The Four \;Jurisdictions Conference draws toge ther judges and barristers from England and Wales\ , Scotland\, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The event rotates between Belfast\, Dubli n\, Edinburgh and London and the 2026 conference w ill be hosted by the Faculty of Advocates.
\n \ nThe Four Jurisdictions Conference 2026 will t
ake place in Edinburgh from Friday 15 to Sunday 17
May.
\n
\n The Conference brings toget
her barristers\, advocates\, and members of the ju
diciary from the Bars of Scotland\, Ireland\, Nort
hern Ireland\, and Middle Temple\, providing a for
um for meaningful engagement across the four juris
dictions.
\n
\n The programme is design
ed to encourage dialogue on issues of shared impor
tance to the profession\, including the independen
ce of the Bar\, the operation and funding of legal
aid systems\, and wider priorities such as divers
ity\, regulation\, and the continued development a
nd promotion of the profession.
\n
\n T
he Conference will open with a welcome drinks rece
ption on Friday 15 May at Edinburgh Castle\, situa
ted on Castlehill\, Edinburgh\, offering attendees
the opportunity to meet and connect in a historic
setting.
\n
\n On Saturday 16 May\, th
e Conference will continue with four panel session
s held in the Mackenzie Building\, situated just o
ff the Royal Mile. Below are the scheduled session
s:
\n
\n 1. \; \; \;Juryle
ss Trials
\n 2. \; \; \;Family L
aw Cross Jurisdictional Challenges
\n 3.
\; \; \;Regulation of Social Media
\
n 4. \; \; \;Junior Bar Session \
;
\n
\n These sessions will feature lea
ding judges and practitioners from across the four
jurisdictions and will be followed by a Gala Dinn
er in Parliament Hall\, bringing the day’s events
to a close. \;
\n
\n On Sunday 17 M
ay\, the conference will finalise with a talk from
Claire Mitchell KC and Zoe Venditozzi\, co-founde
rs of the Witches of Scotland campaign and leading
voices in uncovering the history of ‘witch’ trial
s in Scotland\, as they explore the legal\, cultur
al\, and human legacy of one of the most significa
nt\, and troubling\, episodes in Scotland’s judici
al history. Drawing on their research\, advocacy\,
and insights from their recent book How to Ki
ll a Witch\, they will discuss how the campai
gn has reshaped public understanding of this topic
\, invited broader engagement with Scotland’s lega
l heritage\, and why these stories continue to res
onate so powerfully with contemporary audiences.\n \n
You can access the registration page here: Four Jurisdictions Conference 2026
\n \nFor further information - please
click here.
\n \;