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
See Rules and Nominations for full details.
For a full list of all prizewinners, past and present, please see our prizewinners page.
The 2022 shortlists, 2021 shortlists, 2020 shortlists and 2019 shortlists are also available.
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
The winner is announced in the autumn issue of the Socio-Legal Newsletter each year.
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 and most recently by Richard Collier: full details.
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. See rules and nominations.
The Hart–SLSA 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. See rules and nominations.
The Socio-Legal Theory and History Prize
A book prize, open to all, for a book that makes a 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. See rules and nominations.
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. Note: there is a new requirement from 2019 onwards that entrants for the article prize must provide a statement (not more than 200 words) explaining why their article is socio-legal (see point 8 of the rules). See rules and nominations.
Rules
Please note that since 2011 all entries must now be sent in in electronic format only. As of 2016 all those shortlisted for one of the prizes are required to attend the annual conference. The deadline for nominations for prizes is the first Monday of October each year.
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
If you have any queries about these prizes you should contact
Poster Competition
This is a prize for the best poster exhibited by a PGR student 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 November each year. For examples of past entries to this competition, please see our poster exhibition page.