About

As Head of Business Engagement and Employability, my teams focus on how the University of Derby interacts with industry in three key areas. The first of these is support for our students and graduates, as well as those in the communities we serve, to develop and successfully reach their aspirations. The second area is linking business to academics and research students to assist with research, knowledge exchange and consultancy. The third is the provision of skills that are relevant to industry, whether through courses, apprenticeships, CPD or further training. Across all of these areas, we aim to be at the cutting edge of thinking and provide relevant support to meet the specific needs of our stakeholders.

Teaching responsibilities

Although I no longer teach, I had significant experience in various aspects of private law. My main areas of teaching expertise have been the law of equity and trusts at the undergraduate level and the law of restitution at the postgraduate level.

Professional interests

I am interested in the role universities play within the communities they serve and their place in society, both nationally and internationally. I have a passion for breaking barriers, both real and perceived, between academia and industry. This includes industry insight into course design, identifying new areas of research that will support the industry and development of companies within our communities, and how the University of Derby has an impact locally, nationally and internationally.

Research interests

My areas of legal research include the recognition of trusts and similar types of ring-fenced funds within the law of England and Wales, and the integration of technology into the role of the trustee, particularly when exercising discretion under a trust. I sit on the editorial board of Trusts Law International, a journal run by Bloomsbury press. My other main research is on the civic place of universities, how institutions work with others across sectors and effective teaching to an international student audience.

Membership of professional bodies

• Member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
• Member of the Clay Cross Town Deal Board

Qualifications

• LLB Law with German Law (King’s College London)
• BVC (Inns of Court School of Law)
• LLM International and Comparative Law of Property and Obligations (King’s College London)

Recent conferences

My recent conferences have focused on the role of employability in education, the importance of jurisdictional awareness in transitional education, the value of dual degrees taught across institutions, and the importance of governance in higher education. The recent conferences have all been online, and include the following:

• 18 February 2021 - UK-Russia Alliance for Transnational Education Conference (supported by British Council)
• 3 April 2021 - Times Group Universities International Conference on the Globalisation of Professional Legal Education
• 30 May 2022 - Institute of Governance and Public Policy Conference Chair: Driving Good Governance Throughout the Public Sector

Experience in industry

I have advised local authorities on assisting school leavers to enter higher education and on the upskilling of working-age adults into new career opportunities within their geographical region. I have also had responsibility for the delivery of CPD events and training across a wide range of disciplines.

International experience

In a previous role at another institution, I had responsibility for delivering law courses to seven partner centres across three continents. This included recognition by local regulatory bodies, course design, teaching implementation, campus design and setup, and methods of assessment. I have also chaired numerous validations of franchises and dual degrees, had financial oversight over a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses all over the world, and been responsible for the quality assurance of delivery by partners.