School of Law

Event Time: 17:00 -19:30

Join Reading Law School academics to discuss operations during the Israel-Hamas war, the proceedings in the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, and other topics.

The International Summer School explores contemporary issues in areas such as arbitration, banking, global security, and climate change. These topics will be explored through subject-specific lectures, seminar discussions and activities. 

There will also be opportunities to enjoy educational and cultural trips. Reading is well-connected by rail, making it easy to travel and explore the country's towns, cities and historical sites.

The fee includes self-catering accommodation in University halls of residence on campus which are within walking distance of teaching facilities and convenient to food outlets. 

You will be required to pay a deposit of £200 when you submit your application for a place on the School of Law Summer School 2026 in order for your application to be processed. 

Event time: 12:00-13:00

Title: Public procurement as a tool for making the supply chains fairer and more sustainable

Abstract

The talk examines how recent EU legislation enlists public procurement to make the supply chains fairer and more sustainable and how this development challenges more traditional approaches to public procurement embodied in the 2014 EU directives. It discusses recent contestation and backtracking and how EU public procurement legislation might change in the forthcoming reform. It closes with a few thoughts about the recent shift towards using public procurement to pursue strategic autonomy. 

Bio

Roberto Caranta is professor of administrative law at the University of Turin Law School. He has authored reports and studies for UNEP, the European Parliament and the European Commission. Recent works include Mandatory Sustainability Requirements in EU Public Procurement Law (Oxford, Hart, 2023) (editor with W. Janssen) and European Public Procurement. Commentary to Directive 2014/24/EU (Cheltenham, Elgar, 2021) (editor with A. Sanchez Graells).

Event time: 12:00 - 13:00

Title: ‘Dysfunction in Company Law Doctrine’

Abstract

Company law doctrine is dysfunctional. First, it is incoherent due to mixing inconsistent contract principle in company law cases. Salomon v A Salomon Co Ltd was decided 128 years ago, holding the company was a person in law, not a contract. Today, inconsistencies remain in case law as a result of failing to appreciate this and the company law principles that flow from legal personhood. Those principles are autonomy and self-determination through majority rule the company, which are not frictionless with the contract principle of consent. This paper identifies seven examples that evidence incoherency in company law doctrine from mixing inconsistent contract principle into them. This incoherency means doctrine is dysfunctional because resolving like cases on inconsistent principles is contrary to the rule of law. Coherency is needed to treat like cases alike and company law principle is the simpler solution than reconciling cases on contract principle. Finally, mixing inconsistent principles means doctrine does not function to meet company law’s normative aim. Consent principle focuses on what parties expect rather than what is in the best interests of the company.