Duncan Sheehan

Professor Duncan Sheehan is a Professor of Business Law at the University of Leeds, leading the Centre for Business Law and Practice. He holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford and previously served at the University of East Anglia as Professor of Commercial Law. His expertise spans unjust enrichment, trusts, and personal property law, with a recent focus on crypto-assets and secured transactions law reform. He is President of the Society of Legal Scholars (2024-2025), having held roles such as Honorary Membership Secretary and Research Committee member. Academic memberships include the Chancery Bar Association and involvement with the Law Commission on projects like Electronic Trade Documents. His teaching covers Trusts, International Credit & Security Law, and Principles of International Finance at postgraduate level.

Research interests include comparative private law theory, particularly in mixed jurisdictions (Scotland, South Africa), and philosophical underpinnings of unjust enrichment. Notable contributions include organizing conferences on secured transactions law reform (2017) and digital assets (2024), alongside a forthcoming book on the scope and structure of unjust enrichment (2024). His work bridges legal theory and practice, addressing modern challenges like blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation.

Professional activities include advising the City of London Law Society on secured transactions and serving on the AHRC Peer Review College. His leadership roles within Leeds Law School include REF 2021 Unit of Assessment Lead and Director of Postgraduate Research Studies. Recent research trends highlight interdisciplinary approaches, integrating philosophy of action with private law, as evidenced by his podcast on 'Is Unjust Enrichment a Thing?' (2023).