Law at Middlesex University is a flourishing research unit experiencing strong growth. This Unit of Assessment has evolved into a leading research unit with an acknowledged reputation in international and public law, strengths in employment law and EU law, and a developing reputation in commercial law.
Our research has strong policy relevance and makes substantial impact on legal policy and practice. The European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC), a major research and litigation centre focused on human rights abuses in the former Soviet Union, is located in this Unit. Our thriving PhD programme exemplifies our research ethos and we have also invested into new dedicated space for our PhD community. Success is demonstrated in amazing PRES student satisfaction survey in 2023.
These strengths in research, knowledge transfer and doctoral training have served to strengthen our undergraduate and postgraduate taught provision, thus enhancing the sustainability of the Law provision at Middlesex.
Summary: Over the past ten years the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC), led by Professor of Human Rights Law Philip Leach, has worked to give individuals from the former Soviet Union access to justice.
It has mentored and trained lawyers and non-governmental organisations, raised awareness about human rights violations and improved the functioning of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
Impacts of this on public policy are already visible in justice for individuals, compensation secured through the ECtHR and consequential changes in national law and policy. To date, EHRAC's impact includes 98 ECtHR judgments against Russia, Georgia and Ukraine, on behalf of 1,100 victims.
Summary: Emerging from investigations of social exclusion during the 1990s, research into minority rights by the Social Policy Research Centre has led to outputs and consultancy ranging across political participation, identity, rights protection and international criminal law.
The biggest impacts have been in two main channels. Firstly, research on socio-economic group rights, amplified by Dean of the School of Law, Professor Joshua Castellino's work as co-chair of the relevant UN delegated group, has made a significant input into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2015-30. Secondly, research has been incorporated into practice and capacity-building through projects involving judiciaries, advocates, statutory bodies and NGOs.
Summary: Middlesex research into legislative models protecting whistle-blowers began in 1993 with Professor of Employment Law David Lewis. Since then, research here has made a substantial contribution to protecting whistle-blowers in the UK and abroad by improving corporate accountability, making organisations act responsibly, benefiting employees and enhancing civil society voices. This research is now being brought into wider social policy debates.
The International Whistle-blowing Research Network, established in 2009 and hosted at Middlesex, is now actively used as a means for collaboration, taking findings to stakeholders and serving as a way to engage policy makers in numerous countries.
