International Law Conference. The International Journal of Law, Language & Discourse *ONLINE*
Language and Law: Popularization, Dissemination and Research Issues
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
26th & 27th July, 2024
Philippine time 3.00 p.m. – 10.00 pm
The analysis of legal practices as social action opens up a series of questions: How do the contemporary exigencies (including digital ones) interplay with the constraints established
by legal linguistic conventions? To what extent are the formalities of legal language reserved when dealing with genres having a popularization or dissemination function?
This Focus Conference aims to provide a forum for discussion for the investigation of Legal
Discourse focusing on three main processes: popularization, dissemination and research in legal linguistics.
The Conference provides an interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns, as well as any solutions already adopted in their professional areas. Their insights will converge in a truly multidisciplinary effort to devise and build advanced networks of knowledge to facilitate the interpretation of data in the field of legal linguistics.
The topics envisaged for discussion include (but are not limited to) the following:
• Popularization of legal language (e.g. digital practices for the solution of disputes)
• Dissemination of legal practices
• Research issues in legal linguistics
• Translanguaging in Law – training for Interpreters, Court staff.
• EFL/TESOL Law
• International Law for Educators
*Teaching ESP- Legal English
The working language of the conference is English.
Invited Key Speakers:
Prof. Benedict Sheehy. Canberra University, Australia
Dr. Patrizia Anesa University of Bergamo, Italy
Robert Dickey JD. (ret)
Prof. Beata Webb. Bond University
Deadlines to remember
Submission of abstracts: 25/6/2024
Registration: No later than:
25/6/2024
Please send your abstract (300-400 words) to: chief-editor@academics.education, and cc patrizia.anesa@unibg.it
Scientific Committee:
Patrizia Anesa, University of Bergamo
Ismael Arinas Pellón, Polytechnic University of Madrid
Azianura Hani Shaari, National University of Malaysia
Organizing committee (University of Bergamo):
Paul Robertson
Mariasophia Falcone
Valeria Giofré
Key Conference Speakers
Bio : Dr. Patrizia Anesa. Associate Professor at the University of Bergamo, Italy.
Editor in Chief : International Journal Law Language Discourse.
Patrizia Anesa is Associate Professor in English Language and Translation at the University of Bergamo, Italy. She holds a Ph.D. in English Studies, with a specialization in professional communication. She is a member of the Research Centre on Specialized Languages (CERLIS) and an Associate Editor of the IDEA project (International Dialects of English Archive). Her research interests lie mostly in ESP and intercultural communication.
Conference Talk : The popularization and dissemination of legal information online: a collaborative approach
The citizens’ understanding of law is often characterized by difficulty in processing complex technical information and institutional websites can provide a tool to access specialized content. This paper aims to investigate how the representation of legal information takes place online and the analysis focuses on the interaction of technology, users’ expectations, and the constraints imposed by consolidated legal conventions. This study also observes how the formalities of legal language are preserved in online genres and what popularization tools are employed to depict specific legal concepts.
More specifically, we describe a concrete example of a collaborative project developed to render legal information more accessible to the target readers (mainly laypeople), focusing on the section of the Oregon State Bar website called For the public. This analysis shows that different digital genres can be used by the actors involved to synthesize and recontextualize information, by adopting strategies ranging from the simplification of morpho-syntactical features to the usage of infographics.
Benedict Sheehy, BTh, MA, JD, MA, LLM, PhD. Canberra Law school
Bio : Senior Advisor. International Journal of Law Language Discourse. Benedict Sheehy is a Professor of Law at Canberra Law School and an internationally recognised leader in the fields of Corporate Social Responsibility, corporate law and regulatory theory. Benedict is a highly cited law academic, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and formerly practiced as a barrister and solicitor of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Conference Talk
In this talk, I explore the idea of law as a virtual world, newly visible or more readily conceivable as a result of the development of virtual reality technology. Law, however, can only be approached in any detail or specificity through language. There is no law as understood in the modern state without an advanced technical vocabulary. That fact has incredibly significant implications. There is no property of note, there are no human rights, no courts, no legislatures and indeed, no governments as we know them. These are all the creations of law embedded in language. The talk investigates the parameters and perceptions of law’s virtual world and then turns to the issue of how sustaining legal institutions and transmitting that world is reliant on high levels of competence in the language of law. It ends with a call to action for language specialists working with law educators.
Prof. Robert Dickey (Fmr’ Chief Editor International Journal Law Language Discourse.)
Bio. Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Retired professor. Former Tenure-track assistant professor in the department of Public Administration in the College of Social Sciences at Keimyung University delivering courses in the field of public administration with attention to the English language proficiency of the students, aiming to facilitate both their extended awareness of the subject field (which I interpret broadly as “public service and issues) and enhancement of their English language skills.
Conference Talk : Legal English in the 21st Century: Transnationalism, Globalization, Judicial Linguicism, and Translation.
For centuries, legal communication has relied heavily on written language, with Anglo-American legal systems utilizing specific English formulas (often with Latin roots.) This approach has also influenced international legal transactions for a similar timeframe. The 21st century marks a significant shift in legal practice. We are witnessing the rise of “Transnational Legal English,” a reflection of and response to the increasingly interconnected world. Communication, movement of people, commercial activity, and legal frameworks are all transcending national borders. This globalization creates a critical need for accurate representation of legal matters across languages, a trend further amplified by EU policies. This evolving landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for legal and translation professionals, as well as academics. This talk will explore the potential future trajectories of legal English in this globalized context, examining various paths forward for these stakeholders.
Prof. Beata Webb. Bond University, Australia
Bio:- Associate Professor Beata Webb’s research focuses on megatrends in education, specifically on the digitalization and internationalization of education in Australia and globally. Her research and practical training skills aim to support educators and other professionals in designing effective online learning and work environments and understanding linguistically and culturally diverse student cohorts. The Faculty of Law has ranked highly in Australia for overall quality of student experience for almost two decades
Conference Talk :- Law and English in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
We shall explore and discuss how AI is transforming the legal landscape and the legal research landscape. In particular we shall discuss the role of Legal English educators and the foreseeable future of published legal research and the limitations of AI in the specialist field of Legal English .
All Presenters are Invited to Submit Full Papers
All presenters are invited to Submit full papers for editorial review in 2025 editions of the journal. There is no fee to submit full papers for review. There is no fee if your paper is accepted for publishing. Publishing date is planned for March 2025 and June 2025 editions.
Register Now:-
Registration fee:
$120 USD for presenters
Registration fee for non-presenters USD$40.00
Online certificates – Hard copy can be couriered (courier fee additional)
Presenters may publish their full works in our March/June/2025 edition. Editorial reviews will be applied.
LIMITED POSITIONS for this Conference
40 Presenters /
SUBMIT ABSTRACT NOW :- chief-editor@academics.education
cc. patrizia.anesa@unibg.it
Abstracts will be reviewed within a week of receipt and we shall advise you within 7 days of receipt of your Abstract
