Led by Campus Dean Matt Tomlinson, our lecturers are dedicated to bringing their real-life experience in practice into the classroom, providing our students with genuine insight into the subject matter. Each of our students are assigned an academic coach and have regular one-to-one meetings where they can get advice on the course and career aspirations. As lecturers are based in our campuses they operate an ‘open door’ policy, so students can talk to them whenever they need to.
Matt completed a degree in International Business and Modern Languages and started his working life in Paris for a commercial real estate advisory firm. He then decided to pursue a career as a lawyer and embarked on the GDL and LPC at ULaw in Chester. Matt started his training contract with DLA Piper LLP and went on to qualify and practise Corporate Restructuring. Matt joined the University in 2013 and has taught across many courses, specialising in corporate and commercial subjects.
Andrea has a LLB from the University of Liverpool and is the Head of Lecturers at ULaw's Leeds Campus. She studied for the Law Society Finals at ULaw. She trained and qualified as a solicitor in York and worked in family and child care law, as well as qualifing as a family mediator and worked for the York Family Mediation Service. Andrea teaches Criminal Law on the GDL and LLB and Introduction to Professional Practice, Family Law and Private Client on the LPC.
Laura is the Programme and Student Lead for the LPC and SQE at our Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield campuses. She graduated with an LLB and completed her Legal Practice Course at The University of Sheffield. Laura trained and qualified at a firm in Manchester, practising in defendant motor insurance litigation and clinical negligence claims. After several years in Manchester, she moved back over the Pennines and worked as a Visiting Lecturer for ULaw, before joining as a permanent lecturer in 2021. In addition to her role as PSL, Laura teaches dispute resolution and personal injury and clinical negligence on the LPC and SQE courses, and has also previously taught civil litigation and civil skills on the BPC and civil litigation and mediation & ADR on the AMIL course.
Louise is academic manager for the BPC in Leeds and Newcastle. She studied at the University of Cambridge where she obtained a BA in Law and LLM in Commercial Law. After completing the BPTC at BPP, Louise was called to the Bar in 2011 and joined Enterprise Chambers in London. During her time at the Bar Louise developed a commercial chancery practice combining company, property and general commercial work with an insolvency specialism. In addition to litigation, Louise worked in international arbitration in Dubai, acting as lead counsel on a number of high-profile construction disputes throughout the Middle East and appearing as sole counsel in the DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) Courts. Louise joined the University of Law in 2023 and teaches across all law courses with a focus on civil litigation and civil skills on the BPC.
Dr Chris Walker holds a PhD in Knowledge Management and is a Chartered Librarian and knowledge manager who has worked in both the public and private sectors. Chris is a published academic specialising in Information Seeking Behaviours using Grounded Theory and Action Research methods. He is also an experienced University lecturer and Masters dissertation supervisor. Chris teaches on the MSc Law and Business as well as various undergraduate courses.
Anne is one of the Programme & Student Leads for Undergraduate Programmes at ULaw’s Leeds Campus. She graduated with a BA(Hons) Nursing Studies from Sheffield Hallam University. As a qualified nurse she worked in acute adult wards at both main hospitals in Sheffield, and then progressed to a research post at the University of Sheffield. Anne completed her MA Law and LPC at the University of Sheffield. She completed her training contract at a firm in Doncaster and qualified as a solicitor in May 2007. After a career break, Anne returned to practice in 2011 and worked for a number of firms throughout Yorkshire, using her nursing knowledge to specialise in both Claimant and Defendant clinical negligence claims. Anne teaches tort law, civil dispute resolution and personal injury/clinical negligence across a range of both under-graduate and post-graduate courses.
Laura is a Programme & Student Lead for Undergraduate Programmes at ULaw’s Leeds Campus. Laura also teaches commercial and corporate subjects and the LLB Access to Justice module. Laura obtained her LLB in English Law and French Law at the University of Manchester before completing her LPC at the then College of Law in Manchester. After a brief period as a paralegal in international PI litigation at Pannone, Laura trained and qualified as a commercial and corporate solicitor in-house at the Co-op, where she spent 8 ½ years advising the Food, Funeralcare, Legal and Insurance businesses in respect of a variety of plans and problems. This included major projects, general commercial and IT contracts, data protection, contentious and non-contentious IP, competition law, consumer protection, and regulation by the FCA, CMA and GCA. Before joining ULaw Laura also practised at AO World PLC, where she advised the consumer and trade retail and logistics businesses with a particular focus on IT and data protection.
