Iris van Domselaar is Professor of Legal philosophy and Legal ethics and founding director of the Amsterdam Center on the Legal Professions and Access to Justice. She has studied both philosophy and law and was a visiting fellow at the Department of Philosophy of Harvard University and at the Department of Philosophy of Chicago University.Van Domselaar's research focuses on the question how to account for ethics in legal practice. She especially addresses this question in relation to the classic legal institutions and legal roles relevant for securing values of political morality and the rule of law. Drawing on neo-Aristotelian/neo-Wittgensteinian strands within practical philosophy and on social-empirical research, she seeks to come to grips with ethics as 'lived experience' on the part of legal professionals and of citizens who are directly involved in legal procedures.
In her Ph.D. thesis ‘The Fragility of Rightness. Adjudication and the primacy of practice’ van Domselaar developed a virtue-ethical approach to legal decision-making in which a 'six pack' of judicial virtues, the concept of civic friendship and that of tragic legal choice play a key role. In 2015 she won the departmental prize for best article of the year with her article Moral Quality in Adjudication: On Judicial Virtues and Civic Friendship. She has published extensively in professional and international top journals. More recently, she has published on the topic of moral perception in legal practice, moral remainders and legal reasoning, and legal ethics for (corporate) lawyers. In her inaugural address 'Law, ethics and Philoctetes' cry. What legal professionals owe to citizens' van Domselaar proposes a citizen-oriented approach to legal ethics.Van Domselaar is frequently invited as keynote/guest speaker on the topic of lawyers' ethics, judicial ethics, tragic legal choice, professional courage, moral perception and law. Since September 2021 Van Domselaar is editor-in-chief of the Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy. In 2024 she will host the International Conference of Legal Ethics together with her colleagues from the ACLPA.
Research interests/Expertise
Virtue ethics and law, moral perception in legal practice, ethics for corporate lawyers, tragedy and moral dilemma's in law, legal and professional ethics, digital justice, professional courage, legal reasoning, theories of justice, theories of adjudication, law and emotions, neo-Aristotelian/neo-Wittgensteinian accounts of justice/professional ethics, civic friendship, law and the ethics of proximity.
Introduction to Legal Ethics (Bachelor first year course)
Minor track The Legal Professions (Bachelor)
Legal Ethics and Lawyers (MA)
Legal Ethics in Context (MA part of experiential learning programme)
 Möhrlein, R., van Dorresteijn, C., van Domselaar, I., Nollkaemper, A., de Ruijter, A., Volman, M., & Cornelissen, F. (2024). Ervaringsonderwijs voor de professionele vorming van juristen. Law and Method, 2024, Article D-23-00002. https://doi.org/10.5553/REM/.000084 [details]
Möhrlein, R., van Dorresteijn, C., van Domselaar, I., Nollkaemper, A., de Ruijter, A., Volman, M., & Cornelissen, F. (2024). Ervaringsonderwijs voor de professionele vorming van juristen. Law and Method, 2024, Article D-23-00002. https://doi.org/10.5553/REM/.000084 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2023). The Fragility of Legal Ethics: On the Role of Theory, Lawyerly Virtues, and Moral Remainders in the Life of a Good Lawyer. In Leading Works in Legal Ethics (pp. 113-134). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003015093-7
van Domselaar, I. (2023). The Fragility of Legal Ethics: On the Role of Theory, Lawyerly Virtues, and Moral Remainders in the Life of a Good Lawyer. In Leading Works in Legal Ethics (pp. 113-134). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003015093-7 van Domselaar, I., & de Bock, R. (2023). The case of David vs. Goliath. On legal ethics and corporate lawyering in large-scale liability cases. Legal Ethics, 26(1), 74-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/1460728x.2023.2235180 [details]
