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Law

Overview of Law

Law at Middlesex University is a flourishing research unit experiencing strong growth. Since RAE 2008 this Unit of Assessment has evolved from a small group within the Business School 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.

REF 2014 results highlights

  • Law at Middlesex is the 2nd highest improver among Law schools, up 16 places, and Middlesex is now the top modern university ahead of a number of Russell Group universities
  • 29th in the THE subject 'intensity' rankings (university performance mapped against the proportion of eligible staff submitted).
  • Top 35 ranking by GPA, top 40 by output and ranked 23rd for impact
  • 90% of our impact judged to be very considerable (3 star) or outstanding (4 star)
  • 87.5% of our environment judged to be internationally excellent (3 star) or world leading (4 star)
  • A threefold increase in number of staff submitted to REF
  • Ranked 7th in the London GPA rankings, above City, Brunel and Westminster and above Sussex, Surrey and Southampton in the sector wide rankings.  

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 the new research ethos, with 60 students currently in our Doctoral Institute.

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.

The Unit of Assessment case studies are:

Human rights litigation, advocacy and training

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.

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Incorporating socio-economic group rights within global development goals

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.

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Pioneering whistle-blowing legislation and practice

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.

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