Human rights campaigner made Honorary Professor of Law

The University has made famous-human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti an Honorary Professor of Law.

Chakrabarti is the Director of Liberty, the National Council for Civil Liberties, and a trained lawyer who has spoken widely on the importance of maintaining human and civil rights in a democratic society.

Professor Chakrabarti was one of the eight Olympic Flag carriers at the London 2012 opening ceremony for the Olympics, and this year was judged as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

She was also one of the six independent assessors who advised Lord Justice Leveson in his Public Inquiry into the Culture, Practice and Ethics of the UK Press, and regularly appears on Newsnight, Question Time and the Today Programme.

Professor Geraint Howells, Head of the School of Law, said, “I am delighted Shami Chakrabarti has joined our School. She is an impressive advocate for the causes she believes in and will help us in our mission to promote debate about justice.

“Last year she took part in a poplar event with our students in the School of Law and this post will ensure that they will continue to be challenged by her perspective on civil liberties.

“Engaging with our community in these debates is important for the School of Law, and we will be planning public events where interested parties can discuss with Shami important issues related to justice and human rights”.

Shami Chakrabarti said of being appointed to the position, “Liberty began with the struggles of the Hunger Marchers 80 years ago, and Emmeline Pankhurst hailed from Manchester. So it’s an honour indeed to join a great Northern Law school at a time when rights and freedoms are once more on the line”.