Staff profile

Member of Durham Law and Philosophy

MJur in the Durham Law School

Alice is studying towards a Master of Jurisprudence (MJur), having completed an undergraduate law degree at St Aidan’s College, Durham University. Alice has been a consistently active member of the Durham Law School, representing the University in mooting competitions on numerous occasions over the course of her undergraduate degree. She has also sat on the executive committee for the mooting society, as the Sponsorship Officer (2019/2020). Alice has also undertaken a broad range of mini pupillages across the country and has marshalled various judges within both the High Court Family Division and the Crown Court.

Current Research

Alice’s thesis is comparative, focusing on the criminal justice frameworks of England and Wales, and Scotland. Through her analysis, Alice is critically analysing how the law of murder, manslaughter, culpable homicide and self-defence is inherently gendered. 

By drawing on feminist philosophical debates regarding the nature of power, Alice emphasises how historical and present power dynamics influence the law, both in theory and in practice. Going beyond the language utilised within statutes, Alice’s thesis also recognises the influence of social norms, and how these can permeate into the justice system. This leads into debates regarding the nature of criminal law itself, and what it does, and should, seek to do.

Building on these debates, Alice seeks to highlight how women who kill, specifically those who kill their abusive partners, are neglected by the justice system. This analysis informs reform proposals for both the law itself, and the practicalities of its implementation.

Supervisors

Dr Graeme Brown

Dr Emma Milne