Elizabeth Smart (2016) – bio

Professor Elizabeth Smart has a passion for the law and legal education; she was recognised as a PFHEA in 2015 and endeavours to create the best legal education possible, with a particular focus on clinical legal education, inspiring students academically and emotionally with the confidence to succeed.

She creates flexible, dynamic clinical learning environments which are reflective of real life practice seeking out opportunities for students to enhance their employability and graduate attributes. She demonstrates an original approach to her teaching and displays an undaunted ability to drive forward excellence in teaching and beyond.

As a criminal practitioner she has been a national police force consultant for over twenty years advising national police forces in the areas of Active Defence and Courtroom Skills. Her consultancy informs the quality of her teaching and she was nominated for Faculty Inspirational Teacher or the Year and Outstanding Student Support in 2015.

She is an exceptional leader whose work has led to Faculty Excellence Team Awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016. She inspires her students with her enthusiasm and possesses an outstanding aptitude in her chosen career. Elizabeth creates a distinctive cutting edge to her curriculum design and her work in the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice has received national recognition as Highly Commended in the Access to Justice Awards 2016 and Halsbury’s Legal Awards 2016 for finalist in the Law in the Community. She helped establish and grow The Sheffield Hallam Court Help Desk which was Highly Commended in the Law Society Excellence Awards 2014 and awarded the Faculty Excellence Team Award 2016.

Elizabeth is currently leading the creation of a solicitors practice at the heart of the university to enable all law students who study at Sheffield Hallam to learn in a live client environment and seeks to place the student experience at the centre of legal education. Her work has a strong applied focus and she recognises the strong imperative to provide flexible opportunities for students to enhance their graduate attributes. Elizabeth is currently Head of Law at Sheffield Hallam University.

Email  e.smart@shu.ac.uk