Selden Society

The Selden Society is an association of legal historians that publishes scholarly works on the LEGAL HISTORY of England. It was founded in 1886 by English legal professionals and scholars, including the renowned historian FREDERIC WILLIAM MAITLAND. Named for the revered seventeenth-century legal historian JOHN SELDEN, the Selden Society exists to encourage the study and advance the knowledge of the history of ENGLISH LAW. Selden Society members include legal historians, lawyers, and law librarians, primarily from English-speaking countries.

The principal activity of the Selden Society is the publication of an annual series on the history of English law. This series is of considerable value to courts in countries with legal systems that have borrowed heavily from the English legal system. The Selden Society also publishes books about various legal topics and holds lectures and symposiums about historical topics of legal significance.