Mr Alan East

Alan is a non practicing Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Rights in Criminal Proceedings) with extensive experience specialising in criminal litigation and prison law. He co-founded a legal practice in 2004 and later diversified his career at the Crown Prosecution Service as a District Crown Prosecutor, managing a large team of prosecutors in the West Midlands. He is an elected council member at the Law Society of England and Wales and former chair of its Education and Training Committee.

Alan joined higher education in 2010 and has built an international reputation as an innovator and disrupter in teaching, learning and assessment. He pioneered the use of mobile remote telepresence devices with international partners, established a pro bono community legal advice service and pioneered one of the first advocacy programmes where students represent claimants in a tribunal in front of a judge. In 2023 Alan was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by Advance HE for his outstanding contribution to legal education. 

• East, A,. Hardy, S. and. Richards-Bray, B (2019) Internationalising clinical legal education through ‘Mobile Remote Telepresence (MRP) to innovate, engage and enhance student experiences in ‘Teaching and Learning Excellence – The Coventry Way ebook’ CU Academic Development - Case studies eBook (coventry.domains)
• East, A., Richards-Bray,. Hardy, S,. van der Merwe, S,. (2018) Robots and the Law EFMD Global Focus Iss 3, Vol 12 www.globalfocusmagazine.com
• East, A. (2013) “Case Comment on R v Rowley (William) [2013] 1 WLR 895”. Coventry Law Journal
• East, A. (2012) “Hearsay Evidence and the European Court of Human Rights”. Coventry Law Journal

• Clinical Legal Education
• Criminal Law
• Family Law
• The law of evidence

• LLB Evidence
• SQE Criminal Litigation

• 2013 Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, Distinction, Coventry University
• 2001 Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Commendation, The College of Law Guildford

• 2000 LL.B (Hons) Upper Second Class, Coventry University

Legal Practice Course, LL.B and BPTC

2023 National Teaching Fellowship, Advance HE

• 2018 – 2020 SQE national reference group
• 2017 – 2020 Former chair of the Education and Training Committee, The Law Society of England and Wales
• 2018 – 2020 Membership and Communications Committee, The Law Society of England and Wales
• 2017 – 2019 Criminal Law Committee, The Law Society of England and Wales
• 2017 – present Council Member, The Law Society of England and Wales

• Law Society of England and Wales
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy 

• East, A. (2021) Hearsay Evidence: Paper presented at ‘Legal Landmarks in the Life of the Coventry Law Journal’, 30th September 2021.
• East, A. (2018) Advocacy in Clinical Legal Education: presenting real life cases in real life tribunals. Paper presented at the International Journal of Clinical Legal Education, 29th November 2018 Melbourne
• East, A. (2018) The legal profession in England and Wales 2018: a time of change, a time of uncertainty, a time of opportunity. Paper presented at the University of Newcastle New South Wales, 21st November 2018.
• East, A. (2018) Real clients, read judges, real experiences: OIL, clinical legal education and ROBOTS!!!!. GLEA and Centre for Global Engagement (CGE) Seminar Series Models of Online International Learning (OIL) at Coventry University 19th September 2018.
• East, A. (2018) Clinics, partners and robots: The Coventry Way!. Paper presented at Stellenbosch University Law Clinic Conference ‘Considering Some Contemporary Challenges Facing South African University Law Clinics, 19 – 20th July 2018.
• East, A., Haughie,. G (2018) Robots and OIL the next generation. Paper presented at Coventry University’s International Conference at Coventry University 16th February 2018.
• East, A., Thompson,. C (2017) Developing Clinical Legal Education Through Multi-Partnerships in the UK. Paper presented at the Clute Institute’s International Conference on Education in New York City 1st August 2017.
• East, A., Thompson, C,. Ritter, S (2017) Shakespeare Disrupted: Innovative Use of Arts Pedagogy in the Development of Legal Education. Paper presented at the Clute Institute’s International Conference on Education in New York City 1st August 2017.
• East, A. (2015) Access to Justice: 800 years on is the Magna Carta still relevant? Paper presented at the British Consulate Chongqing as part of the 800 year celebrations of the Magna Carta. October 2015.
• East, A. Wimpenny, K. Archer, K (2015) “Shakespeare Disrupted”. Paper presented at the Coventry University Conference 2015 “Transforming Futures”.
• East, A. Gore R (2014) “Problem-based learning – a move from traditional lectures” Paper presented at the Associate of Law Teachers Conference 2014: Responding to Change.
• East, A (2014) Same-Sex Couples can now marry! Has the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 created equality or was it just a political football that actually perpetuates inequality? BES Internal Research Conference 1st July 2014.
• East, A., Steventon, B., Gore, R (2013) 'An End to Traditional Lectures - Adapting to Problem Based Learning'. Paper presented at the BES Internal Conference Coventry University. 

• Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, External verifier
• Royal Society for Public Health, External verifier