Thank you for your interest in joining us at Leeds Law School.

We are delighted to be investing in our academic provision and are looking to appoint three collegiate, inspiring and enthusiastic academic colleagues to join our community at Leeds Law School.

The new roles are, a Professor of Law and Director of Research (Research Track); a Professor of Law (Research OR Teaching and Learning Track) and a Reader of Law (Research OR Teaching and Learning Track).

Our Law School sits in the heart of the great city of Leeds, the most important legal centre outside London and home to over 180 law firms employing in excess of 8,000 professionals. It is perfectly placed to ensure all our undergraduate, postgraduate, full and part-time students are able to mine the wealth of practical experience and employment opportunities available on our doorstep. We work closely with employers and partners to help our graduates become ready for work, ready for life and ready to seize all the opportunities that lie ahead. This is strengthened by our commitment to student success, innovation, enterprise, global reach and strong local impact.

We believe in working hard and having a bold, industrious spirit, and, as a university and major employer, we nurture the abilities that help to shape a lifetime for both students and colleagues alike.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Deveral joined Leeds Beckett in 2015 from Northumbria University and has been involved with Higher Education for some 28 years. He is an experienced lawyer and has practised as a barrister in both civil and criminal law, in courts across the North of England; he is a door tenant at Trinity Chambers in Newcastle upon Tyne.

As an academic, Deveral has taught at undergraduate, postgraduate and professional levels and published widely on legal education, legal skills and eCommerce law. He is a consultant to both the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board, he sat on the Steering Panel for the Legal Education and Training Review and is a member of the BSB’s Curriculum and Assessments Review Group that designed the new training regime for barristers from September 2020; Deveral is currently reviewing pupillage training.

From a Quality Assurance perspective, Deveral was a panel member for the Subject TEF pilot between 2017 and 2019 and most recently was Deputy Chair of QAA’s recent review of law’s subject benchmark statement.

Leeds Beckett is a modern, professional university with a dedicated, diverse community. Our vision is to be an excellent, accessible, globally-engaged university contributing positively to a thriving northern economy. Our mission is to ensure we use our knowledge and resources to make a positive and decisive difference to people, communities and organisations.

We are a community of around 28,000 students from over 140 countries and 2,800 staff, and our history dates back to the founding of Leeds Mechanics Institute in 1824. We are a major organisation in our region and the University contributes around £500m to the economy each year.

Leeds Beckett has:

• A bold, industrious spirit: We foster innovative thinking to create great graduates, exceptional employees, dynamic citizens and enterprising leaders.
• An environment enriched by research: Our world-leading and internationally-excellent research informs our curriculum and our students’ experience in all areas.
• A community dedicated to success: Our community is made up of people from a diverse mix of cultural and social backgrounds, brought together in a world-class learning environment.
• Excellent corporate services: Students and colleagues can access a range of professional services within our University, specifically designed to support the effective delivery of our academic provision.
• Safe and supportive networks: Our network of colleague and student groups provides safe and supportive environments in which to discuss issues relating to equality and inclusion.

Leeds is a vibrant, modern city with a rich industrial past and on the doorstep of natural beauty. It is the cultural, financial and commercial heart of West Yorkshire and has one of the most diverse economies of all the UK’s employment centres. Leeds is, and always will be, open for business and talent.

Teaching

Working in partnership with our students and the Students’ Union, we have transformed our undergraduate student experience and our students’ learning through exceptional and innovative academic practice and personalised support to our large and diverse student community.

Our teaching activity is organised into 9 Schools creating communities of committed staff and students who are passionate about their subject areas. Our courses feature collaborative, creative and practical learning in modern facilities that enable our students to develop themselves as enterprising citizens whose future contribution has a positive impact.

Research

Our research institutes and centres sustain outstanding research which informs our curriculum and our students’ experience in all areas. This research provides an enriched environment for an excellent research and teaching culture for all aspects of our students’ learning.

