Mr Phil Bates

Biography

Phil is a Lecturer in Law at the Law School. He studied law at the University of Sheffield, as an undergraduate and for a Masters degree is Socio-Legal Studies. He has taught law at the University of Reading, and at King's College London, where he was also a member of the Centre for Medical Law and Ethics. He has also worked at the Law Commission, first as a Research Assistant, and later as a Government Lawyer. He has carried out empirical socio-legal research as a member of the Thomas Coram Research Unit of the University of London.

All of these roles have involved examination of aspects of the legal treatment of children and mentally vulnerable adults. Within this broad area, he has written about aspects of family law, child law, medical law, mental health law, criminal law, and the law of evidence, as well as aspects of human rights law. Phil is also legally qualified in the USA, as a member of the New York State Bar, and is interested in comparative research, examining differences between legal developments in Europe and the USA.

Phil's work at the Law Commission contributed to two major pieces of legislation: the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the provisions on 'familial homicide' in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. He has also contributed to professional guidance issued by the British Medical Association, and by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, influencing children's medical treatment, medical research, and life-and-death decision-making.

Research interests

My research interests focus upon the law's approach to children and mentally vulnerable adults. Within this broad area, I am interested in aspects of family law, child law, medical law, mental health law, criminal law, and the law of evidence, as well as human rights law. I am legally qualified in the USA, and am interested in comparative aspects of legal developments between Europe and the USA.

Research student supervision

• Matthew Shawcross

Publications