Led by Campus Dean Sandie Gaines, 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.
Sandie is Dean of our London Bloomsbury campus as well as our Norwich, Reading and Royal Holloway satellite campuses. Before joining the University in 2009 Sandie was a practising solicitor for 15 years, specialising in respondent Employment Law. She has worked for a number of “top 100” law firms including Hammonds (now Squire Patton Boggs LLP), DMH Stallard and asb-law. Sandie specialised in advising employers on a range of matters including drafting and changing contract terms, enforcing restrictive covenants, employee relations matters, anti-discrimination laws and whistleblowing. She also advised clients within specialised sectors and notably the recruitment, agricultural, private schools and hospitality sectors.
In addition to her LLB and LPC legal qualifications, Sandie has studied a variety of disciplines and has a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education Studies, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychology. She is an Associate Professor and Fellow of the HEA.
Sarah has been an Associate Professor since 2016 and Associate Dean since 2020. She is a criminal defence barrister and was formerly a criminal defence solicitor at Edward Fail, Bradshaw and Waterson, and Taylor Nichol. Sarah has a PhD in law (passed with no corrections) from Birkbeck, University of London. Her research analyses criminal law and evidence through the lenses of Critical Race Theory; Judith Butler's theories of performativity, racial framing and ungrievable lives; and Jean Baudrillard's theories of hyperreality, simulation and simulacra. Sarah also has a degree in Social and Political Sciences from King's College, University of Cambridge (2:1), a postgraduate diploma in law (Distinction, highest mark in year), LPC (Distinction), MA Higher and Professional Education (Distinction) and LLM Legal Practice (Distinction). She is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE. Sarah convenes the The University of Law's Law, Race and Colonialism research group, and teaches the Zemiology module on the LLB and LLB with Criminology. Sarah is the author of 'Race, Law and Hypercriminality', which will be published by Routledge in August 2025.
Hannah qualified as a solicitor in 2005, after studied LLB Law and European Law at Queen Mary College, London and completed the LPC at the University of West of England in Bristol. Hannah trained and qualified with human rights specialist firms in Bloomsbury gaining experience in criminal defence, inquest law and actions against the police. Since then Hannah has practiced as a criminal defence duty solicitor, combining her legal practice with university teaching. Before joining The University of Law, Hannah taught at the University of Kent where she was an Associate Lecturer and Clinic Solicitor at the Kent Law School and Kent Law Clinic. Hannah currently teaches on a range of The University of Law programmes with a focus on criminal law, litigation and evidence.
Nicholas graduated in History before converting to law at The University of Law in London. He qualified as a solicitor in 1993 and practised Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution at a City firm, where he became a partner. He returned to The University of Law in 2006 and teaches Dispute Resolution, Advanced Dispute Resolution and Commercial Dispute Resolution on the SQE and LPC.
Nick graduated with first class honours in Law and then completed the Law Society Finals at The University of Law in London. He trained as a solicitor and specialised in criminal law gaining many years experience assisting his clients in the full range of criminal offending including fraud, robbery and murder. Nick was at court and the police station on a daily basis during that part of his career. He moved into teaching at The University of Law in 2001 and taught predominantly on the BPC where he also worked in the pro bono clinic. He has also taught on the GDL, LLB and LPC and now teaches on a variety of programmes at The University of Law. In recent years Nick has continued with his work as a solicitor alongside teaching. Nick's particular interests are in criminal law but he also enjoys teaching contract, ethics and commercial law. He has completed an LLM in International Business Law and a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. Nick has had a range of management roles at The University of Law and is now an academic manager. Nick is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.