van Domselaar, I., & de Bock, R. (2023). The case of David vs. Goliath. On legal ethics and corporate lawyering in large-scale liability cases. Legal Ethics, 26(1), 74-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/1460728x.2023.2235180 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2022). Inquiry and Imagination in Adjudication: The Case of Digitalisation. Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 51(2), 187-198. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/221307132022051002008 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2022). Inquiry and Imagination in Adjudication: The Case of Digitalisation. Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 51(2), 187-198. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/221307132022051002008 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2022). Law’s regret: on moral remainders, (in)commensurability and a virtue-ethical approach to legal decision-making. Jurisprudence, 13(2), 220-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/20403313.2021.2014709 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2022). Law’s regret: on moral remainders, (in)commensurability and a virtue-ethical approach to legal decision-making. Jurisprudence, 13(2), 220-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/20403313.2021.2014709 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2022). ‘Plain’ legal language by courts: Mere clarity, an expression of civic friendship or a masquerade of violence? The Theory and Practice of Legislation, 10(1), 93-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/20508840.2022.2033946 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2022). ‘Plain’ legal language by courts: Mere clarity, an expression of civic friendship or a masquerade of violence? The Theory and Practice of Legislation, 10(1), 93-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/20508840.2022.2033946 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2020). All Judges on the Couch? On Iris Murdoch and Legal Decision-Making. In A. Amaya, & M. del Mar (Eds.), Virtue, Emotion and Imagination in Law and Legal Reasoning (pp. 77-98). Hart. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3271906, https://doi.org/10.5040/9781509925162.ch-005 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2020). All Judges on the Couch? On Iris Murdoch and Legal Decision-Making. In A. Amaya, & M. del Mar (Eds.), Virtue, Emotion and Imagination in Law and Legal Reasoning (pp. 77-98). Hart. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3271906, https://doi.org/10.5040/9781509925162.ch-005 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2020). The Perceptive Judge. In A. Amaya, & C. Michelon (Eds.), The Faces of Virtue in Law (pp. 71-87). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/20403313.2017.1352319 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2020). The Perceptive Judge. In A. Amaya, & C. Michelon (Eds.), The Faces of Virtue in Law (pp. 71-87). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/20403313.2017.1352319 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2018). The Perceptive Judge. Jurisprudence, 9(1), 71-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/20403313.2017.1352319 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2018). The Perceptive Judge. Jurisprudence, 9(1), 71-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/20403313.2017.1352319 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2017). On Tragic Legal Choices. Law and Humanities, 11(2), 184-204. https://doi.org/10.1080/17521483.2017.1384123 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2017). On Tragic Legal Choices. Law and Humanities, 11(2), 184-204. https://doi.org/10.1080/17521483.2017.1384123 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2015). Moral quality in adjudication. On judicial virtues and civic friendship. Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 44(1), 24-46. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/.000025 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2015). Moral quality in adjudication. On judicial virtues and civic friendship. Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 44(1), 24-46. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/.000025 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2010). Tragic choice as a legal concept. In M. Borowski (Ed.), On the nature of legal principles: proceedings of the Special Workshop "The Principles Theory" held at the 23rd World Congress of the International Association for Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy (IVR), Kraków, 2007 (pp. 105-116). (ARSP. Archiv für Rechts- und Sozialphilosophie. Beiheft; Vol. 119). Franz Steiner Verlag. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1792725 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2010). Tragic choice as a legal concept. In M. Borowski (Ed.), On the nature of legal principles: proceedings of the Special Workshop "The Principles Theory" held at the 23rd World Congress of the International Association for Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy (IVR), Kraków, 2007 (pp. 105-116). (ARSP. Archiv für Rechts- und Sozialphilosophie. Beiheft; Vol. 119). Franz Steiner Verlag. