SOAS University of London

School of Law

School of Law Staff

Head of Department

Mr Scott Newton

Academic Staff

Nada Ali
First Year Tutor
Staff Silhouette
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00 - 1300
Professor Mashood Baderin
Professor of Laws
Undergraduate Staff Student Consultative Committee - Chair
Professor Mashood Baderin

Islamic Law, International and Comparative Human Rights Law, Public International Law, Human Rights & Islamic Law, especially interaction between International Law, Human Rights Law, and Islamic Law in Muslim States. Appointed as Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in the Sudan by the UN Human Rights Council at its 19th Session on 23rd March 2012.

  • Tel: +44 (0)207 898 4715
  • Email: mb78@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S135
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesday 13:30 - 15:30
  • On Sabbatical:T1 & 3 (2019/20)
Professor Fareda Banda
Professor of Law
Exam Board Chair
REF Readers Group
Staff Silhouette

Human Rights of Women, English Family Law, Comparative Family Law focusing on Africa, Law and Society in Africa, Alternative Dispute Resolution.

  • Tel: +44 (0)207 898 4664
  • Email: fb9@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S223
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays 11 - 13:00
  • On Sabbatical:T2 (2019/20)
Dr Samia Bano
Reader in Law
Learning and Teaching Coordinator (Term 1)
Samia Bano

Muslim Family law in the UK and Europe, Family Law, Multiculturalism, Citizenship, Islamic Jurisprudence and Human Rights, Feminist and Critical Social and Political Theories, Issues concerning the rights of Muslim women and Gender Equality.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4668
  • Email: sb169@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S133
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursday 11:00 - 13:00
  • On Sabbatical:T2 (2019/20)
Dr Gunnar Beck
Reader in Law
Gunnar Beck

EU law, legal theory; legal reasoning and method in common law and civil law jurisdictions; moral and political philosophy

Dr Brenna Bhandar
Reader in Law and Critical Theory
Director of Research
Staff Silhouette

Indigenous rights, law and colonialism, post-colonial, feminist and critical legal theories.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4540
  • Email: bb29@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S331
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesdays 11:00 - 13:00 (Term 2)
Professor Matthew Craven
Professor of International Law
Undergraduate Exam Board - Chair
Matthew Craven
Public international law, international legal history (particularly colonialism and decolonisation), postcolonial and critical legal theory.
  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4673
  • Email: mc7@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S334
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays 15:30 - 17:00hrs
Professor Philippe Cullet
Professor of International and Environmental Law
Departmental Director of Research
Departmental Director of Doctoral Studies
LLM Environmental Law and MA Environmental Law & Sustainable Development Convenor
Philippe Cullet
International and domestic law and policy concerning the environment, natural resources, water, sanitation, agriculture, sustainable development, climate change, health; social rights; intellectual property; India.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4651
  • Email: pc38@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S338
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesday 15:00 - 17:00
Dr Clara Della Croce
Senior Lecturer in Law (Education)
Foundation Year Tutor
Clinical Teaching/ Pro-bono Coordinator
Clara Della Croce

Asylum and Immigration law (particularly detention of migrants and foreign prisoners); EU law (particularly migration); Human Rights law; Law and Development 

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4661
  • Email: cc58@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S232
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays, 13:30 - 15:00
Dr Catriona Drew
Lecturer in International Law
Learning & Teaching Mentor
LLM & MA International Law Convenor
Staff Silhouette

Public International Law; international legal history (particularly self-determination of peoples), and legal theory

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4482
  • Email: cd4@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S332
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesdays 17:15 - 18:45
Mr Ian D Edge
Lecturer in Law
Undergraduate Admissions Tutor
Ian Edge
Middle East laws particularly the civil and commercial law of Egypt ,Saudi Arabia and the Gulf; Islamic  law and particularly the law of succession, wealth planning and Islamic Finance; International Commercial Arbitration; Conflict of laws and Contract
  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4665
  • Email: ie1@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S342
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays 10:30 - 12:30
Dr Jonathan Ercanbrack
Senior Lecturer in Transnational Financial Law
PGT Admissions & Recruitment Tutor
Member, Departmental Research Committee
Jonathan Ercanbrack

