Our Research Impact

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Southampton Law School is proud of its achievements in terms of impact, and in particular the three case studies submitted for REF2021. 83% of our research impact was rated "world leading" or "internationally excellent". The School's Impact Lead is Professor Helen Carr, a leading socio-legal scholar with particular expertise in housing, homelessness and adult social care .

Department of Health building, Richmond House, London — Department of Health building, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London

Building Ethics and Law Capacity within the UK Public Health Workforce

Our research has ensured that UK public health policy and practice is conducted lawfully by professional bodies, and is ethically informed and justifiable.

Law School Building — Guiding national policy on the regulation of health ethics

Guiding national policy on the regulation of health ethics

Members of the Southampton Law School’s centre for Health Ethics and Law (HEAL) have made a significant contribution to improving the way in which ethical issues in health, such as assisted suicide and organ donation, are addressed in the UK and further afield.

Paper signing — Researching tghe causes of opportunistic fraud in insurance

The Deterrence of Opportunistic Insurance Fraud

Our research on the causes of opportunistic fraud in insurance has significantly altered current law, policy and industry practice.

Helping hand to families — The Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence has been fraught with issues and tragedies since it was introduced in 2005

The Pains of Indeterminate Imprisonment for Families: Changing Policy and Informing Practice

Our research into the controversial Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence and its effect on families of people sentenced to IPP has raised the profile of the issues around IPP and encouraged and assisted public bodies and charities to do more to provide support required by families.

Tanker — The Rotterdam Rules: modernising the global container trade

The Rotterdam Rules: modernising the global container trade

The University of Southampton’s Institute of Maritime Law (IML) has played an important role in the academic research underpinning the development of a new international convention which, if it comes into force, may govern the $18 trillion global containerized trade.

The Third Way: guiding new policy over third-party insurance

Influential work on insurance law by Professor Rob Merkin led directly to the repeal of the outmoded and increasingly unpopular Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 1930.

A new Act makes it simpler, faster and cheaper for a third-party claimant to recover compensation from an insurer without starting proceedings against the insured. The Act earned Royal Assent in 2010.