Frances Hand

Frances Hand is a penultimate year DPhil in Law Candidate at St Edmund Hall College, University of Oxford, supervised by Professor Imogen Goold and Professor Jonathan Herring. She is the Convenor and Chair of the Medical and Family Law Discussion Group (2022–2023) and founder of the Medical and Family Law Student Collaborative Hub.

Education:

• BCL (LLM), Hertford College, University of Oxford (2021)
• Current DPhil in Law, St Edmund Hall College, University of Oxford

Frances’s research focuses on reconceptualizing violent practices in UK maternity wards, with a particular emphasis on medical law, human rights frameworks, and feminist legal theory. Her work intersects with reproductive rights, maternal healthcare ethics, and legal accountability for obstetric violence.

Her publications analyze trends in obstetric violence, including the application of human rights principles to address systemic failures (e.g., the Kirkup Report) and the exacerbation of care-related violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. These works highlight interdisciplinary connections between law, healthcare policy, and gender studies.

Scientific Awards:

• Victoria Fisher Memorial Prize from the University of Leicester (feminist legal theory)

Academic Leadership: Frances has chaired research groups, convened discussion forums, and fostered collaborative initiatives in medical and family law. Labs/Teams: She founded the Medical and Family Law Student Collaborative Hub to facilitate interdisciplinary research engagement.