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University of Aberdeen School of Law

The University of Aberdeen School of Law (Scottish Gaelic: Sgoil Lagha Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is the law school of University of Aberdeen, located in Aberdeen, Scotland. Established in 1495, it is consistently ranked among the top 10 law schools in the United Kingdom.[2][3][4][5]

University of Aberdeen
School of Law
Sgoil Lagha Oilthigh Obar Dheathain
The Taylor Building (2009)
TypeLaw school
Establishedc. 1495; 529 years ago (1495)
Parent institution
University of Aberdeen
HeadGreg Gordon
Academic staff
60 faculty members
Students1200 approx.
Undergraduates900[1]
Postgraduates350
60
Location
Aberdeen
,
Scotland

57°09′55″N 2°06′04″W / 57.16528°N 2.10111°W / 57.16528; -2.10111
CampusOld Aberdeen
Colours
                             
Websiteabdn.ac.uk/law

Today, it is one of the oldest, largest, selective and prestigious law schools in Scotland, admitting some two hundred and fifty students each year, as well as over forty international exchange students.[5] The 2021 Complete University Guide league rankings placed Aberdeen at 6th in the UK.[6][7] The 2019 The Times league rankings also placed Aberdeen at 7th in the UK.[8]

The School offers both undergraduate (LL.B.) and taught and research postgraduate degrees (LL.M.), as well as the Diploma in Legal Practice and Professional Competence Course.[9] The current Head of the School of Law is Greg Gordon.[10]

History and tradition

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Founding

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William Elphinstone (1431–1514) was a Scottish statesman, first Professor of Law at the university (1505–14), Bishop of Aberdeen and founder of the University of Aberdeen.

The history of the School of Law began with the establishment in 1495 of King's College, Aberdeen, the original university in Aberdeen, by William Elphinstone, then Bishop of Aberdeen and himself a former lawyer. From 1505 onwards, King's College endowed two professors of law- one for Canon law, another for Civil Law. Canon law ceased to be taught at King's College due to the Reformation which saw a purging of King's professors. The latter, Civil Law, would continue to be taught at King's College, subsequently in the United University, until today.[11]

In 1860, King's College merged with Aberdeen's other university, Marischal College, to form the current University. However, it was not until 1895 that John Dove Wilson revived Scots Law at Aberdeen as a B.L. (Bachelor of Laws) and 1910 as the LL.B. degree.[12]

Professorships

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Traditionally there are four statutory professorships at the University of Aberdeen's School of Law: Professor of Jurisprudence, Professor of Scots Law, Professor of Civil Law, Professor of Public Law.

The tradition have produced scholars such as: Neil Kennedy, Lord Kennedy, who was a professor of Law and served as the first chairman of the Scottish Land Court (1912−18); Sir Thomas Broun Smith who became Professor of Scots Law (1949) and was Dean of the Faculty of Law between 1950−53 and 1956−58; or Peter Stein who was Professor of Jurisprudence from 1956 to 1968 and later became the Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Cambridge.

Academic dress

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Academic dress has been worn in the University of Aberdeen since mediaeval times.[13] Academic dress is usually worn only at formal occasions, such as at graduation, Founder's Day, or academic processions which take place for ceremonial reasons.

  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), black silk, lined with pale blue silk;
  • Master of Laws (LL.M.), white silk, lined with pale blue silk;
  • Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), the Doctor's Scarlet cloth gown distinguished by pale blue silk facings and sleeve linings. Sleeves will have a pale blue tassel and button, and John Knox Cap.[14][15]

Academics

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Reputation and rankings

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Rankings
National rankings
Complete (2025)[16]17
Guardian (2025)[17]11
Times / Sunday Times (2025)[18]9
Global rankings
QS (2025)[19]201-250

The School has been consistently ranked among the top 10 law schools in the United Kingdom.[2][3][4][5] The 2021 Complete University Guide league rankings placed Aberdeen at 6th in the UK.[6][7] The 2019 The Times league rankings also placed Aberdeen at 7th in the UK.[8]

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the School submitted 35.7 FTE staff, the third-highest number of legal research staff in Scotland, after Glasgow (37.95) and Edinburgh (48.74). Five of the School's research submissions were rated the highest 4*, the same number as Dundee and Stirling, but behind Glasgow's fifteen, Strathclyde's twenty and Edinburgh's thirty. The School achieved thirty 3*, forty-five 2* and twenty 1* submissions.[20]

Research Centres

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School of Law has developed five Research Centres:[21]

