About

I am a Lecturer at Derby Law School

I have been teaching for the last 5 years. My first experience as a lecturer came during my time at University where, as an undergraduate law student, I set up and ran a tutoring service for first and second year law students. These sessions focussed predominantly on Contract Law, Land Law, Tort Law and Legal Skills. After finishing my Undergraduate degree, and during my Masters, I was employed as an hourly paid lecturer by the University of Salford, teaching law to Law and Accounting students. Here I taught the Law of Contract, Tort, and English Legal Process to a group of around 130 business and accounting students. Additionally since 2014, I have been working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and seminar leader at the University of Leeds, taking European Union Law seminars for level 5, and Equity and Trusts seminars for level 6.

In September 2015 I began working as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Derby, taking Equity and Successions tutorials. I have been a full time lecturer at Derby University since January 2017, when I became module leader for the level 5 module Land Law. I also became a personal tutor for students across all three year groups.

From September 2017, I will be teaching Land Law to Level 5 students and Equity and Successions tutorials to Level 6 students. I will also be assisting with Intellectual Property Law and acting as stage tutor for year 3.

Teaching responsibilities

During my time at the University of Derby I have taught on the Undergraduate module Equity and Successions, as well as on the Postgraduate module National and International Sale of Goods. 

At present I am the module leader for two module on the LLB (Hons.) Law/LLB (Hons.) Law with Criminology, namely:

• Land Law
• Equity & Successions

I also assist with the teaching of:

• Intellectual Property Law

Research interests

My research interests lie predominantly in the field of Intellectual Property Law, specifically focussing on the regulation of the modern functions of trade marks. Indeed, I am currently writing my PhD on the subject. Whilst recognising the positive justifications for protecting the modern functions of trade marks, specifically their abilities to advertise, communicate and gain a reputation, my PhD also recognises the more negative 'dangerous' applications of these functions. In particular, the project makes use of an analysis of packaging legislation for tobacco products as a case study to illustrate the impact and the current approaches to dealing with 'dangerous' modern functions. Ultimately, my research calls for reform of the trade mark registration process, specifically reform which requires consideration of the likely impact of modern functions on society within the registration criteria. 

My research during my PhD has also lead to an interest in the interactions between intellectual property law and medical law. In particular, I am currently interested in the relationship between drug patenting and access to health care, and even more so the interaction between trade marks, drug branding and access to health care. 

Last but not least I am also interested in pedagogical research: in particular research which looks into the similarities between primary and university education and the importance of growth mindset in creating a resilient cohort. 

Membership of professional bodies

Qualifications

• Provisional PhD (in progress) - University of Leeds (September 2014 - to present, expected completion date 2018)
• LLM International Business and Commercial Law - University of Manchester (December 2014)
• LLB (Hons) Law - University of Salford (July, 2013).

Recent conferences