THE DIRECTOR’S SEMINAR SERIES: Book Launch and Celebration: Supporting Legal Capacity in Socio-Legal Context

Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) makes clear that disabled people have the right to enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis to others. How to implement this right has been a central challenge in the translation of the rights embedded in the CRPD into domestic legal contexts, and has been the subject of significant academic and activist attention since the CRPD came into force in 2008.

Supporting Legal Capacity in Socio-Legal Context (Hart, 2022), edited by Mary Donnelly, Rosie Harding and Ezgi Taşcıoğlu brings together leading international socio-legal and medico legal scholars to explore the dilemma of how to support legal capacity in theory and practice. With 16 chapters written by contributors from the UK, Canada, Finland, India, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and Turkey, this edited collection seeks to shift academic focus away from whether or not legal capacity should be respected in law, to practical strategies for supporting legal capacity and overcoming the challenges involved in doing so. 
This book launch and celebration, which launches the Director’s Series of events at IALS in 2022/23 will be hosted by Professor Carl Stychin. The event will introduce the key themes and arguments presented in the book, beginning with an introduction from the editors followed by brief reflections from Alex Ruck Keene QC (Hon), Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers and Visiting Professor at the Dickson Poon School of Law, KCL; Dr Beverley Clough, Associate Professor, University of Leeds; and Dr Margaret Flynn, Chair of the National Mental Capacity  Forum. There will also be opportunities for open Q&A and discussion of themes relating to the book.

After the formal part of the event, attendees are warmly invited to join us for a celebratory drinks reception. 

Speakers:

Prof Rosie Harding, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
Prof Mary Donnelly, School of Law, University College Cork
Dr Ezgi Taşcıoğlu, School of Law, Keele University
Alex Ruck Keene QC (Hon), 39 Essex Chambers and King’s College London
Dr Beverley Clough, School of Law, University of Leeds
Dr Margaret Flynn, Chair, National Mental Capacity Forum