Dr Karina Patrício Ferreira Lima

Profile

I am a Senior Lecturer in International Financial Law at the University of Leeds School of Law, where I have been based since December 2020. My expertise centres on financial and monetary law, particularly the ways in which legal frameworks shape financial markets and influence sustainability and development.

I am a Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy and a member of the Centre for Business Law and Practice (CBLP). In this capacity, I serve as Programme Manager for the MSc Law & Finance, the LLM in International Banking and Finance Law, and the LLM in International Business Law. For the first semester of the 2025/26 academic year, I am also responsible for the LLM in Intellectual Property Law. In addition, I hold the position of External Examiner for the International Financial Law LLM pathway at King’s College London.

My work frequently involves collaboration with economists, policymakers, practitioners, firms, and advocacy groups on a range of issues in financial and monetary law, whether through knowledge exchange and joint research activities or in an advisory or consultancy capacity. My research has informed public debates and policy processes across Europe, Latin America, and Africa, as well as within international organisations such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund.

My work has been recognised through several notable awards, including the 2022 Society of International Economic Law-Hart Prize in International Economic Law and the 2022 John H. Jackson Prize, awarded by the Journal of International Economic Law. I am a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of International Economic Law and regularly serve as peer reviewer for other leading law and social sciences journals in the UK, the United States, Europe, and Latin America.

Prior to my current appointment, I was a Modern Law Review Scholar at Durham Law School from 2018 to 2020.

I am fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, with reading proficiency in Italian and French.

Responsibilities

• Programme Manager, MSc Law & Finance
• Programme Manager, LLM International Banking and Finance Law
• Programme Manager, LLM International Business Law

Research interests

My research interests centre on the constitutive role of law in the global economic order, focusing on the legal architecture of international finance and its implications for development and sustainability. I approach these questions through a problem-driven and policy-oriented lens, drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives informed by critical traditions in law and economics.

My research explores the legal governance of debt crises, the law and policy of international financial institutions, the economic impact of financial law and regulation, the frameworks governing public and publicly guaranteed debt, and the role of law in enabling local currency financing for sustainable development and climate finance.

I am currently involved in the following research and policy engagement projects:

• Sovereign Debt Forum
• Finance in Common (FiCS) Innovation Lab
• Enhancing MDB Capacity through Local Currency Financing
• UK Parliament Responses to Deal with Sovereign Debt Crises

• Enhancing MDB Capacity through Local Currency Financing

Student education

I am currently a member of the teaching teams for the following modules:

• International Banking Law: Capital Markets and Loans (LAW5565M) (PGT)
• International Banking Law: The Regulatory Framework (LAW5562M) (PGT)
• International Economic Law (LAW5830M) (PGT)

In recent years, I have also contributed to the teaching or assessment of the following modules:

• Corporate Finance and Securities Law (LAW5556M) (PGT)
• Principles of International Financial Law (LAW5584M) (PGT)
• International Trade Finance Law (LAW5585M) (PGT)
• International Corporate Insolvency Law (LAW5461M) (PGT)
• Contract Law (LAW1035) (UG)
• Commercial Law (LAW3372) (UG)
• Foundations of Law (LAW1204) (UG)

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Business Law and Practice