Mr David Hodgkinson

I joined Leicester De Montfort Law School in October 2017 having spent the previous 18 years lecturing law at both UG and PG level full-time for the University of Derby, Buckinghamshire New University and Staffordshire University law awards. I am a Barrister of Lincoln’s Inn being called in 2000. Prior to law, my career was as a property portfolio manager where I acquired freehold commercial property for a national company and negotiated leasehold arrangements. I also hold a visiting Professorship of Criminal Law & Advanced Legal Skills at Masaryk Law Faculty, Brno in the Czech Republic.

In relation to education, I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2009) and holder of Post-Graduate Certificate of Education since 2005.

An example of my teaching-led research came from supervising UG students. Noting that the student is often uncertain about how to articulate and relate theoretical knowledge to doctrinal law, legal theory, ethical reasoning and personal development to practical problems, I developed and delivered workshops to assist with presenting information in a practical way and allowing the student to reflect in a peer-centred environment. I have delivered two national workshops to date namely Association of Law Teachers Conference, Northumbria Law School, Newcastle ‘Promoting Collaboration – students as partners in delivery, not just design’ April 2016 and Association of Law Teachers Conference, Leeds, 'Responding in advance - what is the future of the legal professions and what changes now to professional legal education ?' April 2014.

From my supervisory roles I have inspired student inquiry (leading to sole or co-authored publications): note, for example, Willey P, Trials in absentia and the cuts to criminal legal aid a deadly combination? The Journal of Criminal Law December 2014 vol. 78 and Zoe Selemane-Kiangala ''Positivism and Utilitarianism under the current legislative regime and government'', UOD Learning & Teaching Conference Poster, June 2015.

I enjoy traditional lecturing and tutorial delivery though in order to improve student engagement and attainment I also allow for some flipped learning styles of approach in some of my academic modules. In that assessment drives learning, I have noted that allowing such ''freedom'' in places does have a beneficial outcome on grade level. I also integrate digital learning and real-world focus to my teaching. 

I set up a panel system of mock interviews in which I interview and give performance feedback to students and have acted as their mentor through successful applications for scholarships and internships with students during the last two academic years (ending 16, 17) being awarded four Lord Denning Scholarships, two Sir Thomas More Bursaries, the Flint Bishop Scholarship and six various annual internships.

For ten years I have delivered courtroom training to both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Constabularies (Uniform Branch and CID) where officers are trained in skills giving evidence in examination-in-chief and under cross-examination. 

Society of Legal Scholars 

Hodgkinson D and Monro V, Criminal Law Spotlight Series Routledge (2018)

Hodgkinson D, et al. Legal Context, Skills & Ethics (2014) Pearson Education

Hodgkinson D, Virtual Criminal Lawyer Pearson Education (2013) Pearson Education

Selected Reviews:

Ormerod D & Laird K, Smith & Hogan’s 16^th Ed. Criminal Law (2017) Oxford University Press: London

Jefferson, M. Criminal Law 12th Ed. (2016) Pearson Education: Harlow

Foster, S. How to Write Better Law Essays 4^th Ed. (2016) Pearson Education: Harlow

Ormerod D & Laird K, Smith & Hogan’s 15^th Ed. Criminal Law (2015) Oxford University Press: London

REVEL MacDonald for Criminal Law (2015) Pearson Education: Harlow

McBride N. Letters to a Law Student 3^rd Ed. (2015) Pearson Education: Harlow

Ormerod D & Laird K, Smith & Hogan’s 11^th Ed. Text, Cases and Materials on Criminal Law (2014) Oxford University Press: London

My two current research projects focus on
criminal law. One project is concerned with the evolution of law surrounding
the inchoate offence of attempt since the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 and the
judicial matrix which emanates from the common law. The aim is to inform as to
when an attempt should be prosecuted. The other project looks at the offence of
dangerous driving and mens rea implications since the Road Traffic Act 1988.
The aim is to assess the comparisons and similarities which exist between tort
and criminal law in road traffic offences.

Criminal Law, Advanced Criminal Law, Law of Evidence, Inter-Professional Legal Skills

LL.B (Hons), LL.M, P.G.Cert., Dip.Bar Vocational Studies

LL.B M100 & variants

LawCareers.Net Law Lecturer of the Year Award (2013)

Lecturer of the Year, Faculty of Business, Computing & Law, University of Derby (2012)

Chief Examiner for Criminal Law, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives 

External Examiner, LL.B Programmes, Aston University

External Examiner, LL.B Programmes, University of Lincoln

Barrister of Lincoln's Inn

Member of the Association of Law Teachers

Legal Advisor to the Derbyshire Advocacy and Appropriate Adult Service

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Member of the Criminal Bar Association

Member of the Society of Legal Scholars

Member of the Howard League for Penal Reform

Papers presented (2014 – current):

• Leicester De Montfort University ‘Festival of Teaching’ Promoting Student Collaboration April, 2018
• Social Justice Conference, UOD, 'Art.6: Right to Fair Trial - a concept of social justice rather than a working example of it', October 2016
• Collaborative Conference, UOD, 'How to Snuggle Up with Each Other: the peaks and pitfalls of creating a partnership', with Moyra Throssall, July 2016
• Learning & Teaching Conference, UOD, 'What Does the Future Hold?', July 2016
• College of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences, Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Conference, 'Student Teacher Experiment', June 2016
• Association of Law Teachers Conference,  Northumbria Law School, Newcastle ‘Promoting Collaboration – students as partners in delivery, not just design’ April 2016
• Legal Argumentation Conference, Masaryk Faculty of Law, Brno, Czech Republic, Key Note Speaker 'Skills in Argument: They might just be all you think' October 2015
• Learning & Teaching Conference, UOD, 'Positivism and Utilitarianism under the current legislative regime and government', with Zoe Selemane-Kiangala, June 2015
• Law Teaching Conference, Masaryk Faculty of Law, Brno, Czech Republic, Key Note Speaker 'Innovative and other practical methods in teaching law' June 2014
• Association of Law Teachers Conference,  Leeds, 'Responding in advance - what is the future of the legal professions and what changes now to professional legal education ?', with Joanne Drummond-Child & Tony Wragg, April 2014
• Equality & Diversity Conference, UOD, 'Severe Dyslexia: A Perspective in Lecturing', February 2014

Legal Consultant to The Advocacy Service (since 2000)

Legal Consultant to BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Radio Derby