Prizes

One of the SLSA's stated aims is to advance the dissemination of knowledge in the field of socio-legal studies. To that end, the SLSA Board invites nominations for the following annual prizes:

Prize for Contributions to the Socio-Legal Community – £500 and life membership
Annual Impact Prize
Hart SLSA Book Prize – £250
Hart SLSA Prize for Early Career Academics – £250
Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize – £250
Socio-Legal Article Prize – £100
Poster Competition – £50

Nominations open on 23 June 2025.

For a full list of all prizewinners, past and present, please see our prizewinners page.

SLSA Prize for Contributions to the Socio-Legal Community

This prestigious prize is sponsored by a private benefactor. The winner of the SLSA Prize for Contributions to the Socio-Legal Community receives £500 plus lifetime membership of the SLSA.

Calls for nominations are issued each year via the SLSA ebulletin and newsletter. SLSA members are invited to submit nominations stating in 100 words why the person they are nominating would be a worthy recipient of the prize. Nominations should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Closing date: first Monday in September.

The winner is announced in the autumn issue of the Socio-Legal Newsletter each year.

In chronological order, this prize has been won by Mavis Maclean, Phil Thomas, Roger Cotterrell, Sally Wheeler, Martin Partington, Linda Mulcahy, Mike Adler, jointly by Fiona Cownie and Tony Bradney, Robert Dingwall, David Cowan, Caroline Hunter, Richard Collier and Rosemary Hunter: full details.

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The Hart–SLSA Book Prize

A book prize, open to all, for the most outstanding piece of socio-legal scholarship published in the 12 months up to 30 September preceding the closing date for nominations. The winner is announced at the SLSA Annual Conference and receives £250. The closing date for nominations is the first Monday in October each year.

Note: all nominees and nominators must be current members in good standing of the Socio-Legal Studies Association. You can check your membership status here.

Past Book Prize winners

The Hart–SLSA Book Prize for Early Career Academics

A prize for the best book, published in the 12 months up to 30 September preceding the closing date for nominations, emerging from a previously awarded PhD, MPhil, LLB or MA. The winner is announced at the SLSA Annual Conference and receives £250. The closing date for nominations is the first Monday in October each year.

Note: all nominees and nominators must be current members in good standing of the Socio-Legal Studies Association. You can check your membership status here.

Past Early Career Prize winners

The Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize

A book prize for an outstanding contribution to socio-legal theory or to socio-legal history published in the 12 months up to 30 September preceding the closing date for nominations. The winner is announced at the SLSA Annual Conference and receives £250. The closing date for nominations is the first Monday in October each year.

Note: all nominees and nominators must be current members in good standing of the Socio-Legal Studies Association. You can check your membership status here.

Past Theory and History Prize winners

The Socio-Legal Article Prize

An article prize, open to all, for the most outstanding piece of socio-legal scholarship published in the 12 months up to 30 September preceding the closing date for nominations. The winner is announced at the SLSA Annual Conference and receives £100. The closing date for nominations is the first Monday in October each year.

Note: all nominees and nominators must be current members in good standing of the Socio-Legal Studies Association. You can check your membership status here.

Past Article prize winners

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Nominations

Completed nomination forms plus a version of the book or article in electronic format ONLY should be sent by the first Monday of October each year to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All nominations should also be accompanied by a copy of an email from the author/authors consenting to the nomination.

Note: entrants for all book prizes and the article prize must provide a statement (not more than 200 words) explaining why the nominated work is socio-legal.

If you have any queries about these prizes you should contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Poster Competition

This is a prize for the best poster exhibited by an SLSA PGR student member at the SLSA's Annual Conference poster exhibition (note: this is not open to UGs or PGTs). Entry is via the conference call for papers and opens in the autumn each year. The winner is announced at the SLSA Annual Conference and receives £50. For examples of past entries to this competition, please see our poster exhibition page.

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