Dr Clare James

Profile

Prior to undertaking my law degrees I worked as Veterinary Surgeon in both the USA and UK. I specialised in the area of pathology, in particular the diagnosis of farm animal disease. I returned to university and undertook an LLB, LLM and PhD at the School of Law, University of Leeds. My PhD focused on using the right to food to guide food policy in the UK, especially in light of the threats and challenges to UK food security posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. After spending a year at the University of Sheffield as a lecturer in law, I returned to the University of Leeds in September 2024.

Responsibilities

• Academic Integrity Lead

Research interests

My interdisciplinary research utilises the right to food to address hunger, food insecurity and threats to the global food system. My veterinary background allows me to engage with scientific research that underpins policy in relation to food ana agriculture. The right to food is a justiciable right, but in addition, it can provide normative guidance for food and agricultural policy. My research utilises this normative content in respect of two food security issues.

The first stream of my research is antimicrobial resistance. AMR impacts a number of human rights as it threatens our ability to use antimicrobials in human and animal medicine and agriculture. My research considers how AMR will impact human rights. It also aims to demonstrate how human rights should be a central consideration in efforts to reduce AMR. It considers how human rights can inform the governance of AMR at national, regional and international level.

My other area of research aims to consider how the right to food can be implemented and realised at local level. It considers what legal and policy tools local and devolved governments have at their disposal and how they can be used to ensure everyone in that area has access to an adequate diet.

Qualifications

• LLB
• LLM
• PhD
• BSc
• BVSc

Professional memberships

• Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists

Student education

I teach on both undergraduate and postgraduate human rights modules. I currently also teach on the land law module. I have previously taught on a number of undergraduate modules including tort law, equity, contract law and evidence law.

I am the academic integrity lead in the School of Law

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Law and Social Justice
• Centre for Business Law and Practice