Vol. 26 No. 1 (2021)

We are pleased to publish the first issue of the twenty-sixth volume of the Coventry Law Journal. As with previous issues, this issue contains articles, recent developments, case notes and student essays on a wide variety of legal areas, such as human rights, criminal justice, discrimination law, commercial law, arbitration, employment law, legal history, tort, corporate and company law and property law. Our thanks go to those staff and students who have contributed their research and time to this issue. We are especially pleased to include contributions from outside the school; by Dr Liz Hales, who has written an article on care of young children in the criminal justice system, and (another) Steve Foster, from Manchester Grammar School, who has written on possible future reform of the Human Rights Act.

We are also pleased to include contributions from past and present students, both at Coventry and at SWUPL, our partner university in China. The Law School encourages student work and writing, and we have included a number of student articles, essays and case notes in this issue.

This issue is dedicated to three former colleagues in the Law School who have sadly passed away since the publication of the last issue of the Journal. It is difficult to describe the level of commitment that Kevin Williams, David Royall, and Colin Perkin gave to the Law School in addition to their individual contribution to the university and legal education in general. Collectively, they gave over seventy-five years’ service to Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry Polytechnic and Coventry University, and each will be fondly remembered and missed terribly, as former colleagues and as friends. A special feature on each of these exceptional teachers is included in this issue.

We are bidding farewell and good luck to three staff members: Dr Luke Graham, who has secured a post at Manchester University, Dr Emma Marchant, who is returning to the University of Birmingham, and Nicholas Squires, who is retiring after more than 25 years’ at the University. Both Luke and Emma have made significant contributions at Coventry in their short stays with us, and we would like to thank them for all their hard work and inspiration. We wish Nick a happy retirement.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue and we look forward to your contributions in future issues. If you wish to contribute to the Journal and want any advice or assistance in being published, then please contact the editors: the next publication date is December 2021, which will coincide with our twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations, and contributions need to be forwarded by early November. The Law School will host a conference in October of this year to celebrate twenty-five years of the Journal, inviting previous contributors to recall their academic pieces and report on any changes to the law since initial publication. The December 2021 issue will include some of those contributions together with new pieces.

The editors: Dr Steve Foster and Dr Stuart MacLennan