LawPod

​This episode focuses on how the law views the concept of innocence in the criminal justice system, particularly when it comes to compensation for someone who was wrongly convicted. Host Anurag Deb (PhD student, School of Law) interviews Hugh Southey QC, of Matrix Chambers (London), who practices at the Bars of England and Wales and Northern Ireland, sits as a Deputy High Court Judge and a Recorder in the Crown Court of England and Wales and is an Acting Justice of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. Hugh has a broad public law practice, specialising in human rights, crime, immigration, extradition, terrorism, inquests, immigration, discrimination and privacy. He also acted in a number of cases which are discussed in the episode, including R (Adams and others) v Justice Secretary [2011] UKSC 18 and Allen v United Kingdom (2016) 63 EHRR 10. In this episode, Hugh shares his insights into acting in Adams and the various ways in which the criminal justice system, and the courts generally, view innocence. At times, these views differ considerably from how the concept is understood in wider society. These differences allow us not only to understand how the law treats people who have been charged with and convicted of criminal offences, but also how we, as a society, view the notion of innocence in criminal matters. The cases referenced in this episode are: R (Adams and others) v Justice Secretary [2011] UKSC 18 https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2011/18.html Allen v United Kingdom (2016) 63 EHRR 10 https://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2013/678.html R (Hallam and others) v Justice Secretary [2019] UKSC 2 https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2019/2.html The report referenced in this episode is: ‘Supporting Exonerees: Ensuring accessible, consistent and continuing support’ (2018) by JUSTICE https://files.justice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/06170441/0218037-BROCHURE-Justice-Pro-Bono-brochure-Supporting-Exonerees_07-standard-00000002.pdf

In this episode, Dr Rachel Killean (School of Law), speaks to three legal practitioners who took part in the Women as Legal Change Makers conference hosted by the School of Law Athena Swan Committee in September 2021. The three guests, Leah Treanor (a barrister-at-law in Northern Ireland and former School of Law PhD student), Claire Archbold (an Honorary Professor of Practice in Public Law and Deputy Departmental Solicitor for the Northern Ireland Civil Service), and Mara McCloskey (solicitor at The PILS Project and Chair of the Northern Ireland Law Society's Human Rights and Equality Working Group), discuss the 2022 International Women's Day theme 'Break the Bias'. In particular, they consider the IWD three mission statements: celebrating women's achievements, raising awareness against bias, and taking action for equality.

Dr Peter Doran is joined by his friend and colleague Dr Eilís Ward to discuss her new book, Self (2021). The book is published by Cork University Press in the Síreacht series on longings for another Ireland. Ward argues that we have got it wrong in the West with our belief in a ‘self’ that is autonomous and separate from others, exemplified by the entrepreneurial self: always on, always positive and always self-improving. This is the neoliberal self, a particular creature of late capitalism. Drawing on her Zen Buddhist philosophy and practice, Ward goes further and argues that this entrenched view of the isolated self is harmful to us and is the source of much of our suffering. Dr Doran, who shares a deep interest in Zen Buddhist responses to our neoliberal times, engages Dr Ward on the prospects for human liberation and narratives to counter the dominant influence of neoliberalism on our modern constructions of the disembedded self longing for connection. Eilís Ward was lecturer in the School of Political Science and Sociology, National University of Ireland, Galway. Her book is available from Cork University Press. https://www.corkuniversitypress.com/Self-p/9781782054870.htm

Dr David Capper in a fascinating conversation with Dr Lauren Dempster about the potential developments in third-party litigation funding in Ireland, the UK and further afield.

​Daniela is a second-year PhD student in Law at Queen's University Belfast (UK), a scholar of the AHRC Northern Bridge Consortium's doctoral training programme (UK), and a qualified lawyer in Colombia. Her PhD project analyses the impact of legal narratives of criminalisation and victimisation of sexual violence on the recognition of the victim status of combatants who suffered this form of violence within their own armed group. Daniela holds a Master in Law (LLM) with distinction from Queen's University Belfast and a first-class (equivalent) undergraduate degree in law with a minor in criminal law from Universidad del Rosario (Colombia). She has engaged in conducting academic research on international criminal law, sexual and gender-based violence, transitional justice in the contexts of Latin America (particularly Colombia) and Northern Ireland, international human rights law, non-state armed groups, modern slavery, colonialism and green criminology. She has published academic papers on international criminal law, human rights and postcolonialism. She has participated in the drafting of amicus curiae briefs for the International Criminal Court Office of Victims and the ICC Appeals Chamber in the cases of Laurent Gbagbo and Bosco Ntganda, and the situation in Afghanistan. She has participated in the drafting of consultation reports for the UN Special Rapporteur on transitional justice measures and colonial contexts and the report for the Northern Irish Department of Justice on the modern slavery strategy 2021-22. In this episode we discuss Daniela's PhD research on Colombian transitional justice narratives of criminalisation and victimhood in the context of sexual violence within armed groups. Orcid profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8534-4931 Twitter profile: @Daniela_suarezv

Former students Kiera Vinall and Jack Meek share their experience of applying for the Bar in England and Wales. Jack Meek, Barrister at Government Legal Department and Bar Council Social Mobility Advocate 2021/2022 Kiera Vinall, Bar student, Lincoln’s Inn Scholar and future pupil barrister at Government Legal Department

LawPod Publicist David O'Sullivan is joined by Employability and Placement Officer Deirdre Timoney to discuss how to distinguish yourself as a law student.

LawPod Publicist David O'Sullivan is joined by Careers Consultant Terry O'Hanlon to discuss how to use QUB services to maximise your employability while studying.

PhD researcher Samantha Hopkins talks to Professor Anne-Marie McAlinden about her achievements as a woman in law and her role as a legal changemaker. https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/persons/anne-marie-mcalinden

​The new Head of School of Law, Professor Joan Loughrey, joins Tamara & Ruby for a special International Women's Day episode, where we discuss her plans for QUB law students and gender diversity in the profession! Tune in to hear us discuss gender diversity in law, as well as Professor Loughrey's professional journey to date and her future plans for QUB law students. Tamara Duncan and Ruby Sturgeon - Interviewers