King's College London

The event was an opportunity for academics at the Law School to share the impact of their research and/or knowledge exchange activities carried out in connection with their research with their colleagues.

The projects demonstrated both national and global policy impact, and their breadth highlighted how faculty research is shaping legislation, international adjudication, policing practice, and even theatrical performance.

Projects

Dealing with uncertainty: Damages and valuation in investment arbitration

Dr Clara Lopez Rodriguez’s research is informing debate around investment arbitration by exposing how discounted cash flow (DCF) valuations can inflate compensation for projects that never materialised. Her findings highlight how these oversized awards deter governments from regulating in the public interest, especially on climate issues. The work is already influencing NGOs, international policy forums, and upcoming conferences as governments seek fairer, climate-aligned compensation systems.

The “Unseen Others” of investor stewardship: Redefining stewardship through research

Dr Dionysia Katelouzou discussed research that has helped established the field of investor stewardship and reframe it to recognise the interests of the “unseen others” affected by investor power - from clients and beneficiaries to investee assets, and from end investors to the wider social and environmental systems shaped by financial markets. Her decade-long work has identified gaps in existing stewardship codes and informed regulators and global standard-setters through the Global Investor Stewardship Project, contributing to debates on stronger accountability and long-term responsibility in financial governance.

Domestic and international adjudication: The future of construction dispute resolution

The Centre of Construction Law & Dispute Resolution conducted major empirical research on UK construction adjudication from 2022 to 2024, led by Professor Renato Nazzini KC and Dr Aleksander Godhe. The study found that women make up only about 8% of adjudicators, a finding that helped inspire industry initiatives such as the ‘Women in Adjudication’ network and the Adjudication Society’s ‘Pledge on Equal Representation in Adjudication’. The project also showed strong industry support for reforming the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, which currently includes several exclusions for adjudication. Its findings are now influencing discussions among practitioners and policymakers in several international jurisdictions.

Advancing states’ climate obligations through international adjudication

Dr Leslie-Anne Duvic-Paoli’s scholarship on states’ environmental obligations played a pivotal role in the African Union’s submissions to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its landmark advisory opinion on climate change. Her research helped frame arguments adopted by the ICJ and continues to guide capacity-building across Africa.

Constitutional reform

Professor Robert Blackburn KC has been a key figure in UK constitutional reform, and his research and expertise are regularly sought by government and parliamentary bodies. Following Prime Minster Gordon Brown's advocacy of a written constitution during 2007-10, Blackburn served as special counsel to the Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee in 2010-15, producing a comprehensive report on how a written constitution could work, published by the committee and the subject of an extensive public consultation exercise. The report has significantly influenced parliamentary opinion and civil service readiness for constitutional codification, in part or whole, as a future policy objective of government.

Every available lever: Working with police forces and parliamentarians to bring about change

Dr Miranda Bevan’s research into children’s experiences in police custody is influencing policing practice and legislative reform. Her work with police forces, NGOs, and parliamentary groups has improved training tools, increased public understanding of rights, and informed upcoming changes to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act Codes of Practice. The research continues to advocate for child-centred policing nationwide. Most recently, she has been working with four forces in England and Wales to pilot and/or evaluate Child First approaches and has led and reported on an Inquiry for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Children in Police Custody.

Accident: A collaborative law and theatrical arts project

Lloyd Gash is attempting to bridge law and the arts through Accident, a theatre project based on a real legal case. The play, developed in collaboration with Bryony Thomas, Dramaturg and Theatre Company Director, and The King’s Players Student Theatre Society, aims to widen public engagement with legal issues. The inaugural performance run at KCL is supported by Oxford University Press. The script will be made freely available for wider educational use from March 2026.

Implementing global minimum taxation in small jurisdictions: Evidence from Curaçao and Uruguay

Dr Leopoldo Parada’s research on global minimum taxation has directly influenced Curaçao’s new tax legislation and informed Uruguay’s strategic approach to OECD Pillar Two rules. His work offers practical frameworks for small jurisdictions navigating complex tax reforms, helping shape more realistic, context-specific global tax governance.

ImpactLawFest highlighted the wide scope and real-world influence of faculty research, demonstrating how academic work is driving tangible change for policy, practice, and public life at both national and global levels.