Sandra Tavares

Sandra Tavares is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and a researcher at the Católica Research Centre for the Future of Law (CEID). Her work bridges criminal law, human rights, and legal innovation, with a focus on domestic violence, procedural guarantees, and artificial intelligence in legal contexts.

• PhD in Law (2014), Universidade Católica Portuguesa
• Master's in Law (2002), Porto School of Law
• Psychology degree (2016), Faculty of Education and Psychology
• Law Degree (1997), Porto School of Law

Her research explores domestic violence (e.g., the Hymenaeus project), criminal procedure (analyzed through the lens of the Portuguese Constitution and European human rights frameworks), and gender-based violence in comparative Luso-Brazilian contexts. She has contributed to debates on AI legal liability and humanitarian law, particularly autonomous warfare and wartime sexual violence.

Recent publications include chapters on evidence handling, procedural fairness, and mediação (conflict resolution) in legal education. She has organized conferences like O Direito no Século XXI and participated in international dialogues on feminist legal theory.

Awards:

• Prémio Dr. João Lopes Cardoso (2002)

She collaborates with networks in Portugal and Brazil, focusing on legal response to domestic violence and UN Sustainable Development Goals related to education and human rights. Her work emphasizes improving access to justice through interdisciplinary research.