Honorary Distinguished Professor

One of the UK’s most distinguished legal experts on devolution has been announced as an Honorary Distinguished Professor at the University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Richard (Rick) Rawlings was nominated for the title by Professor Richard Wyn Jones on behalf of the Wales Governance Centre and the School of Law and Politics. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The award, which is honorary and lasts for a period of five years, will see Professor Rawlings further strengthen the Wales Governance Centre – a leading research centre undertaking innovative research into all aspects of the law, politics, government and political economy of Wales, as well the wider UK and European contexts of territorial governance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Rawlings is currently Professor of Public Law at UCL. He is a Leverhulme Trust Major Research Fellow, Constitution Unit Associate, Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple, Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, and Life Fellow of the Institute of Welsh Affairs. He was formerly Legal Adviser to the House of Lords Constitution Committee and currently serves on the Welsh Advisory Committee of the Law Commission. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His areas of expertise range across constitutional and administrative law. They include the UK’s territorial constitution and intergovernmental relations; policy implementation and administrative justice; judicial review and human rights; and EU law and governance. He pioneers the study of law and governance in Wales in the light of rapidly evolving devolutionary arrangements. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Rawlings said: “I have long enjoyed my work and association with the Wales Governance Centre which is an essential centre of expertise and research on politics in Wales. I was delighted to deliver the annual St David’s Day lecture for the Centre last year and his honour further strengthens my relationship with the Wales Governance Centre as I undertake a major study of Wales and the Union with the support of the Leverhulme Trust. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Daniel Wincott, Head of the School of Law and Politics University said:“Professor Richard Rawlings has a worldwide reputation and is one of the most eminent Chairs of Law in the UK. He is a distinguished legal scholar of devolution and his 2003 book, Delineating Wales remains one of the finest scholarly studies of devolution. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Professor Rawlings has strong links with Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre having served on its advisory board. He was the author of the highly influential piece of work the Centre published on the Draft Wales Bill in 2015. As the new Wales Bill accelerates the devolution journey and with the advent of new taxation and financial responsibilities, Prof Rawlings further strengthens the already strong reputation of the Wales Governance Centre.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​