Academic Profile

Claire McGourlay joined the School of Law in 2002 after completing her PhD at Sheffield. Claire became a senior lecturer in 2008. She was the first person in the Faculty of Social Sciences to be promoted to Professor of Student Education in 2013. In 2008 Claire was the recipient of a University Senate Award for excellence in learning and teaching and in 2009 an Award for Excellence in Inquiry Based Learning. In 2013 she was shortlisted for the Oxford University Law Teacher of the Year Award and the Teaching Excellence Award at the Student’s Union Academic Awards. Claire runs the School of Law widening participation and also leads the team of admissions tutors. Claire also runs the School of Law’s student-led Sheffield University Innocence Project and now co-manages the Freelaw Legal Clinic (http://lodgenews.group.shef.ac.uk/). In 2011 Claire was appointed to the position of Faculty Director of Undergraduate Student affairs and in 2012 made an Academic Fellow of Gray’s Inn.

Qualifications

• PhD
• LLB

Teaching and Learning

Claire displays an active interest in and development of approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn: The teaching of law is stereotypically associated with dry topics, dull lecturers and tedious terminology; however, through her innovative teaching Claire works in a number of mediums to influence, motivate and inspire her students. Claire is more than an academic who nurtures a passionate interest in the law-she is a dedicated teacher, enthusiastic and positive. Claire’s interest in teaching is demonstrably clear to anyone who meets her; and it is this interest and passion that are paramount to her students’ success and achievements.

As well as the traditional lecture and seminar formats Claire frequently champions distinct and diverse teaching styles and methods to ensure everyone is supported and given the opportunity to excel. Claire was instrumental in introducing video activates into a module - Introduction to Legal Process - to enable students to engage in practical tasks to enhance their understanding on a chosen area of law. Through ‘FreeLaw (Clinical Legal Education)’ and ‘Miscarriages of Justice and their consequences: The innocence project’, two modules Claire is the conveyor for, she has promoted the use of portfolios, and e-portfolios, to allow student to catalogue their work and learn useful practical skills. Claire is extremely passionate about these pro bono projects and has been responsible for the establishment and growth of FreeLaw and The Sheffield University Innocence Project. She has also developed a link with a university in Chicago that offers the incredible opportunity for her students to spend time in the United States.

Claire also uses podcasts and screencasts to assist student learning, electronic workbooks and diaries; as well as providing students with detailed and comprehensive feedback after seminars.

Claire takes an active interest in students as individuals and is also a year tutor and is constantly recognised as a supportive figure in the school for any problems, not just those academics issues associated with her modules. Through her extensive work in relation to widening participation for law applicants, and her involvement in open days, Claire is often familiar with students right from the start of their university life. Due to her friendly and welcoming persona Claire was nominated for the University’s personal tutor of the year award in 2010.

Claire also takes an active interest in the Edward Bramley Law Society, which is the student law society at the University of Sheffield and one of the largest student led law societies in Europe. In light of her contribution to the society, and her involvement in a wide array of different events and activities - including organising career events and guest lectures - she was awarded the Edward Bramley Law Society Award for Outstanding Staff Contribution in 2013.

Claire is also the co-author of a leading textbook on Evidence which has a number of pedagogic features both in the book and within the accompanying online resource centre.

The modules I teach are:

Undergraduate	Postgraduate and MA
Introduction to Legal Processes (Convenor)	Law of Crime (Joint Convenor)
Criminal Law (Joint Convenor)
Criminal Evidence (Convenor)
Criminal Process (Convenor)
FreeLaw (Joint Convenor)
Miscarriages of Justice and Their Consequences -The Innocence Project (Convenor)
Legal Skills

Key Publications

Doak, J. and McGourlay, C. (2012) Criminal Evidence in Context. 3rd Edn. Routledge Cavendish

McGourlay, C. (2012) Criminal Evidence Statute Book. 4th Edn. Routledge Cavendish

McGourlay, C. and Quinton Smith, G. (2011)  The Criminal Cases Review Commission: Hope for the Innocent? Howard Journal.

McGourlay, C. (2006) Is Criminal Practice Impervious to Logic?: R v Hayter. International Journal of Evidence and Proof

Department for Constitutional Affairs Consultation Paper (CP2104) The Independent Review of the Community Legal Service 25 June 2004

Shapland J., Otterburn A., Canwell N., Corré C., Hagger L. (1998) Affording Civil Justice: Report to The Law Society March 1998 (nee Corre)

Professional Activities and Recognition

• Fellow of Gray’s Inn.
• Senate Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, 2008.
• CILASS IBL Award for Excellence in Inquiry-based Learning, 2008/09.
• Nominated and shortlisted for Personal Tutor of the year at the Student Union awards 2010.
• Nominated and shortlisted for a ‘Good Work Towards Employability’ Award
  by students at the annual Student Union Awards 2011.
• Freelaw which I manage and co-ordinate won the Enterprise Award voted for by students at the annual Student Union Awards 2012. The award acknowledged Enterprise in the University.
• I was nominated by Students and Shortlisted in for the Law Teacher of the Year Award 2013.
• Hosted the National Miscarriages of Justice Day at The University of Sheffield in 2012.
• Invited to Chair the Innocence Network UK Annual Training and Conference in 2011 and 2012.
• Developing international links and internships for Innocence Project students in the USA.
• UG and PG external examiner at University of Dundee; Queen’s University Belfast and City University London.
• Vive Chair of Governors and Trust Board member of 2 local Schools.