I am Professor of Constitutional Justice at the University of Essex, serving since 2017 as the Executive Dean for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and on the senior leadership team (the University Steering Group).

Before coming to Essex in 2013, I taught and researched in the Faculty of Laws and with the Constitution Unit at UCL (1988-2000) before being appointed to the Barber Chair of Jurisprudence at The University of Birmingham (2001-2006). I was Professor of Public Law at Queen Mary, University of London (2006-2013).

I was born and brought up in Jersey. As the founding director of studies at the Institute of Law in Jersey (2009-13), I was a key figure in launching the island’s first law school. I then served for five years as a member of the Jersey Law Commission (2013-18), responsible for law reform projects designed to improve administrative justice and establish a public services ombuds; I was reappointed for a second 5-year term in 2021.

I have had leadership roles across the academic discipline of constitutional and administrative law. I was president of the UK Constitutional Law Association (2010-15) and served for eight years on the executive committee of the International Association of Constitutional Law until 2018. Between 2002-2011, I was general editor of the journal Public Law and remain a member of its advisory board.

Alongside academic work, I have a considerable experience as a specialist and legal adviser to parliamentary committees.  

I am a non-practising Barrister and a bencher of Middle Temple.

A list of publications can be found on my University of Essex profile.