Discovering Law Conference
University of Sheffield, Richard Roberts Building, Brook Hill
Tuesday 24th June 2014
9.15 Registration and refreshments Atrium
9.30 Welcome and Administration Auditorium
9.35 Introduction –Clare Firth, Director of the Legal Practice Course Auditorium
9.45 Introduction to first workshop – Professor Claire McGourlay Auditorium
Work in groups with a law undergraduate to research law at university and then present your findings. 30 minutes for the research in group rooms
10.30am Presentations Auditorium
10.50 Break Atrium
11am - 11.15 Careers with law - Louise Glover, Careers Adviser Auditorium
Choose 2 workshops from 3…
Workshop 1 / LUNCH in the Atrium12.10pm till 12.50pm / Workshop 2
11.20 – 12.10pm / 12.50 - 1.40pm
Michael Jefferson & Dr Nina Christiane Lück - Should Killing Someone in Self-Defence be Lawful?– B81 / Michael Jefferson & Dr Nina Christiane Lück - Should Killing Someone in Self-Defence be Lawful?– B81
Dr Richard Kirkham –What’s the best way to secure justice in public services?– B79 / Dr Richard Kirkham –What’s the best way to secure justice in public services? – B79
Dr Matthew Hall - Prosecuting Domestic Violence -Auditorium / Dr Matthew Hall - Prosecuting Domestic Violence - Auditorium
1.45pm Finding out about the Professions Auditorium
Introduced by Professor Claire McGourlay - Go back into your groups to compile a list of the questions you would like to ask our panel of professionals. Rate your questions in order,
nominate speakers as a group.
2.00pm My Journey into the Profession – Karen Clarke, Partner at CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
Auditorium
2.15pm ‘Careers Question Time’ Auditorium
Panel will be made up of
Barrister – Siobhan Kelly, St. John’s Buildings
Solicitor – Karen Clarke, CMS Cameron McKenna LLP
Paralegal – Stacey Hanson, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
2.45 – 3.25pm CHOOSE ONE OF THESE DEBATES – cast your vote at the beginning and then again at
the end, have you changed your mind?
Topic 1 - Prisoner’s rights are human rights – facilitated by Dr Cormac Behan – B81
Topic 2 - Assisted suicide – facilitated by Dr Vicky Chico – B79
Topic 3 – Is it time to build on the Greenbelt? - facilitated by Kate Campbell-Pilling - Auditorium
3.30pm Summary of each debate by the facilitator, 5 minutes each Auditorium
3.50pm Final questions and answers – Professor Claire McGourlay Auditorium
4pm Evaluation Auditorium
4.10pm Depart
DISCOVERING LAW WORKSHOPS
Prosecuting domestic violence: how can we bring offenders to justice?
Dr Matthew Hall
Domestic violence is increasingly recognized as a serious problem in England and Wales and beyond. It is now common to see the topic covered in the popular news press and fictionalised in soaps and movies. Yet domestic violence continues to appear in the crime statistics at increasing rates and - when such cases are brought to the courts - victims are often adamant that they do not want to give evidence against their abuser. In this session we will discuss the concept of 'domestic violence', the forms it takes and the ways in which the criminal justice system might address this serious social problem.
Should Killing Someone in Self-Defence be Lawful?
Michael Jefferson & Dr Nina Christiane Lück
Imagine that you discover a burglar in your house and after a struggle you kill the person; unless you have a defence, you are guilty of murder, and for that crime the judge must give you a life sentence; you claim self-defence. Should you have a defence? In this workshop you will consider whether the recent changes to the law regarding self-defence in England and Wales – that householders may use more than reasonable force provided it is not grossly disproportionate. Under the European Convention of Human Rights (Article 2), everyone has the right to life; does this recent change to the law value the householder’s property over the life of the burglar?
What’s the best way to secure justice in public services?
Dr Richard Kirkham
Imagine the scenario: your elderly relative has been taken into hospital with a serious health condition. Your family quickly gains the impression that the medical staff do not believe that she will survive. When you return to visit her a few days later you find the conditions that she has been left in shocking. She is in need of water, a change of clothing and basic cleanliness. The following day she dies, but the family is not informed of the death until four hours later. In this sort of scenario what does justice mean? What do you want done? How best to secure your demands? And how effectively does the current system of justice assist aggrieved users of public services in obtaining justice?
DISCOVERING LAW DEBATES
Prisoner’s rights are human rights
Facilitated by Dr Cormac Behan
In recent years, the rights of prisoners have received much attention in the United Kingdom. Governments have tended to limit the rights of prisoners, while prisoners’ advocacy groups have campaigned to have them expanded. Should citizens lose all rights on imprisonment? If not, what rights should they retain ? Should prisoners be allowed to vote? Should they be allowed to communicate freely with the outside world? Should people in prison be treated equally to those in the free world? Who should determine the rights of prisons – parliament, the courts, victims, or voters? Should prison be used as or for punishment?
This House believes that the crime of assisted suicide should be retained. Who will propose and who oppose? Facilitated by Dr Vicky Chico
Assisted suicide is banned in this country and a number of Britons have already headed to Swiss clinics to defy this law. Should we have the choice to end our lives if the alternative is chronic and incurable pain and suffering, or is life given to us by God and therefore not ours to choose to take?
Is it time to build on the Greenbelt?
Facilitated by Kate Campbell-Pilling
Do you imagine buying a house? There is a shortage of housing in this country and we need to build more houses. You could need one of these houses. Do we build on the green land surrounding cities and accept that greenery and open spaces are a luxury we can no longer afford? Do we want our country to become a sprawl of cities and towns all running into each other? Do you need access to the countryside? Are you concerned about conservation and protecting the nature? Is it a choice between your new home or a green land?