Led by Campus Dean Sandie Gaines, our lecturers are dedicated to bringing their real-life experience in practice into the classroom, providing our students with genuine insight into the subject matter. Each of our students are assigned an academic coach and have regular one-to-one meetings where they can get advice on the course and career aspirations. As lecturers are based in our campuses they operate an ‘open door’ policy, so students can talk to them whenever they need to.
Sandie is Dean of our London Bloomsbury campus as well as our Reading and Royal Holloway satellite campuses. Before joining the University in 2009 Sandie was a practising solicitor for 15 years, specialising in respondent Employment Law. She has worked for a number of “top 100” law firms including Hammonds (now Squire Patton Boggs LLP) DMH Stallard and asb-law. Sandie is a member of the Westminster & Holborn Law Society’s Education & Training Committee. Sandie also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education Studies, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Psychology. She is an Associate Professor and Fellow of the HEA.
Sarah Pooley is the Campus Manager of the Royal Holloway Campus. Sarah has a BA (Hons) in History from the University of Sheffield and an M.Litt from the University of Cambridge. She studied for the Common Professional Examination and Law Society Finals at the University (then College) of Law in London. She trained and qualified as a solicitor at Slaughter and May and worked in financial regulation until she moved into legal education. Sarah teaches Equity and Trusts on the LLB and Conversion Courses as well as Business Law on the Legal Practice Course. Sarah is a former Head of Tutors of the London Moorgate campus and a former Head of Students and Dean of the Guildford campus. She was the Chair of the Ethics Committee at the University of Law from its inception until 2024 and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She was made an Associate Professor in 2015.
Heike holds an LLM in Business Law and a PhD in Insolvency from Kingston University and an MSc in Taxation from Oxford University. Heike is a dual qualified lawyer. She practiced in Germany as an Insolvency Lawyer and worked as a Special Risk Manager in an international credit insurance before moving to the UK. Prior to joining ULaw Heike worked at Kingston University, she started in the Law School and joined the Business School in 2016. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2011 and was Head of the Law Clinic at Kingston Law School. Recently, Heike was MBA Deputy Course Director and Senior Lecturer at the Business School. She has taught, developed and led several different modules in the area of Business Law and Taxation and has a research interest in the area of tax crime. Heike taught at the University of West London on the LLM and LPC; is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an External Examiner at London South Bank University.
Sarah has a LL.B (Hons) from Kingston University and obtained a distinction on the LPC at the University (then College) of Law at Guildford. She went on to train and qualify at Cowans Solicitors LLP, a high street firm in Surrey. More recently she held the position of Managing Partner of the firm. Sarah remains in practice on a part-time basis and specialises in Criminal Defence. She also has experience in Housing Law, Family Law and Wills & Probate. As a Tutor at the University, Sarah teaches a wide range of subjects on the Conversion Courses, Legal Practice Course and LLM in Legal Practice (SQE1 & 2).
Heather Greenwood is a Senior Lecturer at Royal Holloway. She has an LLB (Hons) from the University of Exeter, and studied for the Law Society Finals at the then College of Law, Guildford. She trained and qualified as a solicitor at SJ Berwin & Co, where she worked for eight years, specialising in commercial property. Her move into legal education saw her return to Guildford and most recently transfer to Royal Holloway, where she currently teaches Contract Law and Equity & Trusts on the Conversion Courses. She has also taught a wide range of subjects on the Legal Practice Course and LLM in Legal Practice (SQE1 & 2).
Anne Westcott is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Law, specialising in litigation and family law. She was admitted as a solicitor in March 1991. She spent the first few years of her legal career at Charles Russell, before joining a specialist family and crime practice. Since joining the University she spent many years at LNTV involved in post qualification training for solicitors mainly in family and crime but also private client, professional practice and property. She is a qualified family mediator and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.