The REF 2021 results showed that 53% of the university’s submission was rated 3* and 4* and therefore considered internationally excellent or world-leading. Results were particularly strong in sport and exercise science, leisure and tourism where 89% of the submission was rated 4* or 3*. In the allied health and nursing unit, 80% of the submission was rated 4* and 3*. The results reflect the breadth of our research in these areas which includes improving gender equality in sports coaching, tackling obesity, supporting women with cancer with fertility decisions and improving the training of people working with those suffering from dementia.

Our REF 2021 submission included 352 research staff across 15 units of assessment, double the number of staff included in REF 2014. It included research driving up energy efficiency standards in homes, and understanding and supporting the role of civilian peacekeeping.

Corporate services

Students and colleagues can access a range of professional services within the University designed and operating to support the effective delivery of our academic provision.

Services for students include Libraries, Sport & Active Lifestyles, Student Services and Campus & Residential Services.

Departments including Finance, Estates, Information and Technology Services and Human Resources ensure the University runs efficiently, that colleagues get the support and advice they need, and services for students are accessible and focused on meeting their needs.

Our Schools

Our 9 Schools are:

• Leeds Law School
• Leeds School of Arts
• School of Built Environment Engineering and Computing
• Leeds Business School
• School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Carnegie School of Education
• School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management
• School of Health
• Carnegie School of Sport

Our campuses

We provide creative and contemporary learning environments packed with the latest technology, creating a focal point for new and innovative thinking.

City Campus: City Campus is in the heart of Leeds, ideally placed to connect with hundreds of businesses and organisations that offer work placements and employment opportunities to many of our students. The City Campus puts students and staff at the centre of a dynamic business community in a city with a thriving job market. Our award-winning buildings, the Rose Bowl and Broadcasting Place, are located at the City Campus, along with our new state-of-the-art Leeds School of Arts which opened in 2020.

Headingley Campus: Headingley campus, about two miles away from the city centre, is set in 100 acres of beautiful parkland with historic buildings dating from 1752. The rich history and parkland setting coexists with modern sport science laboratories, animation and music studios and the latest computing labs. Our main sports facilities are based in Headingley alongside our iconic new Carnegie School of Sport. Plans are also in development for a new Carnegie School of Education on the Headingley campus.

Equality and Inclusion

Equality and inclusion are essential to our academic and business strengths. We ensure our University community is a place where everyone feels respected, valued and supported to achieve excellence.

We are committed to providing a vibrant, ethical and sustainable working and learning environment that values equality and inclusion and recognises the contribution everyone brings to our University community.

Our network of colleague and student groups help us to help others get the information and support they need. These groups provide a safe and supportive environment in which to discuss issues relating to equality and inclusion, as well as provide support and networking and share best practice.

You can read more about our approach to equality and inclusion here.

University Executive Team structure

See our Executive Team structure here.

Further information

You can read much more about Leeds Beckett University on our website here.

Our values

In 2021 we agreed as a community that our university’s purpose, decisions, and actions rest on six values we all believe in and try to uphold in the conduct of our daily work.

Last year was about raising awareness, engaging colleagues in the benefits of being a values-driven organisation and sharing understanding of their meaning for us individually in our work. As part of this a group of colleagues from across the university defined what our values mean, and why they matter.

Inclusive | Teamwork | Integrity | Pragmatism | Ambition | Purposeful

This year and beyond is now about embedding our values – bringing them to life in local areas with individuals and teams; using the descriptions we created to explore what the values look like in our everyday interactions and using them to guide how we do our work.
The project team is also working hard to embed our values in key stages of employee journey such as recruitment, appraisals, induction, etc and there’s lots of opportunities for you to get your voice heard and get involved in this work, link is there which you can visit which contains options for how you can get involved.

You can learn more about our values here.

At Leeds Law School, we are a welcoming and diverse community, and we are looking to attract applications from candidates who can see an alignment with our research and teaching ethos. Our vibrant community is drawn from both theoretical research backgrounds and from more practice-based routes, with many of our colleagues having practised full-time before joining us in academia. In this way our taught programme offer is diverse and well supported.

