Penney Lewis

Penney Lewis is a Professor of Law at King's College London, affiliated with the Dickson Poon School of Law and the Centre of Medical Law and Ethics. She has held roles as Reader in Law (2005) and became a full Professor in 2007. She serves as Law Commissioner for Criminal Law at the Law Commission since 2020. Lewis holds a SB in Mathematics from MIT, JD from the University of Toronto, MA in Medical Ethics and Law from King’s College London, and an LLM from Columbia University. Her research focuses on criminal law (e.g., delayed prosecutions of childhood sexual abuse) and medical law (end-of-life care, assisted dying, and organ donation ethics). She has contributed to policy guidance on organ donation and legal frameworks for assisted dying. Lewis has received multiple teaching awards, including the King’s Students’ Union President's Wreath (2012), and is active in professional committees like the Human Tissue Authority and the UK Donation Ethics Committee.

Her research spans two core areas: criminal evidence/procedure (e.g., delayed prosecutions of childhood sexual abuse) and medical law (e.g., end-of-life decision-making, assisted dying safeguards). Recent articles address topics like carer-administered medication for terminally ill patients and ethical consent processes in end-of-life research. Lewis has authored influential monographs, including Delayed Prosecution for Childhood Sexual Abuse (2006) and Assisted Dying and Legal Change (2007). Her work bridges legal analysis with healthcare ethics, addressing issues like organ donation ethics, gender reassignment surgery law, and policy reform.

Scientific awards include recognition for teaching excellence and community contributions. Notable grants include leadership of the CARiAD study (NIHR-funded). She oversees the Centre of Medical Law and Ethics blog, providing updates on medical law and ethics developments.