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Overview

Prof Aileen McHarg

LL.B., Ph.D.


Biography

Aileen McHarg has been Professor of Public Law and Human Rights at Durham Law School since September 2019. Prior to joining Durham she held a Chair in Public Law at Strathclyde University, and before that posts at Glasgow and Bristol Universities.

Her main teaching and research interests lie in UK and Scottish constitutional and administrative law. She publishes widely in these fields, but has particular expertise in devolution and the UK's territorial constitution. Along with Prof Roger Masterman, she is joint general editor of Public Law.

She also researches in energy law and regulation, where her publications focus on questions of energy governance and the promotion and regulation of sustainable energy. 

Professor McHarg welcomes applications for PhD supervision in both of these areas. 

Research interests

  • UK and Scottish constitutional law
  • Devolution and the territorial constitution
  • Administrative law
  • Energy governance
  • Sustainable energy regulation

Research groups

  • Human Rights Centre

Esteem Indicators

  • 2021: Joint General Editor of Public Law:
  • 2021: Member of the UK Constitutional Monitoring Group:
  • 2020: Research Excellence Framework, Law Sub-Panel Member:
  • 2018: Co-Chair of the British-Irish Chapter of the International Society of Public Law:
  • 2018: Editorial Board Member, Public Law:
  • 2018: Member of the Scottish Government's Expert Panel on Environmental Charges and Other Measures:
  • 2016: Executive Committee Member of the UK Constitutional Law Association:
  • 2012: Member of the Law Society of Scotland's Constitutional Law Sub-Committee:
  • 2010: Editorial Advisory Board Member, Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law:
  • 2006: Member of the Academic Advisory Group to the International Bar Association's Section on Energy, Environment Resources and Infrastructure Law:

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

  • English Law: Constitutional Law
  • Law & Crime: Devolution
  • Government: Devolution

Publications

Book review

  • McHarg, Aileen (2019). Popular Sovereignty in Early Modern Constitutional Thought. Public Law 2019(October): 804-806.

Chapter in book

Edited book

Journal Article

Newspaper/Magazine Article

  • McHarg, A (2022). The Independence Supreme Court Case Explained - and What Might Happen. The Scotsman
  • McHarg, Aileen (2021). Analysis. The Times

Other (Digital/Visual Media)

  • McCorkindale, Chris & McHarg, Aileen (2023). Rescuing the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill? The Scottish Government's Challenge to the Section 35 Order.
  • McHarg, Aileen (2023). The Contested Boundaries of Devolved Legislative Competence: Towards Better Devolution Settlements.
  • McHarg, A (2022). Securing Scotland's Independence: Moving Beyond Process? Centre on Constitutional Change Blog.
  • McHarg, A (2022). Devolution: A View from Scotland. Constitutional Law Matters.
  • McHarg, Aileen (2022). The Future of the Territorial Constitution Under Labour? The Report of the Commission on the UK's Future.
  • McHarg, Aileen & Young, Alison (2021). The Resilience of the (Old) British Constitution.
  • Dougan, Michael, Hayward, Katy, Hunt, Jo, McEwen, Nicola, McHarg, Aileen & Wincott, Daniel (2020). UK Internal Market, Devolution and the Union.
  • McCorkindale, C, McHarg, A & Mullen T (2020). The Continuity Bill is Dead - Long Live the Continuity Bill: Regulatory Alignment and Divergence in Scotland Post-Brexit. Blog.
  • McCorkindale, Chris & McHarg, Aileen (2020). Constitutional Pathways to a Second Scottish Independence Referendum.
  • McEwen, Nicola, McHarg, Aileen, Munro, Fiona, Cairney, Paul, Turner, Karen & Katris, Antonios (2019). Brexit and Renewables in Scotland.
  • McHarg, Aileen (2019). Devolution at Twenty: Embedding a New Constitutional Paradigm. Blog.
  • McHarg, Aileen (2019). The Art of Judicial Disguise.
  • McHarg, Aileen (2019). The Defence of Parliamentary Democracy. Blog.