What secrets lie hidden within the walls of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies? Right here in the heart of Bloomsbury, at 17 Russell Square, stands Charles Clore House, home to the Institute since 1976. The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a distinguished member of the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, has served as a beacon of legal scholarship since its establishment in 1947.
Envisioned as a national hub for legal research, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies was born from the recommendations of Lord Atkin. He believed that the United Kingdom needed an institution dedicated to advancing legal knowledge in its broadest sense. It’s fascinating to note that the Institute’s creation was sparked by a speech given decades earlier by Lord Russell of Killowen, who, back in 1895, called for the establishment of such an institution.
Today, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies houses a treasure trove of legal knowledge, boasting a library with over 300,000 texts and thousands of periodicals. This impressive collection has earned it a reputation as one of the world’s leading comparative law libraries.