Colleagues are able to enjoy a teaching and research environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities. We encourage our active and engaged students to take advantage of mentoring and career development opportunities, placements and activities hosted in our courtroom. Students who choose Leeds Law School can expect a successful career founded on high-calibre, practical teaching delivered by our supportive team of colleagues.

We offer a broad variety of courses including our suite of LLB courses, LLM Legal Practice (incorporating the LPC), LLM Laws of England and Wales (incorporating the GDL), LLM International Business Law, CILEx Apprenticeship and each aims to give our graduates the enthusiasm, sharpness of mind and practical tools to thrive in competitive and fast-paced professional environments.

Leeds Law School’s Research ethos

We are a welcoming community and are looking to attract applications from candidates who are qualified to doctorate level, have a successful record of research supervision and demonstrate a significant and sustained experience of high-quality research publications that meet international standards of excellence. Although notably challenging to generate in the legal field, evidence of securing relevant and recent external grant research income is expected.

Research interests that complement existing strengths in the school would be welcome to help support the continuing growth and strength of our research community in the School. This said, we would also welcome applications from candidates who would bring new research areas to the School. Given the fast-developing interdisciplinary landscape that the University encourages, candidates with a strong record in designing and delivering integrated, interdisciplinary research activities would be of particular interest.

Leeds Beckett University is committed to building its reputation and research profile; regionally, nationally and internationally.

REF 2021 marked a mile-stone for the law school as we made our first return to the national research competition since 2001.  We are proud of how far we have travelled since 2015 and delighted that 63% of our outputs were judged at 3 or 4 stars; we look forward to continuing our research journey with the support of the new appointments.

Leeds Law School’s Teaching ethos

Leeds Law School has been teaching law since 1924 and provides a full range of undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses. Leeds Beckett University.

There is a long history of achievement and ensuring student success. The School is perfectly placed to ensure all students are able to mine the wealth of practical experience and employment opportunities available on our doorstep, facilitated through the relationships that our colleagues nurture with the profession.

State-of-the-art facilities, mentoring and career development opportunities, placements, a law clinic and a courtroom, mean that students who choose Leeds Law School can expect a successful career founded on high calibre, practical teaching delivered by our dedicated academic team.

The successful candidate will be expected to teach on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and ideally should have experience of teaching at least one of the foundation subjects.

Our Research Groups and PhD offer

Applied Legal Education

The Applied Legal Education Research Group encourages and promotes scholarship, knowledge transfer and research on all aspects of legal education. The group brings together researchers with a variety of backgrounds who share an interest in pedagogy, the academic discipline of law, learning and teaching on vocational and professional courses, the education and training of lawyers and other legal education issues. The research carried out within and through the group is grounded in appropriate theories but seeks to make a difference to students, law teachers and others working with(in) Law Schools or otherwise involved in legal education.

Conflict, security, & International Human Rights Research

The Conflict, Security & International Human Rights Research Group captures the connected research areas of law and terrorism and human rights law. As far the threat of and the actual manifestations of terrorism, the focus is on exploring the role that law Leeds Beckett University has within a wider counter-terrorism framework. Similarly, in an increasingly complex and globalised world, the focus is on the fundamental role that law has in the protection of individual rights.

Research Degrees

Leeds Law School currently has MRES, MPhil and PhD offerings, which cater for a range of topics – from nuclear accident liability to management and laws surrounding registered sex offenders.

Leeds Law School is able to supervise research degrees in the following areas:

• Criminal Law and Justice
• Commercial Law
• Equality Law
• European Union Law
• Human Rights
• International Trade Law
• Law and Terrorism/Security
• Legal Education including pedagogy
• Medical Law including Mental Health
• Therapeutic Jurisprudence
• Tort Law

All these specialist areas feed into our teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, enhancing and enriching the learning experience of students.

What differentiates us as a Law School?

At Leeds Law School, we take pride in being modern and technology driven, always striving to provide our staff and students with state-of-the-art facilities to support learning and development. In September 2023, we will be moving to a new multi-million new law school development that will give us the most modern law school in the country.