Cheryl studied on the LLB and LPC combined degree at Northumbria University and then trained and qualified as a solicitor in London before moving to practise in Southampton. After 7 years away from home, Cheryl returned to West Yorkshire where she began working for a large nationwide Leeds firm, she also spent some time working in East Yorkshire before leaving to join the teaching team at ULaw. During her time in practice Cheryl specialised in criminal law and worked as a court advocate and litigator. Cheryl teaches mainly on the criminal module of the BPC but also teaches on the LLB, BA criminology, GDL, and LPC
Dessy has a BSc (Hons) in Business Administration from Huron University and MSc in Data Analytics and Marketing from Arden University. She has worked in education for over 25 year first as an entrepreneur and then as a managing director of a charity. Dessy transitioned to Higher Education management when she became a managing director of London School of Business and Finance Executive Education in 2014 and subsequently also took on the role of an interim CEO of the London Academy of Trading. Dessy is currently undertaking a PhD study with the University of Worcester Business School researching the topic of applications of artificial intelligence in the field of Marketing.
Patrick is a Lecturer and a Project Director for Legal Tech and Innovation at ULaw's Leeds Campus. Patrick graduated with an LLB, went on to study an MA in Law and Economics at the University of Bologna and the University of Gent, and completed the LPC at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice. He has worked as a Duty Solicitor at Police Stations/ Magistrates Courts and developed a Military Law practice assisting those charged with criminal offences. Patrick teaches Criminal Law, Public Law, Intellectual Property and Common Law Method.
Gerry Biles is an Associate Professor at the Leeds Campus. After graduating with an LLB from the University of Hull, Gerry undertook his vocational studies at the University’s Guildford Campus and then practised as a solicitor with a large regional firm in the South West of England. He currently teaches Public Law and Civil Dispute Resolution on the LLB course. He also teaches on the Postgraduate Graduate Diploma in Law and across a range of modules on the University’s vocational courses for intending solicitors
Gemma graduated with an LLB (Hons) from Newcastle University and is now an Associate Professor at ULaw’s Leeds Campus. She studied the Law Society’s Solicitors’ Final Examination at ULaw’s Chester Campus and trained and qualified as a solicitor in private practice in Leeds where she developed her interest in commercial law. Gemma teaches Business, Introduction to Professional Practice, Public Companies, Commercial Law and Mergers and Acquisitions on the LPC and Contract Law on the PgDL, the undergraduate law degree and on the Professional Skills Course.
Gary has a BA (Hons) from the University of York and is a Senior Lecturer at ULaw's Leeds Campus. Gary studied for the Common Professional Examination and Law Society Finals at ULaw. Gary qualified as a solicitor in 1994 and worked in high street practice for 9 years. Gary moved into legal education in 2003 and teaches Public Law on both the GDL and the LLB. He also teaches Dispute Resolution and Advanced Criminal Practice on the LPC.
Sarah is a law lecturer at the Leeds Campus. She has an LLB from the University of Liverpool and studied on the LPC at ULaw. Sarah trained and qualified as a solicitor at a firm in Bolton before moving to a law firm in Leeds. During her time in practice Sarah specialised in family law and private client work. Sarah teaches the family law module on the LLB and on the Introduction to Professional Practice (IPP) and the Private Client modules on the LPC.
Rachael graduated with an English Literature degree from the University of York before undertaking the GDL and LPC at the (then) College of Law in York. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2009 at an international law firm and spent 10 years in private practice specialising in property litigation dealing with land-based disputes and landlord and tenant issues. As a Lecturer at the University of Law, Rachael teaches on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses with a particular focus on the Land Law modules.
Emma is both a Lecturer at the University of Law and a barrister practising from Broadway House Chambers, having been called to the Bar back in 2002. Emma has a MA (Hons) in law, first class, from the University of Cambridge. Throughout her career Emma has specialized in all aspects of both criminal and regulatory law together with prison/parole law and mental health work. Emma is recognised in the publication ‘Chambers and Partners 2022’ in the practice area of crime. Here at the University of Law Emma mainly teaches on the Bar Practice Course but also teaches criminal law modules on the Graduate Diploma in Law, the Legal Practice Course and undergraduate degrees.
