ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2027

LAW, ECONOMICS, TRADE AND JUSTICE

5–6 February 2027
Centre for Development Policy and Practice and Economic Policy Center, Mahindra University

About the Organisers

The Centre for Law, Economics and Society (CLES) is a research initiative of the Centre for Development Policy and Practice (CDPP). It researches on legal institutions and governance through a law and economics perspective, with a particular focus on access to justice, legal processes and institutional effectiveness. The initiative examines how legal systems, institutions and regulatory frameworks shape socio-economic outcomes, including market performance, distribution and access to justice.

This conference is jointly organised by the Centre for Development Policy and Practice and the Economic Policy Center of Mahindra University, bringing together academic research, policy engagement and institutional collaboration to examine the intersections of law, economics, trade and justice.

Background and Rationale

Legal systems play a foundational role in shaping democratic governance, economic activity and international trade relations. Effective legal institutions enable contract enforcement, reduce transaction costs, foster trust in markets and support cross-border economic engagement while ensuring rights, equity and accountability.

Structural challenges, including judicial delays, uneven institutional capacity, regulatory complexity and barriers to legal representation, continue to limit timely and equitable access to justice in many jurisdictions. These challenges affect not only individuals and vulnerable communities but also broader economic outcomes such as investment, labour market performance, regulatory efficiency and trade competitiveness.

Legal and regulatory frameworks influence market behaviour through competition policy, labour regulation, investment protection and trade governance. Contemporary developments, including tariff disputes, trade wars, supply chain disruptions and climate-related trade measures, have intensified the need to understand the relationship between law, trade and economic governance.

As countries increasingly negotiate bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, questions surrounding dispute settlement mechanisms, intellectual property rights, trade remedies and environmental commitments have become central to economic policymaking. International trade law and domestic legal institutions together shape competitiveness, market access, investment flows and sustainable development outcomes.

Technological innovations such as digital courts, artificial intelligence and digital governance systems are also reshaping legal and economic institutions. While technology can improve efficiency and accessibility, its benefits depend upon broader institutional conditions and may reproduce existing inequalities if issues of access and inclusion are not adequately addressed.

This conference seeks to examine legal systems as institutions that simultaneously shape markets, governance, trade and access to justice, bringing together perspectives from law, economics, trade and public policy.

Conference Focus

The conference will bring together scholars, practitioners, policy-makers, trade experts and early-career researchers to examine:

•  How legal systems shape economic and trade outcomes.
•  The relationship between law, inequality and access to justice.
•  Institutional barriers to effective legal redress.
•  The role of legal and regulatory frameworks in economic and trade governance.
•  The impact of international trade institutions and agreements on domestic policy.
•  Emerging challenges in trade disputes, intellectual property and climate commitments.
•  The impact of technological change on justice delivery and inclusion.

Key Indicative Themes

• Access to Justice and Inequality
• Criminal Justice and Vulnerable Populations
• Economic Impact of Judicial Inefficiencies
• Labour Law and Economic Outcomes
• Competition and Regulatory Policy
• Trade Governance and Economic Law
• Trade Agreements and Dispute Settlement
• Anti-Dumping and Trade Remedies
• Intellectual Property and International Trade
• Climate Change and Trade Policy
• Legal Aid and Representation
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Legal Technology and Digital Justice

Call for Papers

The Centre for Law, Economics and Society and the Economic Policy Center invite papers in the following categories.

Submission Categories

• Abstract: 300 words
• Academic Research Papers: 6,000–8,000 words
• Policy Papers: 3,000–5,000 words
• Empirical and Field Studies: 4,000–6,000 words
• Comparative Legal and Trade Studies: 4,000–6,000 words

Indicative Themes

• Access to justice and inequality
• Criminal justice and vulnerable populations
• Economic impact of judicial inefficiencies
• Labour law and economic outcomes
• Competition and regulatory policy
• Trade governance and economic law
• Trade agreements and dispute settlement
• Anti-dumping and trade remedies
• Intellectual property and international trade
• Climate change and trade policy
• Legal aid and representation
• Alternative dispute resolution and dispute settlement
• Legal technology and digital justice

Submission and Engagement Timeline

Submission Details:

Authors are invited to submit a 300-word abstract by 15 September 2026 to info@cdpp.co.in with the subject line "Law Conference: Abstract Submission (Your Name)" Please introduce yourself on the email body and the theme of your paper.

Selected authors will be notified by 15 October 2026 and invited to submit their full papers by 15 November 2026.