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Fiona Donson is a Lecturer in Law at the School of Law, University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. She holds a PhD from King's College London, an LLM from Queen's University Canada, and an LLB from Leicester University. Her research focuses on socio-legal issues including children's rights, parental imprisonment, administrative justice, and Traveller equality. She co-directs the Traveller Equality and Justice Project (TEJP), funded by the EU and Council of Europe, addressing discrimination and access to justice for Travellers. She also collaborates on projects related to the impact of imprisonment on families and administrative justice reforms. Education: PhD in Law, King's College London (1997) LLM, Queen's University, Canada (1989) LLB, Leicester University, UK (1988) Her research interests emphasize marginalized communities, participatory methods, and interdisciplinary approaches. Key projects include the TEJP, work on children of incarcerated parents with Dr. Aisling Parkes, and studies on administrative justice frameworks in Ireland. She has authored books like Law and Public Administration in Ireland (2015) and Legal Intimidation: A SLAPP in the Face of Democracy (2000). Teaching includes modules on Administrative Law, Penology, Traveller Rights, and Courtroom Ethnography. She supervises PhD candidates in socio-legal research. Previously, she worked in Cambodia on child rights advocacy and taught at UK institutions like Cardiff and Leicester Universities. Her grants include funding from the Irish Research Council, EU, and Council of Europe. Collaborations span international networks like Children of Prisoners Europe and interdisciplinary teams addressing family impacts of imprisonment. She co-chairs the Action for Children and Families of Prisoners with the Irish Penal Reform Trust and contributes to clinical legal education initiatives like Trauma Informed Clinical Legal Education (TiCLE) with UCL and Glasgow University.

• Children's Rights
• Parental Imprisonment
• Administrative Justice
• +5 more

Aisling Parkes is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University College Cork (UCC) School of Law, specializing in international children's rights, child law, sports law, and applied psychology. She co-founded and co-directs the Sports Law Clinic at UCC, the first undergraduate student-led clinic of its kind globally. Her roles include Disability Liaison Representative and Student Wellbeing Officer for the School, for which she received the UCC Frank McGrath Perpetual Award for Equality and Welfare (2016). She previously served as Evening BCL Programme Director until 2017 and was awarded the UCC President's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2014. Education: UCC law graduate with BCL (2000), LLM (2001), PhD (2006), and advanced teaching qualifications including MA in Applied Psychology (2020). Her research focuses on children's right to be heard (Article 12 CRC), rights of children with imprisoned parents, adoption law, disability law, and sports law. She led Ireland's first National Advocacy and Research Strategy for Children of Incarcerated Parents (2017), contributing to a Council of Europe Recommendation adopted in 2018. Research trends emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to child welfare, particularly in legal systems, adoption frameworks, and prison policies impacting families. Her work bridges law, psychology, and social policy, addressing gaps between international standards and national practices. Key awards highlight her impact in teaching, equality, and collaborative research. Advising and grants: Secured multiple Irish Research Council (IRC) grants totaling over €160,000, including projects on adoption law (2014), parental imprisonment (2014-2015), and cyber bullying (2013). Her team's research has informed national and international policies, with outputs in peer-reviewed journals and conferences across Europe and beyond. She also teaches annually at Charles University in Prague, extending her academic reach. Labs/teams: Core member of the Child Care Proceedings Research Group (UCC Research Team of the Year 2016) and collaborator with NGOs like the Children's Rights Alliance and Irish Penal Reform Trust. The Sports Law Clinic provides innovative teaching and community engagement, reflecting her commitment to practical legal education.

• International Children's Rights
• Child Law
• Sports Law
• +5 more