The latest updates from Leeds Law School

Professor Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo’s stellar year

Professor Nnenna Ifeanyi-Ajufo has once again been in the limelight for her remarkable achievements in the field of Law and Technology.

Her expertise and commitment were recently recognised with a prestigious £150,000 consultancy project awarded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to develop a cybersecurity policy for Africa. This significant project underscores her role as the leading authority in her field, addressing critical global issues through innovative solutions.

Professor Ifeanyi-Ajufo also delivered an inspiring presentation at TEDx, where she captivated the audience with her insightful perspectives on the cybercrime and the intersection of law, technology, and society. You can watch Nnenna’s TEDx talk here.

Dr John McGarry influences contempt of court law overhaul

The Law Commission, a government body that reviews and recommends legal reforms, is currently examining contempt of court laws – leaning heavily on the research of one of our senior lecturers in law, Dr John McGarry.

John has been cited extensively in this review following his research into political and constitutional concerns around the existing contempt of court laws. Referenced 23 times in the Law Commission consultation paper, Dr McGarry's research is now shaping the discussion on potential changes to the law, particularly regarding the role of the Attorney General.

Find out more by reading the news story in full.

Leeds Law School welcomes new staff members 

We have recently welcomed four new members of staff to our teaching team:

Rachel Armitage, Director of Research and Professor of Law and Social Justice – an interdisciplinary researcher who explores both offender behaviour and victim vulnerability. Her work addresses crime prevention through environmental design, with a focus on reducing burglary, shoplifting, terrorism, and domestic abuse. 

Dr Rachael Aplin, Senior Lecturer in Criminology - Formerly a Greater Manchester Police detective investigating serious criminality, Rachael switched careers in 2004 to begin teaching criminology instead. Her research is policing practitioner focused, within the context of honour-based crime (domestic abuse), elderly abuse & public protection.

Dr John McGarry, Senior Lecturer in Law - John previously taught law at Staffordshire University, the University of Bolton, Edge Hill University, the University of Central Lancashire and the Institute of Higher Education at Blackburn College. His research interests include all aspects of public law and legal theory and he has published extensively in these areas.

Dr Sarah Waite, Senior Lecturer in Law and Criminology – A criminologist and active researcher focused broadly on penology, gender and criminal justice responses to women. Sarah joins us following posts at Sheffield Hallam and Leeds Trinity Universities. She teaches criminology and criminal justice at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as to those involved in policing and frontline prison officers.

Take a look at the latest Leeds Law School newsletter for all the recent updates in full.