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The ELS Lab at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ was presented on September 1, 2025. The ELS Lab (Empirical Legal Studies) positions itself within Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ as the premier place for collaborative empirical legal research. The Lab is a dynamic and experimental environment where empirical legal research skills are actively developed, shared, and applied.

The establishment of the Lab is a logical next step following the impulses given in recent years by the research cluster Empirical Research into Institutions for conflict resolution (ERI) in the field of Empirical Legal Research. The ELS Lab can therefore be seen as the successor to ERI.

The ELS Lab stimulates knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation within the School of Law by organising a variety of activities and focusing on targeted communication. A new ELS Lab website is currently being developed.

In the coming year, the programme includes an annual research day, hands-on workshops on research methods, and guest lectures. This provides the ELS Lab with an inspiring and accessible environment where researchers from all departments within the School of Law can share, deepen, and further develop their expertise.

The Lab fulfills the following core functions:

• Meeting place: A place where colleagues from different legal disciplines and research groups can meet and collaborate.
• Find a Help Desk: Accessible for both small and large questions regarding empirical legal research.
• Knowledge sharing: Organization of workshops, lectures, and other activities focused on empirical research methods.
• Visibility: Raising the profile and visibility of empirical research within the School of Law.
• Bridge builder: Strengthening connections between Utrecht, national, and European initiatives in the field of ELS.

The ELS Lab is open to all researchers at the School of Law, regardless of background or experience.

The official launch of the ELS Lab is on Friday, November 28th. Follow our for more information.