Professor Amel Alghrani LLB, MA, PhD, Barrister (non-practising)

Personal Statement

Amel read law (1999-2002) and was called to the Bar (2003) before working at the General Medical Council. Passionate about the interplay between philosophy, medicine, law and ethics, Amel completed a PhD at the University of Manchester on the regulation of assisted reproductive technologies (2008). Post PhD, she held two post doctorate positions: a Research Associate post at the Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, led by Professors Margaret Brazier and Soren Holm (University of Manchester, 2008-11); and then a Research Fellowship at the Institute of Science Ethics and Innovation, led by Nobel Laureate Sir John Sulston and Professor John Harris (2011-2012). Amel was appointed as a Family Law Lecturer at the University of Manchester (2012-13). Shortly after, she took up a Senior Lecturership at the University of Liverpool (2013), was promoted to Reader (2018) and then Professor of Law (2020).

Amel has published extensively and is recognised as a leading international expert in health law and ethics, with particular expertise in the following two areas:
(i) Regulation of reproduction and assisted reproduction (abortion, sterilisation, policing pregnancy, regulation of fertility treatment and novel assisted reproductive technologies, such as ectogenesis and uterus transplants).
(ii) Criminal / Medical Law - in particular increasing use of criminal law to regulate medicine/healthcare ethics and practice (clinical negligence, informed consent, gross negligence manslaughter, wilful neglect and corporate manslaughter).

Amel is currently researching laws and policy surrounding education and healthcare for children and with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) (including School Exclusions, Education Health Care Plans, right to specialist education, reasonable adjustments in schools etc). In 2022 Amel, alongside Dr Emma Ashworth (LJMU), Prof. Lucy Bray ( Edge Hill) and Joanna Kirkby (LJMU) completed a NIHR funded project on the impact of the pandemic on Children with SEND. Her aim with her research in this domain is that it influences law, policy and national debate around how children with SEND (and their parents/carers/families) are supported and that it has a positive impact on their lives.

In terms of leadership, she is one of the founding directors of The Health Law and Regulation Unit, was Associate Dean (Education) in the School of Law and Social Justice (SLSJ) and a member of the schools Senior Management Team (2017-2019).

Amel has done much disciplinary work and at both Manchester and Liverpool has sat on Fitness to Practise Committee's and at Liverpool, the University Disciplinary Committee (2017-2022).

Amel is a co-editor of the Medical Law International journal, alongside Dr Paula Case, Professor Marie Fox and Dr Craig Purshouse.

She is happy to advise on matters within her areas of expertise.

Prizes or Honours

• Faculty Learning and Teaching Award. (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Liverpool, 2018)
• Woman of the Year Finalist and Personal Recommendation Award in 'Contribution to Medicine' Category (The English Women's Awards , 2018)
• Teacher of the Year (Liverpool Guild of Students , 2015)
• Scholarship (The Honorable Inner Temple Inns of Court , 2002)