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Staff Profile

Dr Dan Ward

Lecturer in Contract Law

  • Email: dan.ward2@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: Newcastle Law School
    Newcastle University
    19-24 Windsor Terrace
    Newcastle Upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

Dan joined the Law School at Newcastle University in 2024 after completing a PhD at the University of Cambridge. Prior to his doctoral studies, he practiced for a number of years as an employed barrister at Clyde & Co, there specialising in marine and energy litigation and international arbitration, and before that a niche professional indemnity firm.


His reseach interests span various topics within private law and legal theory.

Research

I conduct research in contract law (which I teach), private law more broadly and legal theory.


If there is a unifying theme, it is an abiding scepticism as to whether there any particularly 'deep' principles embedded in legal practices, together with a belief that in evaluating legal doctrine jurists should pay more attention than they often do to the plans and understandings of ordinary people.


A current project, building on my doctoral thesis, enquires into the normativity of law. It does so via an exploration of the technicality of legal language (the jargon that lawyers use) and the nuances of the attitudes that people have towards legal categories (how, for instance, being found liable for pranging someone's else car feels less, or at least differently, shame-inducing than being found guilty of fraud).


I am also working on the legal recognition of promises and gifts and the role that formalities play in private law generally.


I have also previously written on insurance law, civil procedure and arbitration.

Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching


LAW1221 Contract Law (Lecturer)

LAW1054 Introduction to Business Law (Lecturer)

Publications

  • Articles

    • Ward, DL. The Arbitration Act 1996, s.44: Interim Assistance From the Court. Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 2020, 472.
    • Ward, DL. A Taxonomy of Legal Control. Canadian Journal of Law and Jurisprudence 2018, 31(2), 431.
    • Ward, DL. Joint names insurance and contracts to insure: untangling the threads. Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 2009, 239.
    • Ward, DL. New carrots and sticks: Proposals for Reform of CPR Part 36. Modern Law Review 2007.

  • Online Publication

    • Ward, DL. I Think Therefore I Make Mistakes And Change My Mind. Aeon magazine, 2019.