Luke Rostill

Associate Professor of Property Law

Trinity College

Other affiliations

Faculty of Law

Faculty officer role(s):

BCL/MJur Course Director

Biography

Luke Rostill is Associate Professor of Property Law in the Oxford Law Faculty and a Fellow and Tutor in Law at Trinity College. He is also an Academic Fellow of the Middle Temple.

Background

Luke read Jurisprudence (Law) at Wadham College, Oxford. He obtained his BA, winning the Wronker Prize for best overall performance in law finals, and remained at Wadham for the BCL, MPhil, and DPhil. His DPhil, which was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, focused on the law of property and was supervised by Professor Ben McFarlane. Before taking up his current role, Luke was a Supernumerary Teaching Fellow in Law at St John's College, Oxford.

Research

Luke’s research interests are mainly in private law, with a particular focus on property rights. Much of his work is doctrinal, but he also has an interest in theoretical and philosophical questions relating to property law and private law more generally. In recent years, Luke’s work has focused primarily on: (1) the nature of (so-called) “possessory title” in the common law; (2) the nature and grounds of ownership in the law; (3) the limits of property rights and conflicts between property rights and the rights, interests, and needs of others; and (4) the legal remedies that may be awarded where property rights are infringed. He is interested in the interaction between property law and other areas of law, incuding human rights law, the law of torts, and unjust enrichment.

Luke's first monograph, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law, was published by Oxford University Press in February 2021.

His work has been cited by several courts, including the Court of Appeal of England and Wales.

Teaching

Luke's teaching interests largely mirror his research interests. He convenes the BCL/MJur Advanced Property and Trusts course and the Land Law teaching group. He also teaches Trusts and Personal Property, and has taught the Law of Torts and Roman Law.

Postgraduate Supervision

Luke is currently supervising several postgraduate research students working in the fields of property law, trusts law, and property theory.

Publications

Journal Article (8)

ROSTILL L, ‘The Pluralities of Property’ (2024) 44(3) Oxford Journal of Legal Studies 733

Rostill L and Mitchell C, ‘Making Sense of Mesne Profits: Remedies’ (2021) 80(3) Cambridge Law Journal 552

ROSTILL L and MITCHELL C, ‘Making Sense of Mesne Profits: Causes of Action’ [2021] Cambridge Law Journal

ROSTILL L, ‘Possession and Damages for Tortious Interferences with Chattels’ [2020] Oxford Journal of Legal Studies

Rostill L, ‘Terminology and Title to Chattels: A Case Against "Possessory Title"’ [2018] The Law Quarterly Review

Rostill L, ‘Relative Title and Deemed Ownership in English Personal Property Law’ (2015) 35(1) OXFORD JOURNAL OF LEGAL STUDIES 31

Rostill L, ‘Lehavi’s Construction of Property’ [2014] (3) European Property Law Journal 256

Rostill L, ‘The ownership that wasn’t meant to be: Yearworth and property rights in human tissue.’ (2014) 40(1) Journal of Medical Ethics 14

Rostill L, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (2021) 1

Rostill L, ‘Possession and Title: Three Views’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Possession and Title to Land’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘The Grounds of Relative Title’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Possession and Title to Chattels’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Possession’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Ownership and Relativity of Title’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Introduction’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘List of Abbreviations’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Preface’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Table of Cases’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Rostill L, ‘Table of Legislation’, Possession, Relative Title, and Ownership in English Law (Oxford University Press (OUP) 2021)

Gruyaert D, Ramaekers E and Rostill L, ‘Preface’, Property Law Perspectives IV (Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2016)

ROSTILL L and Mrockova N, ‘Leases and the Nature of Co-ownership’ in L ROSTILL, A NAIR and N Mrockova (eds.), Modern Studies in Property Law, Volume 12

Edited book (1)

Mrockova N, Rostill L and NAIR A, Modern Studies in Property Law, Volume 12 (Hart Publishing 2023)

Rostill L, ‘Review of Effects of Mistake and Other Defects on the Passage of Legal Title’ [2021] (3) Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 308 (review)

Rostill L, ‘The Ownership of Goods and Chattels’ [2021] Lloyd’s Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 207 (review)

Rostill L, ‘Possession, Property Rights, and Proceeds of Crime’ (2022) 138(Apr) Law Quarterly Review 211 (case-note)

Mitchell C and Rostill L, ‘Making Sense of Mesne Profits: Remedies’

Mitchell C and Rostill L, ‘Making Sense of Mesne Profits: Causes of Action’

Rostill L, ‘Terminology and Title to Chattels: A Case Against ’Possessory Title’’

Rostill L, ‘Relative Title and Deemed Ownership in English Personal Property Law’

Research Interests

Private law, particularly the law of property (land and chattels); private law theory, particularly philosophical issues concerning property; law of trusts; housing law.

Relationships between property law and other areas of law, particularly human rights law, law of torts, and unjust enrichment.

Research projects & programmes

Property Law Discussion Group Roman Law Private Law Research Group Modern Studies in Property Law Conference 2022

Options taught

Personal Property

Advanced Property and Trusts

A Roman Introduction to Private Law