Law Research and PhD Programmes

Over the years, Brunel Law School has established itself as a major player in the UK law research landscape and is ranked as one of the top law schools in the UK for research. 

The impact of our diversity within the Brunel Law School is evident in the breadth of our research activity which can be divided into public and private law. Our research activity embraces doctrinal, theoretical, critical, contextual and comparative approaches to the study of law. It reaches from the local to the global, addressing important challenges in domestic law as well as universal legal, economic, and social issues. We investigate in depth how best to create and maintain just societies that fairly balance both personal freedom and authority, and the rights and responsibilities of individuals and society. 

Research opportunities for students 

Research students are welcomed to Brunel as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community. Browse PhD opportunities below and find out about the funding available for students.

Research in Law 

Find people, projects, groups and publications in Law and read more about related research to this area.

Meet our experts

Journals

Our commitment to legal research is deepened by contributing to and editing journals.

Our latest publications

Climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance: Rethinking the shameful trade flows of used textiles and the need to slow fast fashion - Owusu-Wiredu, Prince

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The extent that Term Extensions, (SPCs), are creating a barrier to access to pharmaceuticals - Elizee, Theona Rufin

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The evolving jurisdiction of the Shura council in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Alshareef, Shaker Bin Ahmed

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Reconciling ‘best interests of the child’ with the traditional Muslim law rules on child custody: Trends in the judicial decisions of Bangladesh - Taslima, Yasmin

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Independent assessment of our research quality (REF 2021)

View REF 2021 details for Law (UoA 18)

Problems with family courts exposed

REF 2021

Research groups and centres

African Studies

This research group brings together Brunel’s growing research community that is engaged with the study of Africa

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability

Our focus is on how individuals, businesses and societies can tap into creative and entrepreneurial flair to develop innovative solutions, in order to not only create economic value, but also solve social and environmental problems.

Global Lives

Research conducted in the Centre addresses the challenges facing society, helping to change the lives of people around the world by bringing economic, social and cultural benefits.

Harm and Justice Research Group

The Harm and Justice Research Group brings together a diverse group of researchers, advocates, and practitioners from across the University who work on issues of harm and justice.

Human rights, society and arts

We aim to understand, define and criticize social mobilization, cultural challenges and institutional limitations over conflicting notions of human rights, building on the wide and world-leading human rights expertise of Brunel academics.

Institute of Communities and Society

The Institute focuses on the social, community, and cultural aspects of pressing contemporary issues including migration and movement, social unrest, intersectional inequalities, and institutionalised poverty.

Intelligence and Security Studies

As an inter-disciplinary research centre, established to deal specifically with intelligence issues, policy and institutions, to promote and develop social science and policy-oriented approaches to intelligence.

International Law

Addressing the fields of public international law, from human rights law to refugee law, the laws of war, international criminal law and dispute resolution.

Law, Economics and Finance

The Centre for Law, Economics and Finance aims to advance the wider societal impact of our research by engaging with policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholder.

Living avatars

Uniquely interdisciplinary approach to better understand the social, cognitive, and political impacts of avatar use.

Magna Carta

We analyse how best to create and maintain just societies that fairly balance both personal freedom and authority, and the rights and responsibilities of individuals and society.

Migration, Asylum and Law

The Migration, Asylum and Law Research Group serves as a hub for interdisciplinary teaching and research, bringing together scholars working at the intersection of migration, refugees, human rights, and law from various perspectives.

Religion research group

The Religion Research Group (RRG) is a transdisciplinary group of scholars working on diverse dimensions of religion.

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Contact us

Speak to our academic team about research in the Brunel Law School

Courses

Law PhD

View all courses

Fully-funded studentships

Studentships in Arts & Social Sciences via the TECHNE2 Doctoral Training Partnership