Laura Charleton

LLM, LLB (Hons), PgDip Higher Education, PGCHE, PgDip Professional Legal Skills (BVC), DEUF (Diplôme d'Etudes Universitaires Françaises).

Laura is a qualified Barrister (unreg.), accredited Mediator and Senior Lecturer at Kent Law School. In professional practice, Laura specialised in criminal trial advocacy for both the prosecution and the defence in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts.  Her practice also included civil litigation and family disputes.

Professional practice and experience accrued in higher education enables Laura to deliver student-centred education of the highest quality across a broad range of undergraduate modules, including convenorship of one of the compulsory undergraduate foundations of legal knowledge modules, Criminal Law.

Leadership roles at KLS reflect Laura’s particular interests in promoting participation in higher education, supporting learners in effective learning environments and enabling internationalised opportunities for undergraduate students.

Laura is Director of Recruitment and Admissions for KLS and Link Tutor for Law to the University of Kent International College (UKIC). She leads the School’s recruitment, admissions and outreach strategy, working closely with colleagues and external partners to attract and support prospective students in the UK and overseas. Her work focuses on strengthening conversion, widening participation, delivering an outstanding applicant experience, and promoting student and colleague successes through the KLS News Blog and social media channels to enhance the School’s visibility and impact. She also liaises closely with KLS alumni and warmly welcomes opportunities to connect with former students who would like to contribute to the School’s community and future development.

Past leadership positions include Deputy Director of Studies (Education) with responsibility for stage 1 studies and Director of International Legal Studies.

Laura is a member of UUKi’s Working Group for Internationalisation at Home, part of the Outward Student Mobility Network (OSM). She co-created and leads a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiative in partnership with the Université de Bordeaux, France. The programme connects law students at Kent and Bordeaux and is featured as a case study in the Internationalisation at Home (IaH) Introductory Handbook (2024).

Laura is Kent Law School’s constituency representative to the Council of the Society of Legal Scholars.

Laura holds Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

Laura is interested in the criminal trial and the law of evidence, with a particular interest in the legitimacy of the criminal trial and the role of the victim in the criminal trial process.

Laura’s pedagogical scholarship focuses on legal education. Drawing on her own experience of studying abroad, alongside the virtual innovations prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic and an awareness of the barriers to physical mobility, she has explored emerging international learning opportunities facilitated by online technologies. She is particularly interested in the broader concept of Internationalisation at Home, and more specifically in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

·         LAWS4002 Criminal Law

·         LAWS5150 Criminal Law

·         LAWS6151 Criminal Law

Laura’s undergraduate teaching responsibilities have also included Critical Introduction to Law, The Law of Evidence, Evidence for Forensic Science, Forensic Evidence in the Criminal Trial, Legal Process, Reading Law and Family Law.

External Examinerships:

·         External Examiner for Law at Buckingham Law School, University of Buckingham.

·         Previously External Examiner for Law at City Law School, City, University of London.

Accreditations:

·         Accredited Mediator (Hunt ADR and Civil Mediation Council accreditation programme 2025).

Group Memberships at the University of Kent:

·         Kent Law School Senior Leadership Team

·         Access & Participation Plan Operational Group member.

·         Global Engagement Steering Group.

·         Academic Career Map Steering Group member (completed).

Additional External Memberships:

·         Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

·         Association of Law Teachers.

·         The Society of Legal Scholars.

·         Gray’s Inn, London.