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A. W. B. Simpson

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A leading historian of the common law, Simpson pioneered the study of 'leading cases' which he thought "deserved the fullest possible study in their historical context". He became so identified with this approach that this type of scholarship became known as 'doing a Simpson' in some circles.
289:, Simpson was the son of the Rev Canon Bernard W. Simpson and Mary Simpson. His interest in law began when he was young, as he describes attending a murder trial in Leeds when he was a boy. Simpson was educated at Lancing House in 373:
In 1976 Simpson was awarded a DCL by Oxford; he received honorary degrees from the University of Ghana (Hon. DLitt, 1993), Dalhousie University (Hon. LLD, 2003) and the University of Kent (Hon LLD, 2003). He was elected
324:'s informal discussion group on jurisprudence, a subject he became associated with as a result. However, diffidence precluded him publishing on the subject until the end of his life. 414:, though its impact on academic law was limited because he did not explicitly articulate a theory linked to the narrative. Many of his articles on 'leading cases' were collected in 427:
Toward the end of his career, he turned his attention toward the history of human rights in the twentieth century, though he had no special training in international law. He wrote
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Cannibalism and the Common Law: The Story of the Tragic Last Voyage of the Mignonette and the Strange Legal Proceedings to Which It Gave Rise
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in 1993. In 1995 he was elected an honorary fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and he was appointed an honorary Queen's Counsel in 2001.
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Simpson returned to an aspect of his own legal education at Oxford in a book published posthumously in September, 2011,
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According to Simpson, the idea for this approach came to him in 1979 when he was lying in a bath and realized that
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and legal philosopher. At the time of his retirement, he was Charles F. and Edith J. Clyne Professor of Law at the
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in Law, the best first of his year. He registered for a doctorate in 1954, but never completed it.
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had produced the classic of jurisprudence in the setting of Oxford linguistic philosophy.
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Human Rights and the End of Empire: Britain and the Genesis of the European Convention
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Human Rights and the End of Empire: Britain and the Genesis of the European Convention
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Human Rights and the End of Empire: Britain and the Genesis of the European Convention
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Increasingly unhappy in Oxford, Simpson began to look further afield. As a result of
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In the Highest Degree Odious: Detention Without Trial in Wartime Britain
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In the Highest Degree Odious: Detention without Trial in Wartime Britain
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His work as a legal historian also led him into the debate concerning
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Human Rights and Legal History: Essays in Honour of Brian Simpson
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Coase, R. H. (1996). "Law and Economics and A.W. Brian Simpson".
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as Professor of Law, where he remained until 1983. He joined the
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over the latter's handling of Victorian case law, particularly
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Simpson, A. W. Brian (1996). "Coase vs. Pigou Reexamined".
484:(2nd ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1986 – via 519:. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. 1984. 560:
Legal Theory and Legal History: Essays on the Common Law
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date & year of birth, full name according to LCNAF
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Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the British Academy
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Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the British Academy
