Leading Journal signals strength of Northumbria Law School

After a competitive bidding process, open to higher education’s leading law schools, Modern Law Review awarded The Centre for Criminal and Civil Evidence and Procedure at Northumbria University funding for a research seminar. The grant – from a distinguished journal - demonstrates Northumbria University’s high standing in legal education and research in law.

The seminar – ‘The Reliability of Expert Evidence in Criminal Proceedings’ – was held in Northumbria Law School’s state of the art building at City Campus East in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Delegates considered the application and reliability of expert evidence from the perspective of academics, legal practitioners, forensic scientists, senior police officers and other participants in the criminal justice system.

Andrew Rennison, the UK’s Forensic Regulator, joined sessions which also included presentations from Law Commissioner Professor Jeremy Horder, of Oxford University; Professor Eileen Scallen, from William Mitchell College of Law in Minnesota, USA; Professor Jim Fraser, from the University of Strathclyde; Professor Martin Evison, from the University of Toronto; Professor Don Grubin, from the University of Newcastle; Dr Tony Ward, from Hull University; Ian Shaw, from the School of Applied Sciences at Northumbria University; and Dr Michael Stockdale, Director of the Centre for Criminal and Civic Evidence and Procedure at Northumbria Law School.

Northumbria University’s Centre for Criminal and Civil Evidence and Procedure organises seminars to bring together academics and representatives of agencies involved in the Criminal and Civil Justice systems, as well as expert witnesses and academics from other leading Law Schools.

The Centre’s Patron is Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, the Chancellor of Northumbria University.

In recent years the Centre has encouraged research, publication and the exchange of ideas between Northumbria Law School academics and external members. It’s Director, Dr Michael Stockdale, said: “The seminar was a great success and the School greatly values the support and recognition of the Modern Law Review. The quality of the sessions and calibre of participants was consistent with the quality of the journal. We had an invaluable opportunity to consider the Law Commission’s recent proposals on the reliability of expert evidence in criminal proceedings.”