With ever increasing competition in the Higher Education sector it is more important than ever that our staff and students have access to premium teaching facilities enabling Leeds Law School to provide the highest quality of education possible and we are continuously searching for new, interesting, innovative learning resources to work with.

This strategy helps us to attract enquiring and engaged students and generates many exciting options for both teaching and assessment which makes for a vibrant learning and teaching dynamic for our staff.

Leeds Law School’s Law Clinic

Operating from premises at 10 Queen Square, Leeds Law School’s Law Clinic brings our students closer to the community in which they study. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority the Clinic provides a confidential environment for members of the community to seek free legal advice, while delivering a first-class educational experience for our students, who can develop key transferable skills and improve their employability. Our geographically exclusive relationship with the national charity Support Through Court allows our students to provide key advice to members of the public engaged with court system as litigants in person.

Our current facilities include

Courtroom: We have a copy of a modern courtroom complete with professional practice suite doubling as a learning space. This is essential when it comes to teaching advocacy electives and is used regularly for our mooting competitions. The courtroom links up with our school control room, enabling us to emulate special measures and remote hearings and record advocacy activities.

The Immersive Education Suite: The law school boasts our very own Hydra Foundation Immersive Education Suite. This unique, high-fidelity learning environment enables the monitoring of real-time leadership and decision making in critical incidents and is used to transform law theory into practise and enhance student analytical skills. We are the only dedicated law school in the country to offer this fantastic and innovative facility, which again helps to provide our staff with additional options for creatively engaging with students.

Library: Staff and Students have access to fantastic learning resources within both our libraries at city campus and in Headingley, and in our extensive online learning resources, including a site license to Law Trove. In addition, a team of specialist law librarians are on hand to assist and provide online guides to their subjects with links to major law reports, journals, newspapers, books, eBooks and websites.

Study Spaces: We have a range of study spaces designed for students of all years and courses. These include both communal learning areas and group work rooms, as well as silent study spaces and individual classrooms – all equipped with state-of-the-art technology to support student learning.

Dedicated Postgraduate Resource Rooms: Our Law Postgraduate Resource Room offers a dedicated study and resource space exclusively for the use of postgraduate students. Fully equipped with both digital and printed research resources, it provides a state-of-the-art research centre in addition to our main library facilities. We also provide a separate research study space reserved for staff and PhD students, again a factor that is attractive to both colleagues and students wanting to continue with their learning.

Criteria for the Award of Professorships and Readerships

All candidates for Professorships and Readerships must fulfil the following three criteria:
• Be qualified to doctoral level or be qualified at Masters level and possess appropriate
professional qualifications;
• Be eligible for submission to the next REF;
• Undertake teaching on university degree awarding programmes.

In addition, candidates are required to fulfil criteria within at least one of the following routes.

Research

Successful candidates for a Professor will demonstrate:

• Significant and sustained track record of high-quality research outputs which meet international standards of excellence, including recent publication in peer-reviewed journals, or the equivalent for other forms of research output, and have a credible plan for future research activity;
• Lead supervision of a significant number of successful, completed research awards;
• Evidence of securing significant external research grant income;
• Regular presentation at major national/international conferences or exhibiting work at other appropriate events.

Successful candidates for a Reader will demonstrate:

• Sustained track record of high-quality research outputs which meet international standards of excellence, including recent publication in peer-reviewed journals and have a credible plan for future research activity;
• Successful supervision of candidates for research degree awards.
• Evidence of securing external research grant income;
• Evidence of presenting at conferences or exhibiting work at other appropriate events.

