Current charity law is allowing religious organisations which promote misogyny to claim all the benefits of charitable status, including tax breaks. So says our new report, 'Mission and Misogyny'. Read the full story👇 www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/09...

This is an important read ⬇️

-cease and desist -null and void -aid and abet -free and clear -ways and means Why is law stuff like this always two words? These are called ‘legal doublets’ and we can once again blame the Normans. 🧵⬇️

Fifty years of Fawlty Towers! Still unsurpassed in terms of TV comedy. Yes, a very small amount of it has dated. But overall it remains hilarious and the gold standard of comedy performance and writing generally. #FawltyTowers

Human rights principles should be taught early in schools.

This is very concerning. Completely agree with @humanists.uk on this. Religious education needs to be pluralistic - and that includes not just limited to religions let alone one! The days of Religious Instruction in schools is far gone. Let’s not turn the clocks back.

This underscores the need for marriage law reform in England and Wales where only religious and civil ceremonies can be legally recognised.

Very worrying for all supporters of a tolerant society to see the London rally this weekend. Besides the the many violent incidents recorded, there were so many blatantly racist signs and Christian nationalist slogans in the crowds. 🧵

Delighted to become a regular columnist for The Independent Celebrant, the magazine from the Association of Independent Celebrants - here’s my column from the summer issue; all future columns will be exclusive to the magazine.

Fascinating new issue of Doctor Who Magazine focusing on Jodie Whittaker. Haven’t had the chance yet to read her lengthy interview but great insightful interviews with @chrischibnall.bsky.social and really interesting chats with writers who have worked with her on other shows and how they see DW.

At the end of time, a professor gives his final law lecture and reflects upon how legal history can be taught. A pleasure to write the conclusion to this great volume launched yesterday. Something a bit different drawing upon the excellent chapters in this must read book.

A delight to attend and speak of the book launch of this awesome volume. It shows various ways in which law students can be introduced to legal history. A great addition to our book series. Congratulations to @carolinederry.bsky.social and Carol Howells and their contributors!

One of the effects of the reshuffle is the exit of Lord Ponsonby from the Ministry of Justice - in answers to questions in the Lords, he understood the pressing need for wedding law reform but that it needs to be comprehensive. I hope his successor will take the same approach. (1/3)

Claim that lockdown ban on public worship breached Article 9 held to be inadmissible by European Court of Human Rights since applicant had not shown that they were a victim for the purpose of the ECHR ⬇️

I'm back from annual leave during which some of my summer reading had a legal dimension. These are four excellent novels and are all worth your time - particularly if you are interested in a legal career and fancy something other than textbooks at this time of year! (1/7)

Great to visit the Cologne Center for Advanced Studies in International History and Law @chlcologne.bsky.social for a workshop on ‘The Reconfiguration of State-Centred Human Rights Law: Legal Pluralism and Inter-Legality Perspectives’.

I’m looking forward to attending and speaking at a workshop today and tomorrow on ‘The Reconfiguration of State-Centred Human Rights Law: Legal Pluralism and Inter-Legality Perspectives’ organised by Cologne Center for Advanced Studies in International History and Law @chlcologne.bsky.social

Government delay tactics on humanist marriages in England and Wales mentioned in Private Eye!

Roundup: burial records, Clergy Conduct Measure, humanist weddings again, Sheila Cameron RIP - & more: lawandreligionuk.com/2025/07/06/l...

I’m looking for someone who knows about Speedhand, an abbreviated writing system for typing / handwriting - apparently there were published manuals on it and it was taught in secretarial schools in Britain and South Africa. Any information appreciated - [email protected]

A great blog post by Association of Independent Celebrants on this week’s Parliamentary debate on legally recognising humanist marriage in which the Bishop of Guildford argued that we should not recognise what he derided as ‘commercial celebrants’: independentcelebrants.com/love-is-all-...

Great to see that this excellent book has been published - congratulations to the editors. A great addition to our series. Looking forward to receiving a physical copy!

Very excited that Legal History in the Curriculum is now published! It brings together amazing contributors from around the world, looking at how and why to teach legal history. Special thanks to @sandbergrlaw.bsky.social - contributor, series editor, and more!

"The reference to a free market reveals the Bishop’s bias. He laments the decline of the Church’s monopoly on this and is willing just about to share it with the State and other religions or beliefs but does not want to open the door any further. The reason for this is simple self interest."

"The reference to a free market reveals the Bishop’s bias. He laments the decline of the Church’s monopoly on this and is willing just about to share it with the State and other religions or beliefs but does not want to open the door any further." sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/t...

New blog post - The Bishop of Guildford’s Attack on Independent Celebrants: sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/t...

My take on @sandbergrlaw.bsky.social’s "Rethinking Law and Religion" is now out for the types of Amicus Curiae at journals.sas.ac.uk/amicus/artic.... Spoiler: it’s easily among the finest reads of 2024, so you’d be well within your rights to ignore my scribblings and go straight to the book itself.

