News from CCLS
Why Europe Is Slow-Walking Stablecoins Despite MiCA
6 February 2026
Dr Daniele D'Alvia comments on Europe's approach to stablecoins for Forbes.
CCLS Announces Executive Education Courses for Early 2026
21 January 2026
Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) is pleased to announce two Executive Education programmes available in early 2026. Designed for legal, policy, and industry professionals, the courses address key challenges in global regulatory environments, combining academic expertise with practical insight.
Geopolitics meets markets
16 January 2026
Dr Daniele D'Alvia, Lecturer in Banking and Finance Law at Queen Mary, wrote for The Conversation about how the dramatic US capture of Venezuela’s president triggered global financial ripples.
Professor Rosa Lastra acts as Specialist Advisor for new Report on private markets
14 January 2026
‘Private markets: unknown unknowns’ was published by the UK House of Lords’ Financial Services Regulation Committee and investigates the growth of private markets.
Professor Jonathan Griffiths has co-drafted an Opinion for the European Copyright Society
13 January 2026
In certain circumstances, the right of access to public information may be frustrated by the exercise of intellectual property rights. The European Copyright Society (ECS) has recently published an Opinion on the Relationship between Rights of Access to Public Sector Information and Copyright Law.
Powering Progress: My Journey in International Development Law with the World Bank
22 December 2025
Energy and Climate Change Law LLM student Iyanujesu Oguntunji recounts her internship with the World Bank, funded by Queen Mary's Energy and Climate Change Law Institute.
Banking and Finance Law LLM students visit the Bank of England
19 December 2025
Thanks to Professor Rosa Lastra, on the 11 December, Queen Mary Banking and Finance LLM students had the opportunity to visit the Bank of England with the guidance of Deputy Secretary Micheal Salib.
Queen Mary LLM Students participate in the 2025 ICC United Kingdom Annual Arbitration & ADR Conference
5 December 2025
A group of Queen Mary University of London’s Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM students attended the ICC United Kingdom (UK) Annual Arbitration & ADR Conference: Dispute Resolution – The Economic Perspective, held at Hogan Lovells’ London office on 12 November 2025.
Professor Rosa Lastra co-authors expert report on the Banco de España
14 November 2025
On the 30th anniversary of the Law of Autonomy of the Banco de España, in January 2025 the Banco de España launched a review of its independence, transparency and accountability with the ultimate aim of identifying aspects of its operating framework that could be strengthened or enhanced.
Dr D’Alvia awarded funding to research the resilience of Central Banks in the Digital Era
13 November 2025
The Exploratory Impact Award from Queen May Impact Fund will explore how Central Banks can adapt to the new challenges presented by digital money and AI-enabled finance.
CCLS 45th Anniversary Celebration
12 November 2025
On Thursday 6 November 2025, the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) celebrated its 45th anniversary with a special event held at Queen Mary University of London’s Mile End Campus.
LLM students attend public oral evidence session at the House of Lords
10 November 2025
On Wednesday, 5 November 2025, students enrolled in the Regulation of Financial Markets (RFM) module, taught by Professor Rosa M. Lastra, attended a public oral evidence session at the House of Lords.
Queen Mary banking law expert appointed to the International Jurisdiction Taskforce
7 November 2025
Professor Rosa Lastra has been appointed as an expert member of the recently established International Jurisdiction Taskforce (IJT) chaired by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, and established in 2025.
Professor Lastra was appointed as a Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Financial Financial Services Regulation Committee
6 November 2025
She was appointed in April 2025 and helped the FSRC in its inquiry into the FCA and PRA’s secondary competitiveness and growth objective.
Students visit House of Lords as part of Regulation of Financial Markets Module
31 October 2025
On Wednesday, 29 October 2025, students enrolled in Regulation of Financial Markets (RFM) module, taught by Professor Rosa Lastra, attended a public session of oral evidence at the House of Lords.
Dr Daniele D’Alvia submits written evidence to the UK Parliament Financial Services Regulation Committee
31 October 2025
The evidence was submitted to their panel investigating the growth of private markets in the UK following reforms introduced after 2008.
Renowned aviation and transportation law expert speaks to Queen Mary LLM students
22 October 2025
On 16 October 2025, Queen Mary alumnus and Honorary Professor Paul NG gave a fantastic career lecture to our students on the LLM in International Maritime Law programme.