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O'Donovan, Katherine; Rubin, Gerry R., eds. (2000).
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Williams Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship
1049: 1022: 732: 604: 572: 534: 512: 477: 473:Introduction to the History of the Land Law, 1961 1151: 793:(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 954. 410:(1884). The book sold well and was reprinted by 339:in 1968–69. In 1975, he left Oxford to join the 726: 724: 807:"Search Results | WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO" 1051:"Simpson, (Alfred William) Brian (1931–2011)" 351:in 1986, where he remained until retirement. 1060:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 947:Simpson, A. W. Brian (1996). "An Addendum". 721: 1210:Legal scholars of the University of Oxford 1115:"Alfred William Brian Simpson (1931-2011)" 1093:McCrudden, Christopher (1 February 2011). 764:McCrudden, Christopher (1 February 2011). 1200:Academic staff of the University of Ghana 1180:University of Michigan Law School faculty 1112: 1092: 1047: 895: 830: 801: 799: 763: 635:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199693320.001.0001 629:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2011. 537:Biographical Dictionary of the Common Law 316:, he became a fellow and tutor in Law at 301:on a closed scholarship, where he took a 1235:Academics of the University of Cambridge 1225:University of Chicago Law School faculty 833:"Alfred William Brian Simpson 1931–2011" 705:. cgi2.www.law.umich.edu. Archived from 466: 354:He also held visiting professorships at 320:, from 1955 to 1973. He was a member of 1057:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 991: 946: 856: 697: 695: 500:A History of the Common Law of Contract 1152: 796: 901: 459:delineating the environment in which 347:as Professor of Law in 1984, and the 692: 457:Reflections on `The Concept of Law,' 380:American Academy of Arts and Science 1205:Academics of the University of Kent 1029:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 996:. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 994:Reflections on 'The Concept of Law' 731:"SIMPSON, (Alfred William) Brian". 16:British legal historian (1931–2011) 13: 1195:Fellows of Lincoln College, Oxford 1141:Works by or about A. W. B. Simpson 627:Reflections on 'The Concept of Law 14: 1256: 1230:Fellows of St Edmund Hall, Oxford 1014: 579:. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1992. 349:University of Michigan Law School 271:University of Michigan Law School 228:University of Michigan Law School 345:University of Chicago Law School 223:University of Chicago Law School 130: 1113:McCrudden, Christopher (2012). 985: 940: 831:McCrudden, Christopher (2012). 598:Leading Cases in the Common Law 150: 126: 1190:Fellows of the British Academy 850: 824: 783: 757: 679: 649: 541:. London: Butterworths. 1984. 494:Oxford Essays in Jurisprudence 399:Cannibalism and the Common Law 385: 1: 1240:English justices of the peace 992:Simpson, A. W. Brian (2011). 642: 376:Fellow of the British Academy 1074:UK public library membership 1048:May, Alex (8 January 2015). 568:, 1988 (trans. Chinese 2008) 276: 243:Alfred William Brian Simpson 25:Alfred William Brian Simpson 7: 735:The International Who's Who 416:Leading Cases in Common Law 299:The Queen's College, Oxford 185:The Queen's College, Oxford 10: 1261: 1170:People from Sandwich, Kent 420: 1082:"Prof. A.W.Brian Simpson" 480:A History of the Land Law 236: 195: 190: 178: 173: 169: 161: 105: 87: 79: 71: 52: 30: 23: 950:Journal of Legal Studies 905:Journal of Legal Studies 860:Journal of Legal Studies 506:Pornography and Politics 1220:Honorary King's Counsel 1066:10.1093/ref:odnb/103555 407:R v Dudley and Stephens 360:University of Cambridge 318:Lincoln College, Oxford 203:Lincoln College, Oxford 1215:English King's Counsel 1185:English legal scholars 314:St Edmund Hall, Oxford 310:junior research fellow 1245:Members of Gray's Inn 789:A. W. Brian Simpson, 467:Selected bibliography 364:University of Toronto 709:on 23 September 2005 356:Dalhousie University 129: 1954; 378:in 1983 and of the 337:University of Ghana 263:A. W. Brian Simpson 213:University of Ghana 174:Academic background 143:Caroline E.A. Brown 1088:. 14 January 2011. 