Staff profile

Rachel read law at Trinity College, Cambridge where she graduated with a Double First Class Honours degree. She also has an LLM from the University of California, Berkeley. During her time in Berkeley, Rachel was an intern at the San Francisco office of the State Public Defender working on habeas corpus appeals on behalf of death row inmates. In 2003 she was awarded a Mansfield Scholarship by Lincoln's Inn and was called to the Bar the same year. She undertook pupillage at Devereux Chambers, London (https://www.devereuxchambers.co.uk/) and became a tenant in 2004 on successful completion of her pupillage. In 2005-2006 Rachel also worked as a Judicial Assistant to the Law Lords and was assigned to Lady Hale. She continues to practise in the areas of Employment and Commercial Law.

Rachel joined Durham Law School as a part-time member of staff in 2010. She teaches Commercial and Employment Law and is module convenor of the Commercial Law course. She is also Deputy Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Convenor of the First Generation Scholars Group, a member of the Law School Employability Board and is the Law School lead on outreach work, with a particular interest in school outreach programmes. In March 2023 she was the joint winner of the Law School’s “Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Staff Award”.  She is a Senior Fellow of the HEA and a Fellow of the RSA.

Rachel is a trustee and chair of the HR committee of the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, a governor at Bearpark primary school and Chair of the 21st Gateshead (Sea Scouts) Group.  

Teaching Areas

Commercial Law
Employment Law

• Commercial Law
• Employment Law