William Ralston

William Ralston is a Senior Lecturer at Northumbria Law School, specializing in legal education and space law. He transitioned from a career as a barrister at 7 Harrington Street Chambers (2000-2013) to academia, where he teaches Bar skills, Civil Litigation, and modules on Contract Law and the Law of Outer Space. Since August 2023, he concurrently practices as a door tenant at Trinity Chambers, Newcastle.

His academic qualifications include an LLB from Northumbria University (2000) and Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2016). He was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in 2000.

Ralston's research focuses on emerging legal challenges in space exploration, including governance frameworks for extraterrestrial settlements and liability regimes for satellite operations. His work bridges practical legal training with cutting-edge space law issues.