
colleagues;
Evidence of introducing innovative change to the curriculum and of a significant contribution
to the skills/ knowledge base in relation to teaching and learning within an Institution and/or
discipline;
An appropriate number of research students successfully supervised;
Evidence of a significant impact of knowledge transfer/exchange on practice or on quality of
life through ongoing engagement with communities;
Evidence of excellence in teaching and/or evidence of a significant contribution to the
management or administration of an academic Department, or Faculty.
Personal Style, Skills and Qualities
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Communication and interpersonal skills appropriate for teaching, supervision and
collaborative work.
Evidence of flexibility and adaptability in approach to work.
Evidence of contribution to academic policy formulation and strategic planning at Faculty
level.
Evidence of commitment to personal learning, academic and professional development.
Commitment to equal opportunities.
In addition to the person specification criteria, the successful candidate will need to meet UCL’s
expectations of Academic excellence, as outlined in ‘Excellence and the UCL community: a shared
endeavour’ (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/excellence/). A hard copy of this document is available on
request. This will inform the candidate’s induction, probation, and appraisal, in discussion with the
Faculty Vice Dean (Staffing).
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The Appointment
The position is full time and available from 01 September 2015.
Salary, dependent on qualifications and experience, will be on the Professorial scale (salary
negotiable on appointment but with a minimum starting salary of £66,482 per annum inclusive of
£2,919 London Allowance).
You would be eligible to join the recommended occupational pension scheme for Universities, the
Universities' Superannuation Scheme (USS).
The leave allowance is 27 working days’ annual leave per annum plus Statutory Bank Holidays
(normally 8) and local discretionary holidays (normally 6).
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