Elizabeth Smart

Elizabeth Smart is a Professor of Legal Education and Head of the School of Law and Society at St Mary's University. With extensive leadership experience, she has led Law and Business Schools and contributed to university-wide initiatives such as the Teaching Excellence Framework. She is a nationally recognized expert in clinical legal education, having established award-winning law clinics that bridge academic training and societal impact. Her work emphasizes access to justice for vulnerable populations and enhancing educational standards in legal training.

Elizabeth's research focuses on clinical legal education, equality, diversity, and inclusion. She holds significant roles in regulatory and advisory bodies, including non-executive solicitor director of the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA), OfS Business and Law TEF panel membership, and advising the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) of South Yorkshire Police on ethics and diversity issues. Her contributions have been recognized through national teaching awards and leadership in quality assurance (QAA) and legal education reforms like the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

• Professional Roles: Practising solicitor, SRA director, OfS panel member, QAA assessor.
• Awards: National Teaching Fellow, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
• Key Contributions: Pioneering clinical legal education, advancing standards in legal training, and promoting diversity in the legal profession.