Interesting news item reporting on the latest empirical research by my Cardiff University law colleague Professor Sharon Thompson ⬇️

The schedule for the Law activities at the Cardiff Uni Open Day on Friday and Saturday- I’m looking forward to joining our fantastic students to meet visitors and tell them all about the wonders of studying law! Thanks to Cambridge University Press for giving us copies of my book to use as prizes

#OTD 1772 the court of King's Bench in the case of Somerset v Stewart gave its ruling. An early judicial decision against the institution of slavery in England, our Public Engagement Assistant @joempbaker.bsky.social explored the ruling and its limitations: historyofparliament.com/2024/12/09/s...

Roundup: Terminally Ill Adults Bill, abortion law in England & Wales, birth registration and deceased fathers, Clergy Conduct Measure, Data (Use & Access) Act 2025, Charities, wills & fundraising, Ecc Law Soc London Lecture, burying Hindu statues at sea: lawandreligionuk.com/2025/06/22/l...

What if Juliet did not kill herself? And what if the resulting sequel to the classic play took the form of a musical that was a hybrid of a pop concert and a pantomime? & Juliet was great fun at @wmccmc.bsky.social last night.

The third book in our Transforming Legal Histories series is a fascinating read - the chapters cover a tremendous amount of ground. Lots of great chapters, including some really interesting ones on causation. And one of the best conclusions I’ve seen in an edited book! @routledgelaw.bsky.social

The controversy surrounding the Coskun case continues. The matter is the subject of a Ten Minute Rule Motion in the Commons today whatson.parliament.uk/event/cal51994 and a question in the Lords lordsbusiness.parliament.uk/ItemOfBusine...

A pleasure to speak at @leicsecularsociety.bsky.social yesterday evening. Thanks for all who attended and for all the excellent questions!

New blog post: As the need to legally recognise humanist marriage ceremonies is raised yet again in Parliament, @alexdaviesjones.bsky.social is correct to say that wider reform of marriage law needs to be considered: sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2025/06/04/h...

Great to receive my copy of this new textbook by Amy Codling @uoy-yorklawschool.bsky.social @routledgelaw.bsky.social - an honour to provide a foreword to it (which you can watch / listen to in full on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N98-... )

I’m looking forward to giving this talk - organised by the @leicsecularsociety.bsky.social - on Sunday evening via Zoom. All are welcome: details are in their post ⬇️

📣⚖️Rethinking Law and Religion with Prof. Russell Sandberg @sandbergrlaw.bsky.social 📅Sun 8 June, 6.30pm 📍Secular Hall & Zoom How does English law deal with religion? To what extent does it treat non-religious beliefs equally to religious ones. Meeting ID: 856 6301 7127 Passcode: 019219 Open to all!

Here’s today’s judgment in R v Coskun in which defendant found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence after burning a copy of the Qu’ran. Interesting discussion of whether his actions were aimed at beliefs or believers. www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/u...

A fortnight ago, I and other members of staff joined the SU President and members of the Women in Law student society to do a mass ice bucket challenge to raise funds for Mind. There’s still time to donate if you can: www.justgiving.com/page/women-i...

Pleased to share my new article! I reflect on what our responsibility is, as legal academics, to students experiencing racism and how we can surface the ways racism plays out "politely" such that the law school feels like a space to which they cannot fully belong. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

This is a must read article. So quotable! Just one: “a curriculum is ostensibly a selection of what is considered the most foundational knowledge areas within the discipline. However, selection often suggests some measure of subjectivity about what is perceived as important and to whom”

Thanks to Cambridge University Press for sending me a box of copies of my ‘A Historical Introduction to English Law’ book which I will be giving away as prizes during the Cardiff University Open Days on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June!

Some behind the scenes footage of this week’s #DoctorWho #WishWorld - it was great to see some of this be filmed near the School of Journalism @cujournmedcul.bsky.social in April 2024: www.instagram.com/p/DKEr60yMgA...

Very excited to have edited this volume in @sandbergrlaw.bsky.social’s Leading Works series. Leading Works in the History of the Constitution will be published in August. The book launch is on 26 September, with Lady Hale delivering the keynote. www.routledge.com/Leading-Work...

I was delighted to be asked to contribute a Foreword to the second edition of Amy Codling’s ‘Thinking Critically About Law : A Student’s Guide’ (2nd ed, Routledge 2025). Here is a reading of my foreword: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N98-... @routledgelaw.bsky.social

Registration is now open for the upcoming conference 'Law &… Reflections on Law and Interdisciplinarity with Early Career Researchers from Ireland and the UK' 📅 June 12 2025 📍 NUI Building, Merrion Square, Dublin 💡 Full programme ➡️ registration link 🔗 Register: lnkd.in/e2Q5yJ4x.

Thanks to @brisunipress.bsky.social for sending me the first three volumes in their important Diverse Voices series. I look forward to reading them.

Thanks to @justgiving.bsky.social for posting this compilation of the Women in Law Society organised mass ice bucket challenge to raise funds for Mind - featuring staff and students from Cardiff Law School and the SU President from @cardiffstudents.bsky.social www.instagram.com/reel/DJ4Vrx-...