ORGANIZATIONS DEVOTED TO THE
STUDY OF
LANGUAGE AND LAW
THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC
LINGUISTS.
This is an organization whose members tend to have
some linguistic training (or, at least, are interested in language) and
who also have an interest in language and law. Members tend
to do research in areas like forensic
linguistics (linguistic evidence/expertise), linguistic interaction in
the courtroom, analysis/interpretation of legal texts, court
interpreting, multilingualism/language policy, ethics of
testifying/consulting on linguistic matters, corpus-based approaches to
legal issues.
The IAFL holds a meeting once every two years (odd numbered
years). Past conferences have been in Malta, Australia, the
United Kingdom, and Seattle.
The journal of the IAFL is the International Journal
of Speech, Language and Law (formerly Journal of Forensic
Linguistics). Members receive a copy as part of their dues.
For more information and membership details, visit
their website.
LAW AND
SOCIETY ASSOCIATION, COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
NETWORK ON LANGUAGE AND LAW.
This is a relatively informal group of people who
interested in language and law and who fairly regularly attend the
annual meetings of the Law and
Society Association. The LSA is a relatively large
organization that includes legal academics, sociologists, political
scientists, linguists, etc. It is a good place to interact with
people from a number of disciplines interested in the interaction
between law and related fields.
The CRN on language and law was organized by Bethany
Dumas, Larry Solan, and Peter Tiersma to organize panels at the
meetings of the LSA. We try to organize three or four panels each
year. For more information, contact Bethany Dumas
(dumasb@utkux.utcc.utk.edu).
INTERNTIONAL
ROUNDTABLE FOR THE SEMIOTICS OF LAW (IRSL).
This organization is a forum which aims at
developing international multi-disciplinary networks, at contributing
to the teaching and research of the semiotics of law and at promoting
any action susceptible to enhance the notoriety and the recognition of
our discipline. IRSL meets on a yearly basis in Europe and in the
Americas alternatively to discuss thematic issues relating to Semiotics
and Law around a round table. 
Its president is Anne Wagner (valwagnerfr@yahoo.com).
Semiotics of
Law is the website associated with the International Roundtable for the
Semiotics of Law and with The International Journal for the Semiotics
of Law (http://www.semioticsoflaw.com)
The
International Journal for the Semiotics of Law (http://www.springer.com/law/journal/11196) is published on behalf of the
International Roundtables for the Semiotics of Law (IRSL). IRSL held
its first annual meeting in 2002 after the merger of two pre-existing
organisations (International Association for the Semiotics of Law and
Round Table for Law and Semiotics), but with different emphases in
their theoretical approaches: the Greimasian and Peircean
schools. The Editor-in-Chief is Anne Wagner (valwagnerfr@yahoo.com).
The focus of the organization
is "...to critique, apply or otherwise engage with semiotics or related
theory and models (e.g. Greimas, Peirce, or Lacan), or with rhetoric,
history of political and legal discourses (the Cambridge School),
philosophy of language, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, deconstruction
and visual semiotics and persuasion. "
CLARITY
Clarity is an international organization devoted to
improving the language of the legal profession. Many of its
members are lawyers and judges.
According to its website, Clarity's goals are
* avoiding archaic, obscure, and
over-elaborate language in legal work;
* drafting legal documents in language that is both
certain in meaning and easily understandable;
* exchanging ideas and precedents, not to be
followed slavishly but to give guidance in producing good written and
spoken legal language;
* exerting a firm, responsible influence on the
style of legal language, with the hope of achieving a change in fashion.
Click here for further
information.
INTERNATIONAL
ACADEMY OF LINGUISTIC LAW
The Academy is based in Montreal and seems to be
focused mainly on language policy and language rights. According
to its website
The International Academy of
Linguistic Law, the IALL, an international multidisciplinary
organization established in September 1984 by 100 founding members,
brings together jurists, linguists, social scientists and all those
worldwide who are interested, scientifically or professionnally, in
issues pertaining to law and language, especially to comparative
language law, whether from an academic or professional perspective. The
expression "comparative linguistic law" refers to the different legal
and linguistic norms pertinent to the law of language, the language of
law and the linguistic rights as fundamental rights.
If you have the desire and financing to go to conferences in exotic
locations around the world, this is your group!
For more, visit their website.
JAPAN SOCIETY FOR LANGUAGE AND LAW
This is a newly-formed organization. It also has a website (currently only
in Japanese).
CHINA ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC
LINGUISTICS
AMSTERDAM CIRCLE FOR
LAW AND LANGUAGE
For more information, go to their website.