Alan Paterson

Professor Alan Paterson OBE joined Strathclyde in 1984 and served as head of the university’s law school for six years and subsequently as chair of the Committee of Heads of UK Law Schools. His research focuses on the judiciary, access to justice, professional ethics and the legal profession.

He has become one of only 29 current emeritus members of SLS, which confers membership “in recognition of services rendered to legal education.”

Professor Paterson, a past president of SLS, said: “It is a great privilege to receive this accolade from the leading body representing legal academics in Britain and Ireland.”

Professor Paterson is chair of the International Legal Aid Group, a network of policymakers and leading researchers in more than 35 countries, and director of the Centre for Professional Legal Studies, which is Scotland’s first think tank on Access to Justice and the legal profession.

He is also chair of the Legal Services Group of Citizens Advice Scotland and a special adviser to the Scottish Legal Aid Board and the Law Society.

He has acted as an adviser to governments and policy-makers in a wide range of countries. In 2015, his book, Final Judgment: The Last Law Lords and the Supreme Court, received the Socio-Legal Studies Association prize for the “most outstanding piece of socio-legal scholarship” and the Society of the Inner Temple’s Book Prize; he was presented with the latter award by HRH The Princess Royal.

In 2009, Professor Paterson was appointed OBE for services to legal education and to law.