Ciara Kennefick

Ciara Kennefick is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Oxford and a Tutorial Fellow in Law at Christ Church. She holds visiting roles at Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris), the Stockholm Centre for Commercial Law, and the Institute of European and Comparative Law at Oxford. Her research focuses on private law through comparative and historical lenses, particularly the evolution of the 'just price' concept from Roman legal traditions. She was awarded the Selden Society’s David Yale Prize 2019 for her contributions to English legal history.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Law and French Literature: University College Cork, University of California Berkeley, University of Montpellier
• Graduate Studies: BCL, MPhil, DPhil at the University of Oxford

Research Interests: English & French private law, Roman law, comparative legal frameworks, and historical legal developments. Her work bridges historical legal doctrines with modern applications, emphasizing cross-jurisdictional comparisons between civil and common law systems.

Publications: Her articles and chapters explore themes like contractual fairness, historical legal concepts in equity, and cross-border legal influences. Recent works include analyses of salvage contracts, Scandinavian legal encounters, and post-2016 French contract law reforms.

Awards:

• 2019 Selden Society’s David Yale Prize

Professional Journey: Previously held roles at Pembroke College (Lecturer), Queen’s College (Career Development Fellow), and King’s College London (Lecturer). Specializes in teaching contract law, Roman legal foundations, and modern legal history.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Institute of European and Comparative Law, contributing to interdisciplinary legal research projects.