Belmont Law Review
Abstract
This article argues that meaningful integration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the law curriculum is essential to preparing future lawyers to address contemporary global challenges. Drawing on the historical evolution of sustainable development and its embedding in international and domestic legal systems, the authors demonstrate the multifaceted relationship between the SDGs and diverse areas of law, extending well beyond environmental regulation to encompass economic, social, and human rights dimensions. Focusing on professional law degrees such as the LLB and JD, the article presents targeted case studies illustrating how SDG awareness can be incorporated into core and elective subjects—including constitutional law, corporate law, criminal law, contract law, property law, equity and trusts, international law, and environmental law—without disrupting existing syllabi. The article emphasizes the centrality of legal frameworks to achieving the SDGs, particularly in relation to the rule of law, access to justice, gender equality, sustainable economic development, and environmental protection. Ultimately, it contends that embedding SDGs across legal education not only enhances doctrinal understanding but also equips graduates to contribute to just, inclusive, and sustainable legal reform.
Recommended Citation
Karim, Md Saiful; Arif, Abdullah-Al; Garwood-Gowers, Andrew; Humphries, Fran; Uddin, Md Mahtab; Akhtar-Khavari, Afshin; Maguire, Rowena; Lewis, Bridget; Cradduck, Lucy; Robb, Lachlan; Cockburn, Tina; Purser, Kelly; Boyle, Sam; Matthew, Anne; Wang, Brydon; and Deagon, Alex
(2024)
"Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in the Law Curriculum: Legal Education for "People, Planet, and Prosperity","
Belmont Law Review: Vol. 12:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://repository.belmont.edu/lawreview/vol12/iss1/4