I am Director of Education for the Law School in Cornwall. I have the pleasure and privilege to work with such a dynamic and engaged group of staff and students here to create an environment in which everyone in our diverse community of learners can flourish. I am also Director of the Law and Business programmes for the Law School. I work with my colleagues in the Law and Business Schools and across the University to ensure that these ground breaking interdisciplinary degrees are a blend of the two disciplines; that we develop the core legal and business skills of our students - ensuring that they are uniquely employable and that everyone enjoys themselves in the process. 

I have worked in several law schools in Russell Group universities over the last twenty years and have won awards for my teaching, including Academic Fellowship of the Inner Temple. I have convened a range of modules, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, from large core subjects to small specialist group teaching. During this time I developed my interest in inclusion in the teaching and learning of law and active, student-lead learning. My research and practice now centres upon the supporting student learning  at degree level, blending face-to-face and online environments.

My research has always been inter-disciplinary, examing how people use and understand law in action.  I have conducted research for the Home Office which contributed to major reform of the law on sexual offences and in procedures relating to the prosecution of offences against children. I wrote (with Laura Hoyano) Child Abuse:  Law and Policy Across Boundaries, which won the first Inner Temple Book Prize for Outstanding Legal Research. Most recently (2014-2017) I have been a Senior Research Fellow in the Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, researching human conflict relating to the environment. I have also practiced as a mediator, (from 2014-2018) specialising in family disputes.

My on-going current research projects are in learning design and delivery (with Dr Karen Kenny (Academic Development) and Dr Steph Comley (Technology Enhanced Learning); embedding Hackathon 'learn, build, share design' into core curricula with Dr Constantine Manolchev (Business School) and the sustainable and compassionate curriculum with Dr Janet Keliher (Law School).

I am  delighted to be a mentor for the Co-Design S Education for Sustainable Development Bootcamp 2022 hosted by the American University of Sharjah and UNESCO IESALC.

Qualifications

PhD, University of Sheffield, 1994
The Development of the Law and its Implementation in the Investigation of Child Abuse
ESRC Postgraduate Scholarship and University of Sheffield Scholarship

LLB (Hons. 2.1), University of Sheffield, 1991
Graysons’ Prize for Family Law

Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy 2020

Higher Practicing Certificate in Mediation (Legal Aid Board accreditation), Family Mediation
Council, 2016