Led by ELFA’s president and chair of private international law at Edinburgh Law School, Professor Veronica Ruiz Abou-Nigm, the conference addressed the theme of ‘The Future of Global Legal Education’.

The institutional welcome was given by head of Edinburgh Law School, Professor Jo Shaw, dean of internationalisation at the University of Edinburgh’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) Professor Soledad Garcia-Ferrari, and Professor Ruiz Abou-Nigm.

The conference began with a keynote address by Lady Wolffe entitled ‘Legal Education and the Making of Global Citizens’. This insightful opening led way to roundtable discussions that fostered diversity of approaches, dynamism, and engaging dialogue.

The conference brought together over 130 distinguished rectors, deans, and faculty from across the globe who were warmly celebrated with a gala dinner on 18 April at Old College’s Playfair Library. Accompanied by a University of Edinburgh student string quartet, the dinner allowed for further networking between ELFA members and delegates from several associations that cooperate with ELFA, including the European Law Students Association (ELSA), the Council of Europe, the European Law Institute (ELI), the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS), the Law Schools Global League (LSGL), the South-Eastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS), and the American Association of Law Schools (AALS).

Professor Ruiz Abou-Nigm said: “We were delighted to welcome to our Law School distinguished delegates representing members of the European Law Faculties Association from twenty-nine countries across four continents. It was a vibrant and insightful conference nurturing interconnection, cooperation, and fruitful learning from each other in legal education.

“Opportunities like this break down cultural barriers, build bridges across legal systems, foster empathy, and provide many good times and long-lasting memories! As President of ELFA (2023-2024), I am sincerely grateful with the fantastic team of Edinburgh Law School, with the ELFA Board of Directors, with ELFA Secretary and with all the distinguished delegates that joined us from around the world, for making ELFA Edinburgh 2024 a wonderful and memorable gathering.”