At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.
In 1980, Sir Roy Goode decided to create an environment where practising commercial lawyers and those from academia could meet and exchange ideas. His vision was that by bringing together these different perspectives, we would create better outcomes. And so the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) was born.
It’s an innovation that continues to bear results in teaching and research. One example is the Centre’s research on cloud computing being undertaken by its Institute of Computer and Communications Law – a rigorous academic undertaking, funded by industry to address a systemic challenge that has far-reaching consequences for providers of cloud services, as well as their users, whether individual, corporate or public sector.
By bringing academia and practice together, CCLS has become a world leader in commercial law research. Proof positive that a diversity of ideas fosters academic excellence and helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.
CCLS has over 50 full-time academic staff and more than 75 practitioners, judges and visiting academics contributing to the teaching, research and life of the centre. Involving leading practitioners and business in the delivery of our courses continues to ensure that the teaching and training we deliver is relevant and practical whilst retaining the highest academic rigour. CCLS’s advisory council (chaired by The Right Honourable Lord Justice Kitchin) and its Development Board are comprised of judges, solicitors, barristers, general counsel, business leaders and academics.
CCLS has approximately 100 doctoral and 1,000 postgraduate taught students from some 80 countries. Our students benefit from learning from leading academics and experienced practitioners in their teaching teams. View School of Law postgraduate law programmes.
Good teaching and the development of law depend on high quality research. CCLS is a world leader in research in commercial law from an international and comparative perspective. An example of this is the scholarly yet practical research on Cloud Computing being undertaken by CCLS’s Institute of Computer and Communications Law (made possible by a generous grant from Microsoft). Read more about research at CCLS.
CCLS has a long history of contributing to the training of practitioners and industry professionals, as well as providing seminars and lectures that count towards continuing professional development.
CCLS’s objective is to disseminate research on the practice and development of law. The Centre’s academic staff contribute to the work of domestic and international bodies undertaking law reform, acts as consultants to governments, agencies and practitioners and engages in debate through seminars and conferences, such as recent joint seminars with the Financial Services Authority and the Bank of England. Our School of International Arbitration is accredited as a non-governmental organisation by the United Nations.
In 2021 the School of Law was awarded the prestigious Athena Swan Bronze Award by Advance HE. This achievement recognises the School's efforts and ongoing commitment to boosting gender equality within the university.
Download the Centre for Commercial Law Studies Brochure [PDF 1,632KB].