Specialisms: transnational financial law, law of Islamic finance, contract law, comparative law.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4095
  • Email: je6@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: ​ S230
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesday 15:30 - 17:30
Dr Kate Grady
Senior Lecturer in Law
Staff Silhouette

Military law, criminal law, international criminal law, peace and security, peacekeeping, critical legal theories

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4719
  • Email: kate.grady@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S326
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursday 12:30 - 13:30 and Friday 11:30 - 12:30
  • On Sabbatical:Term 2 (2019/20)
Dr Vanja Hamzić
Reader in Law, History and Anthropology
LLM & MA Law and Gender Convenor
Postgraduate Research Programme Convenor (Terms 2 & 3)
Vanja Hamzić

Law and Society of South Asia (esp. Pakistan), South East Asia (esp. Indonesia) and West Africa (esp. Senegal); Islamic Law; Legal and Social History; Legal and Social Anthropology; Gender, Sexuality and the Law; Colonialism and Slavery in the 18th and 19th Centuries; Marxism; Critical Theory; Global Law/Governance; Cold War Studies.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4501
  • Email: vh1@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S336
  • Academic Support Hours: T2: Tue 12:00 - 14:00 (by appointment only)
Professor Gina Heathcote
Director of Research
Professor in Gender Studies and International Law
Convenor, LLM Law & Gender
Gina Heathcote

International feminist legal theories; International Law especially laws on the use of force; collective security; political and legal theories; law of the sea; gender and conflict

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4367
  • Email: gh21@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S344
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays 9:30- 11:30
Dr Catherine Jenkins
Lecturer in Law
Departmental Research Seminar Series
Staff Silhouette
Human rights; transitional justice; law and conflict; international criminal law; post-conflict reform and reconstruction; legal developments in post-apartheid South Africa; law and society in Africa.
  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4676
  • Email: cj3@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S340
  • Academic Support Hours: Friday 10 - 11 and 12 - 13.00
Dr Michelle Staggs Kelsall
Lecturer in International Law
Lead on Widening Participation
Deputy Head of Undergraduate Admissions
Michelle Staggs Kelsall

International Law; Human Rights; Business & Human Rights; Law & Policy of Southeast Asia

  • Tel: +44 (0) 207 898 5113
  • Email: mk128@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S224
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesdays 12 - 14:00hrs
Professor Martin W Lau
Director of External Engagement & Recruitment
Professor of South Asian Law
Martin Lau
Laws of South Asia; comparative environmental law, Islamic law
  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4935
  • Email: ml1@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S331
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursday 15.30–16.30
Dr Olivia Lwabukuna
Lecturer in Law
LLM Programme Convenor MCU
PG and UG Scrutiny Lead
Olivia Lwabukuna

Law and Development in Africa, Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, Natural Resource Governance in Africa, Law and Legal Reform in Post Conflict Reconstruction, Transitional Justice (Constitutions), Trade conflict and Law in Africa, Law and Policy on Internal Displacement in Africa

  • Tel: +44 (0) 207 074 5120
  • Email: ol3@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S328
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursdays 15.00-17.00 See link in Bio to book slot
Dr Makeen F Makeen
Senior Lecturer in Commercial Law
LLM in International Commercial and Economic Law Convenor
Final Year Tutor
Research & Enterprise
Makeen Makeen
Intellectual property (particularly comparative copyright law); information technology law;  contract law; commercial law in the Middle East
  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4502
  • Email: mm76@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S234
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursdays 13:30 - 15:30
Dr Grace (Yu) Mou
Lecturer in Criminal Justice
Intermediate Year Tutor (Term 1)
Intermediate Exam Board Chair (Term 1)
Mou Grace

Criminal justice;  criminal law; comparative criminal justice; criminal evidence; Chinese law; criminology; Asian legal systems; socio-legal studies.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4277
  • Email: ym19@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S227
  • Academic Support Hours: Mondays 15:00-17:00hrs (Term 1)
Mr Scott Newton
Head of Department
Reader in Laws of Central Asia
Departmental REF Coordinator
LLM & MA Law, Development & Globalisation Convenor
PhD Examiners Approval Panel
Scott Newton

Post-Soviet law and legal/institutional reform in Central Asia and CIS; law and development (markets and globalisation in developing and transitional states); law, governance and post-conflict reconstruction; human rights.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4658
  • Email: sn21@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S330
  • Academic Support Hours: Mondays 11:00 - 13:00
Dr Paul O'Connell
Reader in Law
Staff Silhouette

