Nick joined Loughborough University in February 2025 as a Reader in Private Law. His work focuses on the theory, history and politics of private law, with a particular focus on equity and trusts, succession and estate planning. Nick is a co-founder of the Equity & Trusts Research Network and a series editor of the Kent Critical Law Series with Hart Publishing.
Before joining Loughborough University Nick was a Senior Lecturer at University of Kent and early in his career worked as a research assistant in the Property, Family and Trust Law Team at the Law Commission for England and Wales.
Nick’s research pursues a critical engagement with private law, particularly in the area of equity and trusts, succession and estate planning. He has published on trusts law, property law, legal history, and legal theory. Nick’s work on constructive trusts has been cited by the Supreme Court in Jones v Kernott [2011] UKSC 53.
Nick is currently completing a book on the fate of equity in modern law to be published with Hart Publishing. The project considers a number of equity’s contributions to the legal architecture of capitalism, including the transformations in the use and nature of trusts and equity’s governance structures such as fiduciary obligations.
In 2012 Nick co-founded (with Dr Rob Herian) the Equity & Trusts Research Network which brings scholars together who challenge the established and dominant modes of thought and analysis in equity and trusts, and encourages scholarship which emphasises the political, economic, cultural and ethical aspects of equity. The Network has hosted a number of events since its inception including a workshop on Equity and the Resources of Critique (resulting in two special issues of the journal Pólemos: Journal of Law, Literature and Culture guest edited by Nick) and a symposium on critical trusts law in honour of Professor Roger Cotterrell resulting in an edited collection co-edited by Nick entitled Critical Trusts Law: Reading Roger Cotterrell published in 2024.
Nick is the Programme Lead for Loughborough Law’s undergraduate programme. He has taught a range of private law subjects including Equity & Trusts, The Law of Succession, and Land Law.
Nick is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, has previously been an external examiner on University of Surrey’s undergraduate law programme and is currently an external examiner on undergraduate law programmes at University of Durham and University of Sussex.
Journal articles:
- Piška, N. (2017) ‘Aristotle’s Pharmacy’, Polemos: Journal of Law, Literature and Culture, pp. 5-21.
- Piška, N. (2015) ‘Gifted Deposits and Indemnity Insurance: a Risk Assessment’, Conveyancer and Property Lawyer, pp. 133-147.
Book chapters:
- Piška, N. (2024) ‘An Introduction to Critical Trusts Law’, in Piška, N. and Gibson, H. (eds) Critical Trusts Law: Reading Roger Cotterrell. Counterpress.
- Piška, N. (2018) ‘Equity and Trusts’, in Auchmuty, R. (ed.) Great Debates in Gender and Law. Palgrave Macmillan.
Edited books and journals:
- Piška, N. and Gibson, H. (eds) (2024) Critical Trusts Law: Reading Roger Cotterrell. Counterpress.
- Parsley, C. and Piska, N. (eds) (2018) ‘Special Issue of Griffith Law Review on Legal Critique and Social Justice’, Griffith Law Review, pp. 385-468.
- Piška (ed.), ‘Equity and the Resources of Critique: Part II’ (2017) 10(2) Polemos: Journal of Law, Literature and Culture 287-410
- Piška (ed.), ‘Equity and the Resources of Critique: Part I’ (2016) 10(2) Polemos: Journal of Law, Literature and Culture 1-157