Aberdeen Summer Program

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In addition, the School of Law plays host to the annual Aberdeen Summer Program in co-operation with the University of Baltimore School of Law and University of Maryland School of Law. The course examines comparison of U.S. and U.K. law, and is taught by Scottish and American tutors. Twenty American law students participated in the 2008 program, and thirty-two American law students were enrolled in the 2009 program.[22]

International Exchange

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In between years 2 and 3 of the LLB (with a language or European Legal Studies) course, students are given the opportunity to spend time studying in another country, learning its respective legal system and possibly its language. Current options open to students include the Université Libre de Bruxelles and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, Aarhus Universitet in Denmark, the University of Helsinki in Finland, the University of Auvergne, Pierre Mendès-France University and Lumière University Lyon 2 in France, the Universities of Freiburg, Marburg and Regensburg in Germany, Maastricht University in the Netherlands, the University of Bergen in Norway, Universidad de Deusto and Universidad de Sevilla in Spain, and the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town in South Africa.

Aberdeen Student Law Review

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The Aberdeen Student Law Review (ASLR)[23] is a student run academic law review founded in 2010.[24] The ASLR is entirely managed, written, edited and peer-reviewed by Students and Alumni of the University of Aberdeen. It is sponsored by Stronachs LLP who also provide a prize for the best submission to the review.[25] The Hon. Lord Woolman acts as Honorary Editor and Patron of the ASLR.

Facilities

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Before the completion of Taylor Building, the entire Law Faculty occupied the top floor of St Mary's.[26]

The Taylor Building and Taylor Library at the School of Law are named in honour of Professor Thomas Murray Taylor (1897–1962), Scottish advocate and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen.[27]

Taylor Building

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Courtyard of the Taylor Building (2009)

The university taught law at Marischal College until the expansion of King's College. The School of Law and its Library subsequently moved to St. Mary's buildings until once again, was moved to its current accommodation in the Taylor Building.

Taylor Library

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The School of Law maintains its own Library located in the Taylor Building at King's College campus. It occupies two floors and play host to the university's European Documentation Centre. It currently holds over 30,000 books and is equipped with over 190 study spaces along with collaborative rooms for both staff and students.[28]

Notable people

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Alumni

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  •  
    Alistair Darling
  •  
    Sir George Mackenzie
  •  
    James Francis Edward Keith
  •  
    Frank Mulholland
  •  
    Kezia Dugdale
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    Sir William Grant

Faculty

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References

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  1. ^ Research Study at Aberdeen. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Coimiseanair Gàidhlig "a dhìth"". Naidheachdan a' BhBC (in Scottish Gaelic). 7 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b Advisor, Law School (18 January 2019). "University of Aberdeen School of Law". Best Law Schools in the World. Retrieved 7 December 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b "Law Subject League Table 2021". www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "About the School of Law". University of Aberdeen School of Law. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Law - Top UK University Subject Tables and Rankings 2019". Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b "University league tables 2019". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  8. ^ a b "University Guide 2016 - The Times". nuk-tnl-editorial-prod-staticassets.s3.amazonaws.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Prospective Students". University of Aberdeen School of Law. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  10. ^ "Professor Greg Gordon | Staff Profile | People | The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  11. ^ Aberdeen University Review LIV (Aberdeen, 1991), 162
  12. ^ Studies in the History and Development of the University of Aberdeen, A Quatercentenary Tribute, (Aberdeen, 1906), 239
  13. ^ Cooper, J. C., 'Academical Dress in Late Medieval and Renaissance Scotland', Medieval Clothing and Textiles, 12 (2016), pp. 109-30. (Available here)
  14. ^ "Robe hire and photography | Students | The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  15. ^ "University of Aberdeen: Graduation hoods 2019" (PDF). University of Aberdeen.
  16. ^ "Complete University Guide 2025". The Complete University Guide. 14 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Guardian University Guide 2025". The Guardian. 7 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Good University Guide 2025". The Times. 20 September 2024.
  19. ^ "QS World University Rankings 2025". Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd. 4 June 2024.
  20. ^ "RAE 2008 : Quality profiles - Law". Research Assessment Exercise. Archived from the original on 22 February 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  21. ^ "Research Study at Aberdeen | School of Law | The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  22. ^ "University of Baltimore School of Law » Aberdeen Summer Program". University of Baltimore School of Law. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  23. ^ "Aberdeen Student Law Review - School of Law - The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk.
  24. ^ "About Us - School of Law - The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk.
  25. ^ "Sponsorship - School of Law - The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk.
  26. ^ "A short history of Taylor Library | Library, Special Collections and Museums | The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Taylor Building | About | The University of Aberdeen". www.abdn.ac.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  28. ^ "History of Taylor Library". University of Aberdeen School of Law. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
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