667:on 28 January 2011 496:, 2nd Series, 1973 449:Sturges v Bridgman 394:Rylands v Fletcher 341:University of Kent 308:After a year as a 261:and publishing as 218:University of Kent 1072:(Subscription or 1036:978-0-19-826496-5 1003:978-0-19-969332-0 811:www.ukwhoswho.com 618:978-0-19-826289-3 586:978-0-19-825775-2 566:Invitation to Law 548:978-0-406-51657-2 526:978-0-226-75942-5 475:, new edition as 440:law and economics 423:Custom of the sea 240: 239: 1252: 1175:Legal historians 1145:Internet Archive 1137: 1135: 1133: 1119: 1109: 1107: 1105: 1089: 1077: 1069: 1053: 1044: 1041:Internet Archive 1028: 1008: 1007: 989: 983: 982: 944: 938: 937: 899: 893: 892: 854: 848: 847: 837: 828: 822: 821: 819: 817: 803: 794: 787: 781: 780: 778: 776: 761: 755: 754: 738: 728: 719: 718: 716: 714: 699: 690: 683: 677: 676: 674: 672: 663:. Archived from 653: 638: 622: 610: 594: 591:Internet Archive 578: 556: 553:Internet Archive 540: 530: 518: 489: 486:Internet Archive 483: 333:Nigeria Regiment 329:National Service 265:, was a British 208:Nigeria Regiment 154: 152: 134: 132: 128: 59: 40: 38: 21: 20: 1260: 1259: 1255: 1254: 1253: 1251: 1250: 1249: 1150: 1149: 1131: 1129: 1117: 1103: 1101: 1080: 1071: 1037: 1017: 1012: 1011: 1004: 990: 986: 945: 941: 900: 896: 855: 851: 835: 829: 825: 815: 813: 805: 804: 797: 788: 784: 774: 772: 762: 758: 751: 730: 729: 722: 712: 710: 701: 700: 693: 684: 680: 670: 668: 655: 654: 650: 645: 625: 619: 603: 587: 571: 549: 533: 527: 511: 476: 469: 425: 388: 279: 267:legal historian 232: 157: 156: 153: 1969) 148: 144: 136: 133: 1968) 124: 120: 117: 116:Kathleen Seston 100:legal historian 67: 61: 57: 56:10 January 2011 48: 45:Kendal, Cumbria 42: 36: 34: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1258: 1248: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1187: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1162: 1148: 1147: 1138: 1110: 1090: 1078: 1045: 1035: 1016: 1015:External links 1013: 1010: 1009: 1002: 984: 963:10.1086/467972 939: 918:10.1086/467973 912:(1): 103–119. 894: 873:10.1086/467971 849: 823: 795: 782: 756: 749: 720: 691: 678: 661:airecentre.org 647: 646: 644: 641: 640: 639: 623: 617: 601: 595: 585: 569: 563: 557: 547: 531: 525: 509: 503: 497: 490: 468: 465: 387: 384: 278: 275: 238: 237: 234: 233: 231: 230: 225: 220: 215: 210: 205: 199: 197: 193: 192: 188: 187: 182: 176: 175: 171: 170: 167: 166: 163: 159: 158: 146: 142: 141: 140: 139: 122: 118: 115: 114: 113: 112: 109: 107: 103: 102: 89: 85: 84: 81: 77: 76: 73: 69: 68: 64:Sandwich, Kent 62: 60:(aged 79) 54: 50: 49: 43: 41:17 August 1931 32: 28: 27: 24: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1257: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1216: 1213: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1157: 1155: 1146: 1142: 1139: 1127: 1123: 1116: 1111: 1100: 1096: 1091: 1087: 1083: 1079: 1075: 1067: 1063: 1059: 1058: 1052: 1046: 1042: 1038: 1032: 1027: 1026: 1019: 1018: 1005: 999: 995: 988: 980: 976: 972: 968: 964: 960: 957:(1): 99–101. 956: 952: 951: 943: 935: 931: 927: 923: 919: 915: 911: 907: 906: 898: 890: 886: 882: 878: 874: 870: 866: 862: 861: 853: 845: 841: 834: 827: 812: 808: 802: 800: 792: 786: 771: 767: 760: 752: 750:1-85743-366-1 746: 742: 737: 736: 727: 725: 708: 704: 698: 696: 688: 682: 666: 662: 658: 652: 648: 636: 632: 628: 624: 620: 614: 609: 608: 602: 599: 596: 592: 588: 582: 577: 576: 570: 567: 564: 561: 558: 554: 550: 544: 539: 538: 532: 528: 522: 517: 516: 510: 507: 504: 501: 498: 495: 491: 487: 482: 481: 474: 471: 470: 464: 462: 461:H. L. A. Hart 458: 453: 451: 450: 445: 441: 436: 434: 430: 424: 419: 417: 413: 409: 408: 404: 403:cause célèbre 400: 396: 395: 383: 381: 377: 371: 369: 365: 361: 357: 352: 350: 346: 342: 338: 334: 330: 325: 323: 322:H. L. A. Hart 319: 315: 311: 306: 304: 300: 296: 295:Oakham School 292: 288: 284: 274: 272: 268: 264: 260: 259:Brian Simpson 256: 252: 248: 244: 235: 229: 226: 224: 221: 219: 216: 214: 211: 209: 206: 204: 201: 200: 198: 194: 191:Academic work 189: 186: 183: 181: 177: 172: 168: 164: 160: 138: 137: 111: 110: 108: 104: 101: 97: 93: 92:Legal scholar 90: 88:Occupation(s) 86: 82: 78: 74: 70: 65: 55: 51: 46: 33: 29: 22: 19: 1130:. Retrieved 1125: 1121: 1102:. Retrieved 1099:The Guardian 1098: 1085: 1055: 1039:– via 1024: 993: 987: 954: 948: 942: 909: 903: 897: 867:(1): 53–97. 864: 858: 852: 843: 839: 826: 816:27 September 814:. Retrieved 810: 790: 785: 773:. Retrieved 770:The Guardian 769: 759: 734: 711:. Retrieved 707:the original 681: 669:. 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Index

Kendal, Cumbria
Sandwich, Kent
Legal scholar
educator
legal historian
Alma mater
The Queen's College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Nigeria Regiment
University of Ghana
University of Kent
University of Chicago Law School
University of Michigan Law School
QC
JP
FBA
legal historian
University of Michigan Law School
Kendal
Cumbria
Lowestoft
Oakham School
The Queen's College, Oxford
First
junior research fellow
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
H. L. A. Hart
National Service
Nigeria Regiment

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