School of Law appoints leading scholars and practitioners as Visiting Professors

Kevin is currently the serving Scottish Information Commissioner responsible for enforcing and promoting Scotland's freedom of information laws. In addition to his position as Scottish Information Commissioner, Kevin was elected in 2008 as Rector of St Andrews University for a term of three years. Kevin is also Co-Director of the University of Dundee Centre for Freedom of Information.

Kevin has an excellent academic background and his publications include ‘Troublemakers: an account of Scottish environmental injustices” (2003) Edinburgh University Press. His latest book on freedom of information rights and enforcement is due to be published by Dundee University Press shortly.

Kevin’s tenure as Information Commissioner is due to end February 2012 and the School of Law is delighted that he will continue to be active in the field of information rights law, both home and abroad. Kevin will be the third visiting professor in this area following on from Richard Thomas CBE, the former English Information Commissioner, and Timothy Pitt-Payne QC, leading barrister in the field of information rights law.

The Law School is also extremely proud to announce the appointment of Professor Phil Thomas.  Professor Thomas is Emeritus Professor of Law at Cardiff University and editor of the highly regarded and successful Journal of Law and Society.  

Professor Thomas is the author of numerous books and journal articles across a diverse range of areas including human rights, legal responses to terrorism, the legal profession and legal research.  A founding member of the Socio-Legal Studies Association and the Legal Action Group, he has worked for decades at the interface between law, politics and society.  As editor of the Journal of Law and Society since founding it in 1974 as the British Journal of Law and Society, he has played a leading role in the development of socio-legal research and scholarship.

Professor Thomas brings to Northumbria not only subject expertise in the field of civil liberties and human rights but also a wealth of experience and insight into legal education and legal research.  

Kevin Kerrigan, Dean of the Law School said ‘We are delighted to welcome both Kevin and Phil as Visiting Professors and look forward to working with them in the future.  Both will deliver an inaugural lecture in due course’.