Smita Shah Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

London Area, United Kingdom

London, England, United Kingdom

Child Rights and Military Justice – evaluating the use of military courts to prosecute child defendants against international child fair trial rights standards in human rights and humanitarian lawSupervisors: Dr Kasey McCall-Smith and Dr Michelle Burgis-Kasthala

Amsterdam Area, Netherlands

Courses taught include: Law, Justice & Morality I, Law, Justice & Morality II, Comparative Administrative Law, Comparative Criminal Law. Create and deliver Research Skills seminar entitled, 'Research Lab: Doctrinal Analysis' and co-supervise Thesis project area: Fingerprints of Colonialism. Academic advisor (mentor) for students through their undergraduate degree providing pastoral support. Ad hoc lectures for other courses as requested such as Research Skills: An Introduction on doctrinal research methods.

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Lecture and instruct an undergraduate seminar for entitled ‘Major Issues in Law & Society in Comparison Seminar’. Comparing the US and Netherlands legal systems, the course examines the social impact of law and the role of courts on watershed issues such as gender and sexuality, race in criminal justice and policing, nationality, and redress for violations of human rights. Activities include 16 weekly seminars, presentations, written examinations and two field trips to the ICC and Dutch Criminal Court of Appeals.

Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands

Undertook research on jurisdiction of England and Wales tracing the existence and use of inherent powers available by courts, whether through procedural rules of in the development of common law jurisprudence. Collated, cross-referenced and synthesised data gathered across civil, criminal and other areas of law such as family law. Data gathered considered all aspects of litigation before courts from summary and pre-liminary application, through to trial and post-trial enforcement actions. Data gathered ran to 200 pages!

Faculty Of Law, The University Of Edinburgh

I was one of two Directors and the creator of the innovative Freedom Of Expression Law Clinic currently based at Edinburgh University. The model has 12 students represent two journalists or bloggers, imprisoned by the state for exercising their right of freedom of expression. Law Clinic petitions are submitted to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention seeking a declaratory relief. The Clinic has had two clients released and notable success before the UNWGAD on behalf of Vietnamese blogger, Minh Man (http://www.mediadefence.org/news/victory-fight-freedom-expression-vietnam ). The project started as a collaboration between the University of Oxford, The University of Zagreb, Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) and Garden Court Chambers (GCC). I brought four international partners together, secured funding, oversaw the budget and managed the project. I was responsible for co-ordinating the academic content with academics at Oxford and Zagreb and clinical supervision for the cases with lawyers from MLDI and GCC.

Centre For Access To Justice, Faculty Of Law, Ucl

I was brought in to help establish a student law clinic to enable law students to provide free legal advice to patients of a GP’s practice in East London under the supervision of qualified lawyers. I led the delivery of the project covering all regulatory, policy, organizational and operational aspects of establishing a student legal practice and putting systems in place. I recruited, trained and managed a team of 38 students and a small team of staff as we deliver our services. I co-taught two courses, Access to Justice and Community Engagement for undergraduate students and Access to Justice for LLM students.

London, United Kingdom

I led and co-managed Garden Court International, a team of 70 Barristers of varying international practice areas and seniority. My central aim as convenor was to not only bring out the best in team embers, to ensure they realised their potential and to do so while offering the highest level of professional and ethical service to all clients. As convenor I succeeded in raising the brand profile of GCI, both internally within chambers and externally. As a convenor I was responsible for:- drafting, planning and ensuring implementation of strategy for growth and market share.- identifying and pursuing new opportunities.- supervising and overseeing events, seminars and round table discussions.- oversee the marketing budge and development of marketing strategy with Chambers Marketing Director- manage and lead on recruitment-briefing and reporting back to Chambers of team activities and developments.

London, United Kingdom

Specialist Child Protection, Family law, International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law practice, manage a busy domestic and international legal practice, present seminar papers on 12/05/05, 22/01/08, 22/02/11 and recently on 19/01/12 on legislative changes and examples of best practice concerning Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Court of Protection to solicitors groups and professionals bodies. Organised and hosted a seminar on UK Family Law for a high level delegation from Thailand of Family Court Judges on 26/06/12. Is regularly asked to advise and instructed on human rights cases in other jurisdictions to use international human rights mechanisms such as regional legal bodies and UN Committees, such as Colombia and Malaysia. Have been a member of the Legal team of the Kurdish Human Rights Project carrying out training on CEDAW in Diyarbakir, Turkey from 24-25/02/08 and litigation to the ECHR, including two Ocalan v Turkey cases.

Mandalay, Myanmar

I was a trainer for a series of Rule of Law Workshops for a high profile UNDP Myanmar Rule of Law Project based in Mandalay, Myanmar. I mentored national trainers in their delivery of the workshop. I created modules for delivery of the training; and where necessary participated and assisted in actual delivery of the training to workshop participants. Participants were lawyers in private practice and members of civil society organisations.

Nigeria

06/07/12- 16/07/12 Abuja and Lafia, 16/11/12 – 26/11/12 Lagos and Calabar, Delivered capacity building project as Child Rights Expert trainer, researched, prepared and delivered training through lectures and seminars on documentation and monitoring human right violations concerning children, how to manage a case file, use regional and international human rights mechanisms. Trained groups of 60 - 80 participants as a part of a team of 3 trainers.

London, United Kingdom

London Trainings: 24/10/07, 25/05/08, 11/02/09, 27/09/10, Advanced course, 01/10/10, 08/06/11, Advanced Course 17/10/11 (prepared materials only), 16/05/08 (Manchester)to present £750 per sessionA series of bi-annual training days carried out for lawyers on UN Human Rights Mechanisms, focussing on how lawyers can use them strategically within the UK with litigation and policy work. Designed materials pack, content of training sessions and delivered training.

Ramallah, Occupied Palestinian Territory

Undertook field research which included prison visits and trial observations at Ofer Military Tribunals, carried out legal analysis of and compliance of national law with international human rights obligations with partner organization PICCR, designed and delivered training/capacity building to lawyers and NGO’s on Prisoners Rights, Women’s rights and humanitarian law, documented human rights violations and prepared weekly reports on project monitoring project and recommendations for follow-up work.

London, United Kingdom

For postgraduate students (LLM/MA) at London Metropolitan University School of Law, Governance and Information, Ladbroke house, 62-66 Highbury Grove, London (From 03 – 06/02 Taught the same course at the University of North London which later merged to form London Metropolitan University)

Master Of Laws (Llm), International And Comparative Law

Teaching Assistant for the Human Rights Clinic, researched and prepared the legal brief as a part of a coalition of lawyers and NGO’s.

Master Of Arts (M.A.), Understanding And Securing Human Rights

Placement at the Human Rights Act Research Unit, Kings College Law School. Dissertation: A Human Right to Water

Bachelor Of Laws (Ll.B.), Law

Death Penalty Law Intern, Summer 1996, Post Conviction Defender Organisation, South Carolina, USA. Took study sabbatical break.