Date:	Monday, 15th March 2010 - 17:00:00
	Speaker:	Professor Sir Francis Jacobs KCMG, QC
	Venue:	Lawley Lecture Theatre Kingston Hill Campus

All Kingston Law School students are invited to a guest lecture to be given by Professor Sir Francis Jacobs. The lecture title is 'The Court of Justice after Lisbon'.. Please note that the presentation will begin at 5.15pm.

Abstract

European Union law is supreme over the law of the Member States of the Union, so judgements of the European Court of Justice are the ultimate legal authority for an area encompassing 27 countries with a combined population of over 490, 000,000 people.

The judgements of the Court of Jutice have played a profoundly important role in integrating Europe, in ensuring the effectiveness of European Union law and in determining the nature of the current social, political and economic structure of Europe.

The Lisbon Treaty has introduced a number of changes which will have a significant impact on the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice and which also establish the legal mechanisms for the EU to become a signatory of the ECHR. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will then have competence to rule on the application of the Convention rights by the EU. Significant changes in the legal landscape are afoot!

The most influential British authority on matters of European Union law, Professor Sir Francis Jacobs, who indeed has personally had a significant effect on the development of EU law, is coming to speak at Kingston about the implications of the changes brought about by Lisbon.

Don’t miss it!

Registration is not required for this event, however if you have any questions please email Sarah Shiells at S.Shiells@kingston.ac.uk.

Speaker Biography

Professor Sir Francis Jacobs KCMG QC

Francis Jacobs worked for two years at the European Commission of Human Rights in Strasbourg and then for two years as referendaire to the first British Advocate General at the Court of Justice, J-P Warner, before appointment as Professor of European Law at King’s College London in 1974.

He was appointed as the British Advocate General to the Court of Justice in 1988.

Advocate Generals of the Court of Justice have the same status as judges of the Court but, as the Court gives a single judgement with no dissenting opinions, it is the Advocate General who has the opportunity to give an individual assessment of the law. He or she delivers an Opinion on the case at hand to the judges of the Court, recommending an outcome which is usually, but not always, followed in the Court’s judgement.

The Opinion of the Advocate General therefore constitutes an independent legal assessment and thorough analysis of the arguments, which is then subject to public scrutiny and may determine the agenda of future academic debate. Sir Francis Jacobs was the second longest serving member of the Court of Justice and arguably the most influential individual member. His Opinions have had a profound influence on the development of European Union law.

During his time as Advocate General he continued in practice and took silk in 1984. Since his retirement from the Court in 2006 he has taken up post as Professor of Law at King’s College London. He is also Jean Monnet Professor at the Centre for European Law at King’s College London and Professor at the College of Europe, Bruges.

His books include ‘The European Convention on Human Rights’ (OUP 1975) and ‘The Court of Justice of the European Communities’ (co-author with Neville Brown) (5th ed 2000 Sweet and Maxwell).