About the session
The Legal Education and AI Community of Practice brings together educators and with an interest in the advances and impact of AI on legal education.
This Community of Practice is intended to be a space that seeks to hear and embrace a range of voices, to share insights, ideas, and challenges, and to consider the legal education and AI debate contextually and holistically.
Once a month, we'll come together online as a community where different speakers share their ideas, insights, challenges, and practices from their university, school, workplace or department, followed by a discussion.
If you are interested in being part of this Group, gaining insight into other people's practices, and contributing to the conversation on how we respond to technological advances, please consider joining.
This Group will provide a dedicated online space (via Teams) for educators and practitioners to come together to engage in discussion, learn from each other, share good practice, and explore the potential for collaboration.
To join the Group, complete the following form.
The first online event is scheduled for Monday 18 May from 2.00–3.30pm. The session will feature a series of short (10-minute) talks from several founding members and a practitioner, covering a range of topics, followed by a discussion.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Dr Marloes Spreeuw, University of Westminster -[email protected] or Dr Verona Ni Drisceoil, University of Sussex - [email protected].
About the Centre
The Centre for Legal Education and the Legal Profession (CLELP) is one of the UK's leading hubs for research and innovation in legal education and the legal profession. We study how the profession and legal services market are changing, and how legal education in law schools is evolving through rigorous empirical, doctrinal and socio-legal research.
Our members research, teach and collaborate across themes that shape modern legal education and practice, including LegalTech and Generative AI, Clinical Legal Education, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in the Legal Sector, Legal Ethics and Professional Regulation, Access to the Profession and Widening Participation, Student Employability and Careers, Curriculum and Assessment Design, and Communities of Practice in Legal Education.
CLELP sits within Westminster Law School, one of the largest and most diverse law schools in the UK. Our members teach across a wide range of subjects and bring current research into the curriculum. We play a central role in the student experience equipping our students with the knowledge, confidence and professional skills to thrive in their future careers. Through our Legal Careers, Employability and Professional Development Hub, led by CLELP's Student Fellows, students can take part in activities that connect legal education with practice, explore routes into the profession, and build the skills and attributes most valued by employers.
If you would like to be kept up to date on CLELP events and activities, please join the Centre mailing list.
About the speakers
Professor Susan Blake
Professor Susan Blake has been an Associate Dean at The City Law School since 2002. She currently leads on strategic development in relation to educational technology, with a particular focus on blended learning and embedding legal technology within the law curriculum. Her work centres on ensuring that legal education remains professionally relevant, pedagogically robust, and responsive to technological change. She has a longstanding commitment to high-quality legal professional training. From 1990 to 1998, she served as Course Director for the Bar Vocational Course, and subsequently as Director of Studies, with responsibility for curriculum design, academic standards, and the development of learning across all professional law programmes.
Matthew Lee
Matthew Lee is a leading civil and public law barrister specialising in emerging AI issues, human rights, equality law, housing, and property. He has particular expertise under the Equality Act 2010, including Public Sector Equality Duty and housing discrimination cases, and regularly handles complex housing condition claims. Alongside his core practice, Matthew focuses on developing legal frameworks for Artificial Intelligence, advising on AI autonomy, civil liberties, and human rights. He also writes the blog Natural & Artificial Law, exploring AI rights and ethical governance. He advises on complex, novel cases and welcomes collaboration on innovative legal approaches to AI.
Andy Unger
Andy Unger is an Associate Professor of Law and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His academic interests centre on legal education, access to justice, Law & Technology, and international human rights strategy. He brings a strong pedagogical and ethical lens to his teaching and research, with a focus on innovation in curriculum design and student engagement. His co-presenter, Lucia Otoyo, is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic and Quality Assurance in the College of Technology and Environment. She joined LSBU in 2013 while also working in industry as co-director of QuizSlides Ltd, a software development company. Lucia is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she teaches Computer Science and Informatics subjects, specialising in Project Management. Her work as a project manager, software tester, and company director over the past decade informs her teaching, allowing her to integrate current industry tools and practices into the student learning experience.
Dr Shahab Saqib
Dr Shahab Saqib is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Birmingham, with previous teaching roles at the University of Leicester, SOAS, and Oxford Summer Courses, and international research experience including a fellowship at the University of Toronto. His research spans anti-discrimination law, international human rights, critical legal theory, Islamic law, and immigration, with a particular focus on decolonial approaches to equality and law. Alongside his academic work, he is a practising attorney in the Higher Courts of Lahore, specialising in commercial, Islamic, and human rights disputes, and has advised international bodies on issues including xenophobia and migrant rights. Dr Saqib is also active in policy and community engagement, serving on the board of the European Network Against Racism and delivering training that empowers marginalised communities through legal awareness and advocacy.
