Room: N912
Email: [email protected]

I am currently Director of the research centre for Spoken Interaction in Legal Contexts (SILC), part of Aston's Institute for Forensic Linguistics. Prior to my academic career I was a barrister, and practised civil and criminal law before moving to the Parliamentary Counsel Office, Whitehall, where I worked as part of a small team of specialist lawyers responsible for drafting primary legislation. Combining long-standing interests in both language and law, I completed an MA in Applied Linguistics and subsequently a PhD on police interviewing at the University of Nottingham, before joining Aston's Centre for Forensic Linguistics in 2009. My research interests include all aspects of language and communication in legal contexts, especially spoken interaction and the use of language data as evidence, focusing particularly on investigative interviews. Drawing on my own professional background, I retain a keen interest in strengthening links between research and professional practice, and I provide training based on my research to several organisations, including police forces.

Since 2013 I work part-time at Aston, and am available on Tuesdays to Thursdays only.

Language and law, especially investigative interviews; spoken interaction, especially in institutional contexts; language as evidence; (critical) discourse analysis; forensic linguistics; institutional discourse. 

Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (HEA)

British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL)

International Association for Forensic and Legal Linguistics (IAFLL) 

International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG)

The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple

'For the Record': A pilot study applying linguistics to improve evidential consistency in police investigative interview records. PI, with co-Is Dr Emma Richardson, Dr Felicity Deamer, Dr James Tompkinson.  Funded via Research England's 'Expanding Excellence in England' (E3) Fund, 2019-2022.

Police Interview Databank: Development of a police interview data resource for research, to be hosted in FoLD, AIFL's forensic linguistic databank. 2021-.

'Language and Communication for Police Interviewers': Training, Evaluation and Development. With Dr Nicci MacLeod; in collaboration with South Yorkshire, Sussex and Greater Manchester Police. Funded by the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL), 2012-14.

Director, Centre for research on Spoken Interaction in Legal Contexts (SILC), Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics, 2019-

Director of Postgraduate English & member of English Management Group, 2016-19

Programme Director, MSc Forensic Linguistics (distance learning), 2014-19

Programme Director, MA Applied Linguistics, 2011-12

I have taught on numerous programmes at Aston, including BSc English Language, MA Forensic Linguistics, MSc Forensic Linguistics (distance learning), MA Applied Linguistics, MA TESOL. I have also supervised dissertations at UG and PG level. My taught modules have included:

Undergraduate

• The Language of the Law
• Language as Evidence
• Introduction to English Language: Social Applications

Postgraduate

• Linguistics in Legal Contexts 
• Introduction to Forensic Linguistics 
• Practical Applications in Forensic Linguistics
• Spoken Language in the Legal System 
• Analysing Written and Spoken Discourse 
• Research Methods 

2013: PG Certificate in Professional Practice (Higher Education), Aston University.

2004-8: Ph.D.: ‘An analysis of police interview discourse and its role(s) in the judicial process’, University of Nottingham.

2003-4: MA Applied Linguistics, University of Nottingham – with Distinction.

1998-9: PG Diploma in Professional Legal Skills (Bar Vocational Course), The Inns of Court School of Law/ City University, London.

1997-8: PG Diploma in Law (CPE), The College of Law, Chester. With Commendation.

1995-6: Master of Studies (M.St.) Greek and Latin Languages and Literature, Magdalen College, Oxford.

1992-5: BA Hons Classical Studies, First Class, The University of Liverpool.

ESRC Studentship for PhD, Nottingham University, 2004-7 (PTA-030-2004-00907).

Harmsworth Scholarship, Hon. Soc. of the Middle Temple, for the Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law, 1998. 

Harmsworth Scholarship, Hon. Soc. of the Middle Temple, for the Common Professional Examination, College of Law, 1997. 

British Academy Studentship, MSt Greek and Latin Language and Literature, Magdalen College, Oxford, 1995.