Jane is a Senior Lecturer at ULaw's Leeds Campus. She has a BA (Hons) in Law from the University of Oxford and an LLM from the University of Cambridge. Jane teaches EU Law on the GDL and MA, Business Law, Commercial Law and Intellectual Property on the LPC, as well as Business Law 2 on the LLB. She is also the ULaw Foundation Year Academic Report Writing Module Lead and the LLB Year 1 Head of Leeds, taking a keen interest in student welfare issues. Jane is a skills coach on the ULaw Solicitors’ Apprenticeship Programme.
Jessica is a Senior Lecturer at ULaw's Leeds Campus. Jessica has a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature from Liverpool University. After working at The Times in London for a few years, she converted to law and completed her CPE and LPC through Ulaw. Jessica qualified as an Employment solicitor at Lee & Priestley, subsequently moving to Beachcrofts, before joining ULAW. Jessica still returns into practice on a regular basis in order to maintain a practical edge to the classroom. She is also one of our Legal Advice Clinic solicitors advising members of the public, with their employment cases, preparing for Tribunals and mentoring our students. Jessica teaches Business Law, Immigration Law and Employment Law on the LPC, various modules on the Undergraduate LLB Course and Employment Practice on the BPC.
Tina Hayes is a Senior Lecturer at ULaw's Leeds Campus. After graduating with a BA in Law from Cambridge University, she studied for the Solicitors’ Final Examination at the University of Law and then trained as a solicitor at Penningtons Solicitors. Tina teaches Equity on the Graduate Diploma in Law, Real Estate and Private Client law on the Legal Practice Course and Wills and Succession on the LLB.
Kiri obtained a BA (Hons) in Law and Politics before going on to do the GDL and LPC at ULaw. She qualified as a solicitor at Shipping law firm Ince and Co, before working at KPMG and then Eversheds in Commercial Litigation. Kiri is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Year on the LLB. She teaches Contract Law on the GDL and LLB, Business Law and Practice, Law and Business and Banking on the LPC and also a number of Professional Skills Courses including Financial and Business Skills.
Lynn graduated with an LLB (Hons) from the University of Lancaster and is a Senior Lecturer at ULaw's Leeds Campus. Lynn qualified as a solicitor in 1987 and worked in private practice and at the Crown Prosecution Service. She attained Higher Rights of Audience and worked as an advocate in a range of courts before moving into education. Lynn teaches Criminal Law on the LLB and GDL, as well as Dispute Resolution and Family Law on the LPC.
Sabeeha Khan is a Senior Lecturer and Pro Bono Coordinator at the Leeds Campus. Sabeeha has a law degree from The University of Wales, Cardiff. She studied for her Law Society Finals at the College of Law in Guildford. Sabeeha qualified and practiced as a criminal solicitor for a number of years at Morgan Cole Solicitors in Oxford and then as a regulatory solicitor at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors in Leeds. Sabeeha heads up the Pro Bono Department at the Leeds Campus and has set up a considerable number of pro bono schemes aimed at providing legal assistance to members of the local community, whilst at the same time providing valuable practical work experience to our students. Sabeeha also leads the Bar Practice Course Masters Module where students engage in pro bono clinics and then have to submit an extensive Critical Reflective Report on their pro bono experiences. Sabeeha also continues to practice as a criminal solicitor and can often be found in the local magistrate’s court
Dr Emily Roach studied Jurisprudence at Oxford University (BA, MA (Oxon)) and trained with a Magic Circle law firm in London, qualifying into the restructuring team. Emily later moved to an American firm where much of her practice was shaped by the Global Banking Crisis. Over a decade working in the City, Emily gained extensive practical experience representing stakeholders across all levels of the capital structure on major corporate debt restructurings, distressed acquisitions, large corporate insolvencies and related litigation. Emily teaches across a broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including Contract Law, Equity and Trusts, Law and Business and Banking and Debt Finance. Emily holds an MA in Children’s Literature, an MA in Contemporary Literature and Culture and a PhD in English and has published academic research in edited collections and peer reviewed journals. Emily also teaches undergraduate modules in English Literature on a part-time basis.
Hannah graduated with a BA in Law from the University of Cambridge and completed the LPC at ULaw. She trained at DLA Piper and went on to practice in the Commercial Litigation team. Hannah teaches Dispute Resolution and Commercial Dispute Resolution on the LPC, as well as Public Law and Civil Dispute Resolution on the LLB.
