Stephen Allen

Dr Stephen Allen is a Senior Lecturer in Law at Queen Mary, University of London, and a qualified barrister at 5 Essex Court Chambers. He holds a BA from the University of Kent, an LLM from the University of Bristol, and a PhD from the University of Bristol. His research focuses on Public International Law, particularly statehood, territoriality, self-determination (especially in Non-Self-Governing Territories like Chagos), indigenous rights (both terrestrial and maritime), jurisdictional challenges in cyberspace, and maritime disputes under the Law of the Sea. He has authored influential works such as The Chagos Islanders and International Law (2014) and co-edited major texts like The Oxford Handbook of Jurisdiction in International Law (2019).

• Education:
  • Bachelor of Arts (Law), University of Kent
  • LLM (International Law), University of Bristol
  • PhD (International Law), University of Bristol
• Research Interests:
  • Self-determination in Non-Self-Governing Territories
  • Rights of Indigenous peoples (marine and terrestrial)
  • Jurisdiction in cyberspace and data protection
  • Law of the Sea and maritime boundary disputes
• Professional Roles:
  • Co-Director (2018) of the Centre for European & International Legal Affairs (CEILA)
  • Member of the Centre for Small States and the Centre for Law and Society in a Global Context
  • Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Queensland and the Stockholm Centre for International Law and Justice

His work on the Chagos Islanders and the ICJ’s 2019 Advisory Opinion has been widely cited. He has advised legal teams on cases involving decolonization and human rights, including the Bancoult litigation. His recent projects include analyzing the EU/Morocco Fisheries Agreement’s implications for Western Sahara and exploring jurisdictional challenges in cybercrime investigations.

Dr Allen’s teaching includes Public International Law and Equity & Trusts. He supervises PhD students on topics like state immunity in arbitration and state responsibility for refugee flows. He also engages in public legal education, notably through initiatives on Special Educational Needs (SEN) Law.