Priority areas
Our priority areas are listed alphabetically below, along with staff profiles of academics who would be happy to hear from prospective PhD students.
Access to Justice (free legal advice and related issues) – James Organ
Animal Veterinary Law – Marie Fox (limited availability for 2026-27)
Biotechnology and Law – Maciej Padamczyk
Charity Law – Mark Sidel (limited availability for 2026-27)
Climate Action (UK) – Michelle Farrell
Commercial Law (broadly conceived) – Folashade Adeyemo
Competition Law (comparative competition law, especially in Asia; and competition law
and health) – Andrea Gideon (limited availability for 2026-27)
Constitutional Theory – Brian Christopher Jones
Decolonial Approaches to Children’s Rights – Nico Brando (limited availability for 2026-27)
Devolution – Greg Davies
Digital Copyright Law, Platform Liability and Generative AI – Georgia Jenkins
Feminist Responses to Criminal Law / Violence Against Women and Girls – Sarah Singh
Immigration Detention – Anne Neylon
Intellectual Property and Music, AI and Music (digital replicas: protection of voice, likeness and style) – Sabine Jacques (limited availability for 2026-27)
International Human Rights/Law of State Responsibility – Antal Berkes (limited availability for 2026-27)
International Law on the Use of Force – Katie Johnston
Law and Corporations in the Global Economy – Mavluda Sattorova (limited availability for 2026-27)
Law and Regulation of Blockchain and Decentralised Finance – Firat Cengiz
Law and the Museum – Anne Neylon
Maritime Law (carriage of goods by sea and multimodal transport, contemporary challenges arising from technological developments in shipping [e.g. autonomous vessels and the use of AI in maritime operations] impacts of climate change and environmental regulation on shipping) – Mustafa Yilmaz
Modern Slavery – Seán Columb
Multilevel Governance in the UK Constitution – Thomas Horsley
Online Speech and the Law – Stephanie Reynolds
Palestine – Michelle Farrell
Prison Law – Greg Davies
Rule of Law Promotion – Francesca Farrington
Socio-Economic Rights – Amanda Cahill-Ripley (limited availability for 2026-27)
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) – Francesca Farrington
The Organ Trade – Seán Columb
Terrorism (UK and Internationally) – Michelle Farrell