Dr James Brown
Lecturer
My profile
Biography
Prior to joining Manchester Law School in August 2022, I taught at the University of Sheffield. I hold a PhD in Law from the University of Sheffield, and an LLM in Sports Law (Distinction) from Nottingham Trent University. My doctoral thesis explored the appropriate scope of vicarious liability in the sports industry, and it was funded by the University of Sheffield’s Faculty of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Committee Scholarship.
My research interests include areas such as sports law, tort law and private law theory. I have a track record of producing high-quality research, and I have published my work in a number of leading generalist and specialist law journals. These include: Legal Studies; International Sports Law Review; Tort Law Review; Entertainment and Sports Law Journal; and the International Sports Law Journal. I have also acted as a peer reviewer for the International Sports Law Journal.
I have presented my work at a number of national and international conferences. These include, for instance, the annual conferences organised by the Socio-Legal Studies Association, the Society of Legal Scholars and the Sport and Recreation Law Association.
I am currently a member of the Socio-Legal Studies Association. In June 2023, I helped to co-organise a one-day sports law conference titled “Socio-Legal Approaches to Protecting Athletes from Financial and Physical Harm: Challenges, Reflections and Solutions”. This conference was generously funded by the SLSA.
Teaching
At MMU, I teach on the following modules: Criminal Law; UK Sports Law; Sports Law: Regulating Players, Spectators and Stadiums; and Principles of Tort Law.
I have also taught on a variety of other modules elsewhere, including: Law of Obligations; Advanced Tort Law; and Global and Gender Justice in Private Law.
I include a variety of tasks in my seminars, such as group discussions, interactive exercises and presentations. I also encourage students to normatively challenge the law by assessing the theoretical and social context within which the law operates.
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Supervision
I would be happy to supervise students in the areas of sports law, tort law and private law theory.
Research outputs
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Internet publications
Brown, J., James, M. (2024) Sport, Safety and Participation - Annual Review 2023/24. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/sport-safety-and-participation-annual-review-2023-24.
Brown, J. (2023) Vicarious Liability in Amateur Sport: The Problem with Unincorporated Associations. https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/vicarious-liability-in-amateur-sport-the-problem-with-unincorporated-associations.
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Journal articles
Brown, J. (2024) 'Book Review: Marco Cappelletti, Justifying Strict Liability: A Comparative Analysis in Legal Reasoning.' Journal of Professional Negligence, 40(1) pp. 36-41.
Brown, J. (2023) 'The vicarious liability of sports governing bodies and competition organisers.' Legal Studies, 43(2) pp. 221-239.
Brown, J. (2022) 'Vicarious liability for on-loan sports participants.' International Sports Law Review, 22(4) pp. 40-46.
Brown, J. (2021) 'Developing a contextual-pluralist model of vicarious liability.' Tort Law Review, 28(2) pp. 123-142.
Brown, J. (2020) 'The creation and regulation of sports equipment: implications for the future.' Entertainment and Sports Law Journal, 18(1) pp. 8-8.
Brown, J. (2019) 'Genetic doping: WADA we do about the future of ‘cheating’ in sport?.' The International Sports Law Journal, 19(3-4) pp. 258-280.
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Conference papers
Brown, J. (2023) 'Concussion in Amateur Football: Reflections on Insurance and Liability.' In Socio-Legal Approaches to Protecting Athletes from Financial and Physical Harm: Challenges, Reflections and Solutions. Manchester Metropolitan University, 9/6/2023 - 9/6/2023.
Brown, J. (2023) 'Leaving it all on the Field? Vicarious Liability for Off-the-Field Sexual Abuse by Professional Athletes.' In Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference. Ulster University, 5/4/2023 - 5/4/2023.
Brown, J. (2021) 'The Theory of Vicarious Liability: A Contextual-Pluralist Solution?.' In Society of Legal Scholars Annual Conference. Durham University, 1/9/2021 - 1/9/2021.
Brown, J. (2021) 'The Vicarious Liability of Sports Governing Bodies and Competition Organisers: Lessons from the UK.' In Sports and Recreation Law Association Annual Conference. Online, 23/2/2021 - 23/2/2021.
Brown, J. (2020) '‘The Turning Tides of Vicarious Liability: Sweeping Away Theoretical Considerations in the Wake of Barclays and Morrison?.' In Vicarious Liability after Barclays and Morrison - A New Direction?. University of Sheffield, 18/11/2020 - 18/11/2020.
Press and media
2022 - Advised journalist and author Josh Sims on the unfair advantage implications of the development of new sports equipment (Josh Sims, ‘The Winning Edge’ p.60-65 (Bentley Lifestyle Magazine, Issue 78, 2022)