Catherine Shephard

Catherine Shephard is a Senior Lecturer in Practice-Informed Law and Education at Manchester Law School, Manchester Metropolitan University, and leads their outreach initiatives. She is a non-practising Solicitor (corporate law expertise) and Accredited Civil-Commercial Mediator, with prior roles at The University of Law and Addleshaw Goddard. Her academic journey began with Law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, followed by postgraduate legal practice and higher education teaching qualifications.

• MA (Cantab.), BA Law (Cantab.), PGDip. Legal Practice, PGCE (HE), FHEA
• Co-authored Legal Systems and Skills (OUP), widely adopted in legal education

Her research focuses on innovation in legal education, transferable legal skills, corporate law pedagogy, and social mobility through legal education. Recent projects include ‘Fragments no longer’ (2024-25), addressing first-generation student transitions into university via outreach and collaboration with the Social Mobility Business Partnership.

Her scholarly work spans pedagogical reform, student engagement, and mediation in legal practice, with key themes in 2023-25 including anonymous marking, active learning, and reverse mentoring. She has also contributed to public debates on legal employability, corporate governance, and brexit implications for law students.