The High Sheriff of Oxfordshire's Law Lecture

The High Sheriff’s Law Lecture in Oxfordshire is a notable highlight in the annual calendar, strengthening the link between the legal and academic communities. Traditionally organised by the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, the event brings together members of the legal profession, civic leaders, law enforcement, and public figures to explore contemporary issues related to justice, law, and societal order.

This year's lecture will be delivered by The Rt Hon. the Lord Boateng CVO PC DL in the University of Oxford's Law Faculty Gulbenkian Lecture Theatre on Thursday 5th February 2026 at 4.30pm.

Wasted Youth! Prioritising Youth Services and Juvenile Justice - A Policy imperative!

Paul Boateng will reflect on some contemporary challenges in youth and public policy drawing on his experience as a youth justice practitioner and Britain's first and longest serving Minister for Young People. He held this post whilst in the Department of Health, the Home Office, in the Treasury and in Cabinet as Chief Secretary, overseeing the production of Every Child Matters.

About the Lord Paul Boateng

Lord Boateng is a globally renowned diplomat, lawyer, and politician.

He holds extensive experiences in government and public service, having served in various high-level positions in the UK government and played significant roles on the global front.

He was the first person of African descent to serve in a British cabinet when he was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2002 and later Minister of State for Police and Prisons.

In 2005, Lord Boateng returned to Africa as the UK’s High Commissioner to South Africa and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative to the Africa Commission. He played a pivotal role in promoting cooperation and development in the region.

Beyond government, Lord Boateng has held significant positions in the corporate sector, including as Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee of the Ghana International Bank.

He also chairs Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor, a development utilities advisory company that supports underserved communities in Africa and Bangladesh.

Lord Boateng is passionate about community relations, youth development, and the performing arts.

He is the current chair of the Church of England’s Archbishops Commission on Racial Justice and Co-Chair of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission. He also serves on the board of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Ballet Rambert.

Last year's lecture was delivered by The Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder. The text of last year's lecture can be downloaded from here:

THE HIGH SHERIFF’S LAW LECTURES (TO DATE)

11 October 2005 - The Rt. Hon. The Lord Bingham of Cornhill, KG, Senior Law Lord - The Law and Us

11 October 2006 - The Rt. Hon. The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales - Crime and Punishment

9 October 2007 - The Rt. Hon. Sir Paul Walker, Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court - Can Justice be Fair?

14 October 2008 - The Rt. Hon. Sir Mark Potter, President of the Family Division - The Family in the 21st Century: Exploding the Nuclear Myth

13 October 2009 - The Rt. Hon. Sir Scott Baker, Lord Justice of Appeal - The Judge’s Role in the 21st Century

12 October 2010 - The Rt. Hon. The Lord Brown, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom - Are Juries a Good Thing? The Jury is Out

11 October 2011 - The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mance, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom - Should the Law be Certain?

9 October 2012 - The Rt. Hon, The Lord Wilson - Out of His Shadow: The Long Struggle of Wives Under English Law

13 October 2015 - The Rt. Hon. Lord Dyson, MR - Magna Carta and Compensation Culture

14 October 2014 - The Rt. Hon. The Lady Hale - Are we a Christian Country? Religious Freedom and the Law

11 October 2016 - The Hon. Mr Justice Baker - A Matter of Life and Death

10 October 2017 - The Rt. Hon. The Lord Judge, PC - The Rule of Law: What Does It Mean Today?

9 October 2018 - The Hon. Michael Beloff, KC - Good at Games: Does Law Help or Hinder Sport?

15 October 2019 - The Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Moses, PC - The Image of the Law

11 October 2022 - Sir Robert Buckland KC - Towards a written constitution?

10 October 2023 - The Rt. Hon. Victoria Prentis KC MP and Attorney General for England and Wales - Lawyers as Politicians

4 February 2025 - The Rt. Hon. Sir Ernest Ryder PC TD DL, Master of Pembroke College, Oxford - Human experience, the rule of law and legal systems

The High Sheriff's Law Lecture is kindly sponsored by Blake Morgan