James Milton

Profile

Biography

Dr James Milton

LLB (Leicester), LLM (York), PhD (UCL) 

Lecturer

I (re)joined York Law School in September 2025 as a Lecturer in Law. Prior to this, I completed my PhD at University College London, which was supported by a Faculty of Laws Research Scholarship, and completed my LLM in Legal and Political Theory with Distinction from the University of York.

My research interests primarily lie in Constitutional Theory, Legal Philosophy, and Public Law more broadly. Recently, my work has focused on the rule of law and the importance of moral norms in establishing assurances about the practice of the rule of law in the future. My research has been published in leading journals, including the Modern Law Review, and my work has been cited by the House of Lords' Constitution Committee. In 2026, I was jointly awarded the Modern Law Review's annual Wedderburn Prize.

Between 2022 and 2025, I was a Graduate Lecturer at UCL, where I taught Public Law, Jurisprudence, and Laws Connections.

Departmental roles

Module Leader Assessments Liaison

Research

Overview

The primary focus of my research is on the rule of law. In my work, I challenge the orthodox methodology through which the rule of law is realised in a community, instead arguing that part of the success criteria of the rule of law depends upon members of the political community having the capacity to meaningfully enjoy the virtues of the concept. Part of my research in this area has been published in the Modern Law Review and on the UK Constitutional Law Association blog site. My broader research focus includes constitutional theory, general jurisprudence (typically from a nonpositivist perspective), and the function and operation of the UK Parliamentary process. 

My work has been cited by the House of Lords Constitution Committee, and my article in the Modern Law Review was awarded the journal's Wedderburn Prize in 2026. This is awarded annually for a contribution to that year’s volume which in the opinion of the Editorial Committee is exemplary of the type of scholarship that the Modern Law Review aims to promote.

Teaching

Undergraduate

• Foundations of Law, Public Law
• Philosophy of Law (Module Lead)
• Legal Concepts
• Introduction to Law and Society
• Advanced Legal Project (Dissertation) (Module Co-Lead)

Publications

Selected publications

Articles

• "The Rule of Law and Full-Bodied Promulgation", (2025) Modern Law Review 88(3) 502

Blogs

• "Rule of Law, Political Accountability and the Importance of Culture" UK Constitutional Law Association Blog (30 Nov 2023) 
• "The Antiquity of Anonymous Pairing", UK Constitutional Law Association Blog (2 Feb 2022) 

Responses to reports/consultations

"Written Evidence to the House of Lords Constitution Committee Inquiry into the Rule of Law" (ROL0009), (7 May 2025)