Public Law, Human Rights (particularly Socio-Economic Rights), Legal Theory, Comparative Law and International Law.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4712
  • Email: po5@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S236
  • Academic Support Hours: Mondays 14:00 – 16:00
  • On Sabbatical:Terms 1, 2 and 3 (2019/20)
Dr Lutz Oette
Reader in International Law
LLM Human Rights, Conflict & Justice and MA Human Rights Law Convenor
Director of Learning & Teaching
Departmental REF Coordinator
Departmental Pro Bono Tutor
Lutz Oette

Public international law; human rights, particularly prohibition of torture; victims' rights and reparation; human rights, law reform and justice in Sudan; international refugee law

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4727
  • Email: lo8@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S226
  • Academic Support Hours: Fridays 12:30 - 13:30
Dr Kanika Sharma
Lecturer in Law
Research Seminar Series
Kana Sharma

Law and colonialism; Law and society in South Asia (especially gender issues); Law, image, and architecture; Psychoanalytic jurisprudence; Critical legal theory

  • Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 4657
  • Email: ks72@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S339
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 14:00 - 15:00
Dr Nimer Sultany
Reader in Public Law
Postgraduate Taught Programmes Convenor (MA)
Nimer Sultany

Public Law; Legal and Political Theory; Comparative Constitutionalism; Public International Law and Human Rights Law.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4729
  • Email: ns30@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S228
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursday 10.00 – 12.00
Dr Mayur Suresh
Senior Lecturer in Law
Undergraduate Programmes Convenor (Terms 2 & 3)
NALSAR Coordinator
Mayur Suresh

Anti-terror laws (particularly of South Asia); law and anthropology; legal theory (particularly on theories of emergency legality); sexuality and gender identity in South Asia.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4646
  • Email: ms148@soas.ac.uk
  • Academic Support Hours: By online appointments
Professor Lynn Welchman
Professor of Law with particular reference to the Middle East and North Africa
LLM and MA Islamic Law Programme Convenor (Terms 2 & 3)
Research Centres' Lead (from Term 2)
REF Reader (from Term 2)
Lynn Welchmann
Islamic law; law of the Middle East and North Africa, especially comparative family law; human rights; gender and law, Palestine and the law
  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4672
  • Email: lw10@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S235
  • Academic Support Hours: Wednesdays, 09:30-11:30
  • On Sabbatical:Term 1

Emeritus Professors

Professor Werner Menski
Emeritus Professor
Werner Menski
Classical and modern Hindu law; Muslim Law; Laws of South Asia; Family law; Comparative law; South Asians in the UK; Immigration law; Ethnic minorities
Professor Peter Muchlinski
Emeritus Professor
Professor of International Commercial Law
Peter Muchlinski
The regulation of multinational enterprises, international corporate governance and corporate social responsibility, foreign investment law, WTO law and practice, competition law, international commercial law and development.
Professor Michael J E Palmer
Emeritus Professor
Michael Palmer

Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arbitration and Civil Procedure; Chinese Law (traditional and modern); Conflict of Laws; Comparative Family Law; Consumer Protection

Professor Carol G. S. Tan
Emeritus Professor
Carol Tan

Contract, legal history, British overseas rule and the law especially in relation to the leased territory of Weihaiwei and to ethnic Chinese communities in Hong Kong and South East Asia, law and society in South East Asia, traditional Chinese law

Senior Fellows

Michel Massih
Senior Fellow
Michel Massih QC

Michel Massih QC is one of our most eminent and formidable criminal barristers, with a reputation for courtroom brilliance over three decades in the service of defending a long line of unpopular clients in some of the most notorious murder and terror trials of the day. He has also advised governments regarding the defence of heads of state in international criminal law cases. Michel was the SOAS School of Law 2016 Inception Lecture speaker.

Dr Simeon Obidairo
Senior Fellow
Dr Simeon Obidairo

Dr Obidairo currently practices law as a partner of the firm of Aluko & Oyebode in Lagos. Involvement with SOAS to date: Dr Obidairo is already an active member of the Nigeria SOAS Alumni Association and has this year played an important role in our effort to strengthen our engagement with Nigeria and also with other countries in Africa.