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1792725 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2021). Where Were the Law Schools? On Legal Education as Training for Justice and the Rule of Law (Against the ‘Dark Sides of Legality’). Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 50(1), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/.000000 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2021). Where Were the Law Schools? On Legal Education as Training for Justice and the Rule of Law (Against the ‘Dark Sides of Legality’). Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 50(1), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/.000000 [details] Mak, E., Mackor, A. R., & van Domselaar, I. (2020). Rechterlijke onafhankelijkheid in het samenspel van constitutionele beginselen. Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 49(2), 133-142. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/221307132020049002001 [details]
Mak, E., Mackor, A. R., & van Domselaar, I. (2020). Rechterlijke onafhankelijkheid in het samenspel van constitutionele beginselen. Netherlands Journal of Legal Philosophy, 49(2), 133-142. https://doi.org/10.5553/NJLP/221307132020049002001 [details] van Domselaar, I. (2017). Een eerlijke deal? Over ethisch minimalisme in de corporate advocatuur. Ars Aequi, 66(11), 902-910. http://www.arsaequi.nl/zr/maandbladartikel/16139/Een_eerlijke_deal?_Over_ethisch_minimalisme_in_de_corporate_advocatuur.html [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2017). Een eerlijke deal? Over ethisch minimalisme in de corporate advocatuur. Ars Aequi, 66(11), 902-910. http://www.arsaequi.nl/zr/maandbladartikel/16139/Een_eerlijke_deal?_Over_ethisch_minimalisme_in_de_corporate_advocatuur.html [details] van Domselaar, I. (2017). Tragische zaken in het recht: Een pleidooi voor tragiek-responsieve rechtspraak. Nederlands Juristenblad, 92(44), 3208-3215. Article 2340. http://deeplinking.kluwer.nl/?param=00CF356E&cpid=WKNL-LTR-Nav2 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2017). Tragische zaken in het recht: Een pleidooi voor tragiek-responsieve rechtspraak. Nederlands Juristenblad, 92(44), 3208-3215. Article 2340. http://deeplinking.kluwer.nl/?param=00CF356E&cpid=WKNL-LTR-Nav2 [details] van Eijk, N., Roessler, B., Zuiderveen Borgesius, F., Oostveen, M., et al., U., van Son, R., Verkade, F., Vliek, M., Alberdingk Thijm, C., Apt, K., Böhler, B., den Boon, A., Breemen, K., Breemen, V., de Goede, M., van Gompel, S., Guibault, L., Helberger, N., Hins, A. W., ... Taylor, L. (2014). Academics Against Mass Surveillance. Web publication or website, Academics Against Mass Surveillance. http://www.academicsagainstsurveillance.org/ [details]
van Eijk, N., Roessler, B., Zuiderveen Borgesius, F., Oostveen, M., et al., U., van Son, R., Verkade, F., Vliek, M., Alberdingk Thijm, C., Apt, K., Böhler, B., den Boon, A., Breemen, K., Breemen, V., de Goede, M., van Gompel, S., Guibault, L., Helberger, N., Hins, A. W., ... Taylor, L. (2014). Academics Against Mass Surveillance. Web publication or website, Academics Against Mass Surveillance. http://www.academicsagainstsurveillance.org/ [details] van Domselaar, I. (2012). Wat heeft Liesbeth met het paasei? Over reflectie, gewoonte en de rol van vertrouwen in professionele praktijken. In G. Drosterij (Ed.), Behulpzaam bij het creëren van orde en vrede (niet gerechtigheid): opstellen voor Liesbeth Huppes-Cluysenaer (pp. 107-113). Digital Printing Partners. [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2012). Wat heeft Liesbeth met het paasei? Over reflectie, gewoonte en de rol van vertrouwen in professionele praktijken. In G. Drosterij (Ed.), Behulpzaam bij het creëren van orde en vrede (niet gerechtigheid): opstellen voor Liesbeth Huppes-Cluysenaer (pp. 107-113). Digital Printing Partners. [details] van Domselaar, I. (2014). De sixpack van de rechter: Een deugdethische benadering van rechtspraak. Rechtstreeks, 2014(3/4), 62-80. https://www.rechtspraak.nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/Rechtstreeks-2014-3-4.pdf [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2014). De sixpack van de rechter: Een deugdethische benadering van rechtspraak. Rechtstreeks, 2014(3/4), 62-80. https://www.rechtspraak.nl/SiteCollectionDocuments/Rechtstreeks-2014-3-4.pdf [details] van Domselaar, I. (2013). Over Professionele Moed. Openbaar Bestuur, 23(2), 31-36.
van Domselaar, I. (2013). Over Professionele Moed. Openbaar Bestuur, 23(2), 31-36. van Domselaar, I. (2016). The Perceptive Judge. (Amsterdam Law School Research Paper; No. 2016-38). University of Amsterdam. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2831133 [details]
van Domselaar, I. (2016). The Perceptive Judge. (Amsterdam Law School Research Paper; No. 2016-38). University of Amsterdam. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2831133 [details]