Richard is a lecturer at the Leeds Campus. He has a BA (Hons) in Politics and Economics from Newcastle University and went on to complete the GDL at Northumbria University and the LPC at ULaw in Chester. Before joining ULaw, Richard practised for nearly a decade as a commercial property solicitor at law firms Addleshaw Goddard, Freeths and Clarion. He teaches Real Estate and Land Law related modules on postgraduate courses and Academic and Digital Skills and Politics modules on undergraduate courses.
Anna obtained her LLB at Leeds Beckett University, before completing her Legal Practice Course part-time whilst working as a paralegal at Switalskis Solicitors. Anna completed her training contract at Switalskis and upon qualifying worked in mental health, obtaining the Law Society Mental Health Accreditation. She then practised in healthcare regulatory at DAC Beachcroft, specialising in mental health and mental capacity law. Anna teaches Family Law on the LPC.
Olu is a lecturer at ULaw’s Leeds Campus. He holds a PhD in International Human Rights Law from Nottingham Trent University. His research involved a comparative analysis of the role of courts in realising socioeconomic rights in England and Nigeria within the sphere of international human rights law. He trained and qualified as a lawyer at the Nigerian Law School and practised in Nigeria before moving to the UK. He has successfully published in the areas of human rights law and social justice. He teaches Human Rights Law and Employment Law on the LLB programme, and Citizenship on the Foundation Year programme. He is a member of the Society of Legal Scholars.
Kelly completed an LLB and then begun a PhD in 2020. She was awarded the 2020 Ian Pennock Prize for Property Law, for her undergraduate dissertation. Before joining ULaw as a Lecturer, she worked as a Graduate Lecturer for Teesside University where she taught on the LLB and LLM. Kelly’s PhD research focuses on the Conflict of Laws topic of Domicile. Kelly teaches LLB Academic and Digital Skills and LLB Critical Approaches in Current Legal Issues.
Frances has an LLB from the University of Birmingham and studied the LPC at the College of Law in York. She trained and qualified as a solicitor at Gordons and worked in commercial litigation there for 14 years after qualification. Frances specialised in professional negligence claims and the regulation and professional conduct of solicitors.
Heather is a lecturer at the Leeds campus currently teaching tort on the LLB undergraduate programme. Heather has a degree in History (MA Hons) from the University of Glasgow and completed the Graduate Diploma in Law in 2008 and Bar Vocational Course in 2009. Heather qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and gained higher rights of audience (civil and criminal) in 2014. As head of the advocacy department at a national UK law firm, Heather was responsible for a team of around 30 advocates. As an advocate, Heather conducted county court hearings across a variety of civil cases. Heather also worked in-house at a large UK insurance company, leading a team dealing with defendant personal injury cases with a particular focus on potentially fraudulent litigated claims.
Robert obtained his LLB and completed the LPC at the University of Sheffield. He trained and practised as a solicitor in Sheffield, specialising in personal injury litigation before joining ULaw in 2021. Robert currently teaches Tort on the LLB programme and Dispute Resolution on the LPC.
Charlotte graduated with a First Class Honours LLB from Newcastle University and went on to complete the LPC at ULaw (in York). Before joining ULaw in 2021, Charlotte completed her training contract in Leeds, and then worked as an Associate in the Employment team of an international firm (based in Leeds).
Ruth has a BA (Hons) degree in Interdisciplinary Human Studies, following which she completed the CPE and LPC at the University of Northumbria. Ruth worked as a qualified solicitor for 18 years in private practice initially as a criminal defence and family law solicitor, conducting advocacy in both the criminal and family courts, before further specialising and gaining Law Society accreditation in Family Law and Children Law. She was Director in charge of family law at a Huddersfield based law firm before moving to work in a Local Authority legal department in 2006, where she headed the child protection legal team. Alongside her Local Authority work, Ruth has been a visiting lecturer on the LPC family law elective since 2020, joining the University of Law on a permanent basis as a lecturer in 2024.
Brian is a lecturer at ULaw’s Leeds campus. He has a degree in Classics from Oxford University. Having spent a number of years in teaching, he decided to convert to law. He completed the GDL and BPC and was called to the Bar. Brian subsequently completed the LPC and, on qualification, practised as a solicitor in Leeds where he specialised in corporate and commercial law. Brian teaches on a range of courses with a particular focus on commercial law modules.