Scots Law Talks

08/08/2026

It has been a challenging few weeks since my last post.

Someone very close to me was seriously injured in an accident, and understandably it has been an emotional time.

So I was grateful to take some time out with my wee one this week. Endless chatter about Pokémon and dinosaurs brightened my mood.

I may be a little quieter on social media for a while, and I know there are a few messages and emails sitting waiting for me. Thank you for your patience. ❤️ I will get back to everyone, but replies may take me a little longer than usual just now.

In the meantime, work continues behind the scenes on the semester ahead and on ongoing Scots Law Talks projects.

24/07/2026

I have spent the past few weeks settling into my new role, but this week, was the first time I'd had a proper wander around campus.

I had a peek into the rooms where I'll be teaching in September, found my way up to the law library on the top floor, and started to get a real feel for the place.

It's quite strange, really. You spend weeks sat at your laptop planning lectures, tutorials and assessments, then suddenly you're standing in the rooms where it's all going to happen.

I'm really looking forward to meeting the new students in September. For now though, it's back to refining lectures and drinking far too much coffee!

05/07/2026

It is always lovely to start the day by reading your feedback. ❤

A huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review after attending a Scots Law Talks event. Every comment, review, like = your support helps us to reach new audiences and continue our mission of making Scots law more accessible.

Here are a couple of our latest 5-star reviews:

⭐ "Excellent evening, very informative." – Alice

⭐ "The Scots Law Talks are always excellent. They are informative and very professionally run and delivered." – Steve

Thank you both for your kind words. We really do appreciate everyone who supports Scots Law Talks, whether you have attended one event or many.

Here's to many more fascinating conversations about Scots law! 🤓

02/07/2026

A little personal update...

This week I officially started as a part-time Lecturer in Law at Abertay University.

It is an exciting new chapter and I am looking forward to meeting students in September, working alongside colleagues in the Law team and continuing to share my passion for Scots law in a new setting.

A thank you to everyone I have met at Abertay so far for such a warm welcome. I am looking forward to what lies ahead. ❤

26/06/2026

Tonight was a slightly different one for Scots Law Talks.

Most of our events are designed for people with little or no legal background, so it was a real privilege to deliver The Guilty Mind to the Angus Faculty of Solicitors this evening at the Montrose Playhouse.

There is something rather enjoyable about spending an evening discussing mens rea, attack dogs, plots to harm your neighbour, and the finer points of Scots criminal law over pizza!

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and for such an engaging discussion. ❤️ It was a pleasure to spend the evening with you all.

25/06/2026

Tomorrow evening we are back at The Montrose Playhouse delivering The Guilty Mind for a private event.

I always enjoy this talk (although I probably say that about all of them!). It explores one of the most fascinating areas of Scots criminal law: intention.

There are some fantastic cases in this session, involving attack dogs, feuding neighbours, and even the Forth Road Bridge. 🧐

Now all I can hope is that the room is not too warm with this glorious weather we've been having! ☀️

Looking forward to another great evening.

18/06/2026

What a great event.

I have really enjoyed spending the day at the Curious Minds Research Festival 2026 at RGU. It has been lovely to speak to both new and familiar faces and to hear about some of the exciting projects, research, and collaborations currently underway across the University.

One of the highlights was bumping into one of my former lecturers. It is always nice when your paths cross again years later.

I also took part in the Arts and Heritage Collections Tour, which had some interesting pieces on show. Combined with some fantastic speakers, it has certainly given me plenty to think about.

And yes, I also watched a robot trot across the atrium floor!

A huge thank you for the invite and well done to everyone involved in organising such an engaging and thought-provoking event. 👏

17/06/2026

One of the things I enjoy most about working in education is getting the chance to meet curious people and explore ideas outside of my own subject area.

So I am looking forward to attending the Curious Minds Research Festival at Robert Gordon University this week.

The festival brings together researchers, practitioners, students, and partners to showcase a huge range of fascinating work taking place across the University. From interactive exhibitions to talks and discussions, it looks like a fantastic opportunity to discover something new and perhaps stumble across some unexpected ideas along the way.

As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about how we make knowledge accessible and engaging, I am always interested to see how others approach that challenge.

If you are attending, do come and say hello!



Link to promotional video is here:

This is the promotional video for Curious Minds 2026. It was filmed...

08/06/2026

Why do people disagree so much about sentencing?

Towards the end of our Kids Who Kill in Scotland event, after exploring real cases, sentencing guidelines, and the factors judges must consider, I ask the audience a simple question:

How do you feel about the sentencing of young people in Scotland?

At our recent Edinburgh event:

⚖️ 46% felt we are largely getting it right
⚖️ 39% felt we are not harsh enough
⚖️ 15% felt we are too harsh

What I find fascinating is that everyone in the room has heard the same information and considered the same cases, yet people still reach very different conclusions.

Perhaps that should not surprise us. Sentencing involves balancing many different concepts such as punishment, rehabilitation and public protection. Our response and connection to these concepts will vary for a number of reasons and, reasonable people can and do disagree.

I've explored this idea in our latest blog and why I think sentencing is often far more complex than it first appears.

🔗 Link to blog in the comments.

02/06/2026

It feels good to be back filming again.

After months of research, planning, writing, and reworking ideas, I have finally started filming a new trailer for a project I have been quietly building behind the scenes.

There is still a long way to go, but it is exciting to see it beginning to take shape.

More to come soon... I promise.