Senior Teaching Fellows

Mr Michael Bartlet
Senior Teaching Fellow in Law
Michael Bartlet

Alternative Dispute Resolution, Public Law, Law and Literature

  • Tel: +44 (0)207 074 5074
  • Email: mb108@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S343
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursdays 10.00 - 12.00
Dr Muin Boase
Senior Teaching Fellow
Research Associate
Muin Boase

Public international law, international legal history, international investment law, state immunity, and human rights law

  • Email: mb95@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S233
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays 10:00 - 11:00
Dr Vivienne Bradwell
Senior Teaching Fellow
Staff Silhouette

English Company Law, English Commercial Law, French Company Law and Chinese Company Law.

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4671
  • Email: vb15@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S225
  • Academic Support Hours: Fridays 9.00 - 11.00
Dr Sarah Elibiary
Senior Teaching Fellow in Islamic Law
Senior Status LLB Tutor (Terms 2 & 3)
Staff Silhouette

Islamic Jurisprudence;  Sunni and Shi'i jurisprudential discourses on Laws of War and Rebellion;  Muslim Family Law and aspects of Criminal Law (Baghy and Hirabah);  Islamist insurgencies and armed groups. International Human Rights Law. 

  • Email: se10@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S343
  • Academic Support Hours: Monday 14.30 - 16.30
Professor Thoko Kaime
Senior Teaching Fellow
Thoko Kaime

Children’s rights, international human rights, climate change, ecosystems services analysis, sustainability analysis, risk analysis and mitigation, African governance issues

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7898 4651
  • Email: thokokaime@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S338
  • Academic Support Hours: By Appointment
Dr Feja Lesniewska
Senior Teaching Fellow
Feja Lesniewska

Climate change and energy law, sustainable development, ecosystems law and governance (forests, land, water), smart energy technologies, cryptocurrencies and transnational environmental law.

  • Email: fl7@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: 4406
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursdays 14.00-16.00
Professor Peter Leyland
Visiting Professor
Peter Leyland

Specialises in public law and comparative public law. Co-editor of the series Constitutional Systems of the World published by Hart and contributor of the first volume in the series. His research interests fall under the broad headings: UK constitutional law; UK administrative law; comparative public law; Thailand’s constitutional and legal system.  

  • Email: pl3@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S233
  • Academic Support Hours: Thursdays 12:00 - 13:00 and 15:00 - 16:00
Mr Barrie Nathan
Staff Silhouette
Principal Lecturer on the Lord Chancellor’s Training Scheme for Young Chinese Lawyers (1998 – 2011).

Hart's Mooting and Oral Skills Senior Teaching Fellow.

  • Email: bn3@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S233
  • Academic Support Hours: Contact directly for meetings
Dr Yonit Manor-Percival
Senior Teaching Fellow
Staff Silhouette

Dr. Percival specialises in the interface between law, society and corporations within the framework of the global political economy, with a focus on the People’s Republic of China (PRC). She completed her PhD research in international investment protection law at Queen Mary University of London. Her thesis employs a multidisciplinary approach, including critical and post-colonial theory, political economy and legal analysis, to unpack the PRC ‘harmonious world’ paradigm. The thesis examines this paradigm through the lens of the global and China’s own bilateral investment treaties program, considering the way it both challenges as well as reinforces the global neoliberal order.

  • Email: ym12@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S225
  • Academic Support Hours: Friday 15:00 - 15:30

Other Tutors

Sara Bertotti
Teaching Fellow
Staff Silhouette

Sara Bertotti is the recipient of the e-FileReady Scholarship to complete a PhD on Law and Peace Agreements at SOAS.

  • Email: s_bertotti@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S233
  • Academic Support Hours: Fridays 16:00 - 17:00 and by appt for 15PFFH008
Ms Sidonia Lucia Kula
Teaching Fellow
Lucia Kula
My research focuses on how law and gender interacts with national/international instruments and institutions in the protection of (Congolese) refugees against sexual and gender based violence in Angola.
  • Email: lk15@soas.ac.uk
  • Room: S233
  • Academic Support Hours: Tuesdays 16:00 - 17:00 (T2)
Mr Riccardo Labianco
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Riccardo Labianco

International Law of Armed Conflicts, Public International Law, The Relationship between International Relations and International Law, the Middle East.

Visiting Scholars & Research Associates

Administrative Staff