A range of evidence can be used to demonstrate achievement of the stated criteria including some examples from the list below:

• Outstanding original contribution to the field of work;
• Sustained record of high-quality publications and conference papers, where appropriate, validated by number of citations or by other indices;
• International / national standing of the applicant’s work validated by, e.g. membership of research councils and bodies, invitations to give keynote papers, editorial roles, organisation of international conferences, acceptance of work by international-rated journals which undertake rigorous peer review; external examination of PhD candidates;
• Contribution to the academic community, public policy, industry, the professions, commerce, the public sector or voluntary organisations, including national and international networks and collaborations;
• Sustained success in securing research income;
• Research degree supervision leading to successful completion;
• Ways in which research has informed and enhanced teaching;
• Research leadership including an active contribution to the development of a diverse research community;
• Commitment to the future development of personal research aligned with research themes at School and/or institutional level.

Leeds Law School would be delighted to receive applications for either professor or reader from individuals who would meet our criteria for internal promotion.  The following text outlines a range of broad expectations linked to each criterion.

Applicants for Professor will demonstrate:

• A significant and sustained background of excellent learning and teaching outputs.
• Leadership of significant pedagogic developments within the discipline, shaping and influencing academic strategy.
• International peer esteem for achievements in learning and teaching.
• A history of generating external income for pedagogic development, commensurate with discipline norms.
• Regular presentation at major national/international conferences or exhibiting work at other appropriate events.
• Successful previous performance of academic leadership of teaching and learning.

Applicants for Reader will demonstrate:

• A sustained experience of successful learning and teaching outputs.
• Contribution to significant pedagogic developments within the discipline.
• National or potential international peer esteem for achievements in learning and teaching.
• Some evidence of generating external income for pedagogic development, commensurate with discipline norms.
• Evidence of presenting at conferences or exhibiting work at other appropriate events.
• Successful background of academic leadership.

Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions of Service are as determined by the Vice-Chancellor for Academic staff (within a framework set by the Board of Governors) and will have regard to any national recommendations arising from negotiations between the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), and the recognised trade unions in so far as these are adopted by the Board / Vice-Chancellor.

Academic Staff Development

All academics with fewer than two years’ experience teaching in HE and not already holding an Advance HE accredited higher education teaching qualification or HEA Fellowship are required to become Fellows of the HEA within the first two years of appointment. The Centre for Learning & Teaching provide a wide range of events, workshops and networks which are available to support staff with research informed teaching, skills and practice development, to achieve Fellowship and remain in good standing. New staff are actively encouraged to engage in as many sessions as possible across the academic year.

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing a non-discriminatory and harassment-free working environment for our employees. All our employees are expected to have due regard for those policies when carrying out their duties.

Safety, Health and Wellbeing

You will maintain a positive attitude to Safety, Health and Wellbeing in carrying out personal responsibilities and co-operate with policy/local rules/codes of practice.

Physical Conditions

Flexible working (with some time on campus and homeworking, subject to negotiation).  You will have a base at City campus.

Probationary Period

Appointment to this position may be subject to a probationary period of up to 12 months, in line with our probationary policy.  A copy of our probationary policy is available on our website or on request from HR.

Pre-employment Health Assessment

Our University aims to ensure that all employees are placed in a job that is compatible with their health and physical abilities.  In accordance with the Equality Act, questions relating to health are asked following an offer of appointment.  All offers of appointment are subject to pre-employment health assessment.

Qualifications

In accordance with our pre-employment processes, it is University policy to verify qualifications for successful candidates.  We will need evidence of those qualifications required by the employee specification and claimed on the application form.

Anderson Quigley is acting as an employment advisor to the University. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

Should you wish to discuss either role in strict confidence, please contact Kiersten Avery on +44 (0)7510 384 735 or kiersten.avery@andersonquigley.com.

AQ 1653 (Professor of Law and Director of Research, Leeds Law School)
AQ 1654 (Professor of Law, Leeds Law School)
AQ 1655 (Reader of Law, Leeds Law School)

The closing date for applications is noon on Friday 2nd June 2023. 

Applications should consist of:

• A full CV.
• A letter of application (maximum of two pages) outlining how you meet the points in the Specification.
• An overview of your Personal Research plan for the next 5 years providing a clear link with the Research Agenda at Leeds Law School (no more than one page A4)
• Please include details of three referees, though please note that we will not approach referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.