Induction Week at Queen Mary in Paris: New LLM Students Begin Their Journey
14 October 2025
Christopher Aarage and Lea Saade, Queen Mary University of London LLM in Paris class of 2026, share their experiences from their LLM Induction Week and Opening Lecture.
Is Denmark leading Europe in the fight against deepfakes?
26 August 2025
Professor Julia Hörnle appeared on TRT World's Roundtable discussing Denmark's new draft deepfake copyright law, and whether other countries will follow suit.
Queen Mary law professor receives a Fulbright Award to the US to research Cybersecurity Governance
30 July 2025
Professor Miriam Goldby has received a Fulbright-Lloyd’s Scholar Award to enable her to undertake research at University of Texas at Austin on one of the most well-regarded and impactful scholarship programmes in the world.
Decriminalising Abortion in England and Wales
24 July 2025
Professor Ruth Fletcher has published a blog for Verfassungsblog outlining five strategic lessons for reproductive freedom following the vote in Parliament in June.
Queen Mary LLM Students participate in London International Disputes Week 2025
22 July 2025
Silvia Lamprinopoulou and Visalakshy Gupta (Comparative and International Dispute Resolution LLM London), and Ariane Fuller (Public International Law LLM) report on Queen Mary University of London's strong presence in the London International Disputes Week 2025, including contributions to the Kluwer Arbitration Blog.
Dr D’Alvia contributes expert legal opinion to landmark decision by Paris Supreme Court in capital markets case
21 July 2025
Dr Daniele D’Alvia was invited by the Haut Comité Juridique de la Place Financière de Paris (HCJP) to provide a comparative legal opinion on the regulation of Private Investments in Public Equity (PIPEs) and Standby Equity Distribution Agreements (SEDAs) in the UK and US.
Queen Mary Launches Autumn Executive Education Programmes to tackle Global Legal and Policy Challenges
16 July 2025
Queen Mary’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) is excited to announce the launch of three Executive Education programmes for Autumn 2025, designed to meet the needs of legal, policy, and business professionals worldwide. These specialised programmes address today’s most urgent challenges in law, arbitration, sustainable governance, and international taxation.
Professor Westkamp cited in Kraftwerk Pelham dispute
16 July 2025
Professor Guido Westkamp has been cited numerous times and with approval by AG Emilliou in Case C-590/23 (Pelham II).
Queen Mary LLM Students attended AIEN 2025 International Energy Summit
9 July 2025
LLM students, Danica Jankovic, Ipek Ince and Nikolaos Tsironis from the Energy & Climate Change Law Institute, at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) attended the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN)’s annual International Energy Summit, in Istanbul.
Queen Mary doctoral researcher Gertrud Metsa awarded first prize for best presentation at the 43rd ATRIP Congress in Copenhagen
On 22 June 2025 School of Law PhD student and QMIPRI research associate Gertrud Metsa was awarded first prize at doctoral workshop of the International Association for the Advancement of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property 43rd ATRIP Congress in Copenhagen.
QMIPRI hosts workshop exploring “evergreening” in intellectual property law
2 July 2025
On 27 June, the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute (QMIPRI) had the pleasure of hosting a brilliant roundtable workshop spanning four sessions, dedicated to exploring the complex and multifaceted concept of “ever-greening” in intellectual property law.
Queen Mary London and Paris LLM Students Participate in the first ICC Dispute Resolution Universities Programme
26 June 2025
Silvia Lamprinopoulou, Comparative and International Dispute Resolution (CIDR) LLM London (class 2025), Claire Berns, CIDR LLM London (class 2025), and Francois Wouter Landman, Intellectual Property Paris LLM (class 2025), report on Queen Mary University of London's participation in the first ICC Dispute Resolution training Programme for Universities.
Professor Duncan Matthews and Dr Hanna Ostapenko host British Academy workshop on patents and genome editing in agriculture
On Thursday 5 June 2025 Professor Duncan Matthews, Director of Research in the Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS), and Dr Hanna Ostapenko, British Academy/Cara Researchers At Risk Fellow in CCLS, co-hosted a workshop on the patent governance of agricultural genome editing, funded by the British Academy.