Subedi Prize for Best Doctoral Dissertation 2023/24 awarded to Aiden Lerch
The Law Faculty is pleased to announce the recipient of the Subedi Prize for the best doctoral dissertation submitted during the 2023/24 academic year.
The Law Faculty is pleased to announce the recipient of the Subedi Prize for the best doctoral dissertation submitted during the 2023/24 academic year.
Established in 2019 through the generous support of Professor Surya P. Subedi QC, the Subedi Prize is awarded annually to the thesis that, in the opinion of the judges, makes the most exciting original contribution to the relevant field of scholarship and is best-crafted in terms of organisation, style and presentation.
The prize for the 2023/24 academic year is awarded to Dr Aiden Lerch for his dissertation “Injunctive Relief in Tort Law”.
Dr Lerch’s doctoral thesis offers a highly original re-examination of injunctions in tort law, with a particular focus on final injunctions and the conditions under which courts grant them. Through meticulous doctrinal analysis, the thesis unpacks complex legal questions surrounding the discretionary nature of injunctions, the relevance of irreparable harm, and the formal distinctions between different types of injunctions. Drawing on extensive case law and legal literature, Aiden constructs a clear, structured framework to guide legal reasoning in injunction cases. His work not only clarifies key areas of doctrinal confusion but also highlights the practical significance of injunctions as remedies enforcing primary legal duties, not merely as alternatives to damages.
The examiners praised the thesis as “a superb work of doctrinal scholarship” – impeccably researched, logically organised, and exceptionally well-written. The research not only clarifies existing legal uncertainties but also lays the groundwork for what promises to be a much-needed book on injunctions in tort law. This book would serve as a vital resource for both legal practitioners and academics, offering practical guidance on the conditions under which injunctions may be granted against a wrongdoer. As the examiners note, Aiden’s work also reinforces a crucial point in tort theory: that tort law is not just about awarding damages after harm has occurred, but also about enforcing primary duties through remedies like injunctions—thus highlighting its layered and preventive dimensions.
On hearing he had won the prize, Aiden said:
“I am humbled to have won the Subedi Prize. I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Donal Nolan. I could not have hoped for a better person to guide me in my work. I would also like to thank my examiners, Professor James Goudkamp and Mr Nicholas McBride, and my wonderful friends and colleagues in Oxford. The true magic of the DPhil is being given the opportunity to share your ideas and have them tested by brilliant scholars and by your friends. It was an exceptionally rewarding experience and one that I will always treasure. I will forever be grateful for the generous financial support that I received from the Clarendon Fund and St Edmund Hall. ”
Professor John Armour, Dean of the Faculty of Law, said:
“The Law Faculty is delighted to award the Subedi Prize for the Law Faculty’s best DPhil thesis in 2023-24 to Dr Aiden Lerch. As in previous years, we had a very strong field of excellent dissertations to consider. Our doctoral students represent the future of our discipline, and it is wonderful to see so much promise. We are hugely grateful to Professor Subedi for funding this prize. Many congratulations to Aiden and to his supervisor Professor Donal Nolan.”
A revised version of Aiden’s thesis is being published as a monograph by Hart Publishing in November 2025.