Summary

Sarah is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Law. Her primary research interest is the human rights of asylum-seeker and refugee children. However, she also takes a keen academic interest in the Law of Outer Space.

Other roles Sarah currently holds include Theme Co-Lead of the newly launched Global Justice & Rights Research Centre, 'Migration, Mobility and Citizenship' Theme; Co-Convenor of the Researchers' Network (here); and Convenor of the Research Seminar Series for the School of Law (here). 

Sarah is also a qualified (non-practising) solicitor in two jurisdictions (the Republic of Ireland and England & Wales). 

Biography

Sarah joined UoP in 2015 as a Teaching Fellow. Prior to working at UoP, Sarah was a practising solicitor in Portsmouth, her areas being Wills, Probate & Trusts.

Prior to moving to the UK, Sarah works as a solicitor for the Irish Legal Aid Board, her areas being Child Protection, Family Law and Civil Litigation. During that time she also lectured part-time on law modules at Griffith College Cork. She is a graduate of University College Cork.

Research interests

Sarah's primary research area is the human rights of asylum-seeker and refugee children, having published several peer-reviewed articles on this and related topics (see outputs). She would welcome PhD proposals in this area.

Sarah's secondary research interest is the law of outer space. She has contributed on this topic at public outreach events organised by the the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG), including being part of the organising team for a regional Symposium on 'Space Law & Policy' in January 2024, and been Co-Investigator with colleagues in Cosmology on a funding bid to research applications and implications of using AI in space activites (see Activities).

Teaching responsibilities

Sarah currently coordinates and teaches the following UG modules:

• Family Law
• Children's Rights
• Public Law

In previous years she coordinated and taught the following modules: Public International Law; Jurisprudence & Ethics; ; Public Law; Legal Project; and Legal Writing & Research.

She has also worked on teaching-marking teams of the following modules: Equality & Human Rights;  Business & Employment Law; Research & Professional Development; and Current Legal Issues.