James Allan

Professor James Allan holds the James Francis Garrick Professorship of Law at the TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland. His academic journey includes teaching at the University of Otago (New Zealand), Hong Kong legal practice, and sabbaticals at Cornell Law School and Dalhousie Law School. His research focuses on legal and moral philosophy, constitutional law, and opposition to national bills of rights. He has published extensively, including The age of foolishness: a doubter's guide to constitutionalism in a modern democracy (2022), and critiques judicial overreach and living constitutionalism. His work emphasizes textualism and parliamentary sovereignty, opposing judicial activism that undermines democratic processes. Professor Allan frequently contributes to media outlets like The Australian and has delivered over 80 public lectures on legal philosophy and constitutional issues.

Research Interests:

• Legal and Moral Philosophy
• Constitutional Law and Judicial Independence
• Critical Analysis of Bills of Rights
• Legal Theory and Jurisprudence
• Comparative Law and Federalism

Recent Articles: Focus on constitutional referendums, judicial activism, free speech, and critiques of legal academia’s ideological biases. His work often challenges 'living constitutionalism' and advocates for textualist interpretation.

Awards: None explicitly listed, though his scholarly contributions are widely recognized in legal circles.

Advising & Grants: No formal student advisees listed; however, his research impacts legal education and policy debates. Engaged in public discourse through media and conferences, including the Samuel Griffith Society and the Danube Institute.

Labs/Teams: Not specified, but collaborates with institutions like the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy on rule-of-law topics.