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Gillies, Lorna

Dr

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Private international law; Commercial Law ; comparative private law; law and technology; artificial intelligence ; regulation.

20012024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

I am a pragmatist and comparative private international law and legal technology scholar. My methodological approach is policy and pragmatism. I am currently focussed on two distinct, but related, research areas in private international law: 
 
  1. Vulnerability and private international law: I have developed a pragmatic theory to vulnerability in private international law based on asymmetric substantive equality. I draw on Fineman (Emory) and Fredman (Oxford) and use pragmatism and comparative methodologies to consider vulnerability in different cross-border relationships.
     
  2. Technology, jurisdiction and enforcement of rights in new digital spaces, between parties across borders:  (i) I have developed a theory of modified pragmatism to critique party autonomy and choice of law in advancing new ways of thinking about human agency, territorial jurisdiction of disputes and enforcement of rights in new digital spaces including digital assets and AI. I draw on Murray (LSE), Michaels (Max Plank) and Whincop, Keyes, Posner, and use comparative methodology; (ii) In 2023-24 I contributed to an RSE funded 'Digital Assets in Scots Private Law' Project (2023-2024) led by the University of Aberdeen. As part of that project, I have proposed adaptation of Scottish rules of jurisdiction for disputes concerned with digital assets; (iii)  I am the Principal Researcher of an RSE Research Collaboration Grant 2024-2026 on "AI and Scots Law: Transforming the Future." The aim of the project is to consider the implications of AI for Scots Law, in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen and academics from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh Napier, Stirling, Strathclyde Universities, and legal practitioners from Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP; (iv) In March 2026, I gave an invited presentation to the Judicial Institute for Scotland on the "Risks and Challenges of AI for the Judiciary."
  3. At Dundee Law School, I lead on the LLB Modules listed below. I also teach on the following Modules: LW11011 Foundations of Law, LW11012 Private Law of Scotland I, LW32041 Private Law of Scotland III. I also supervise Dissertations for LLB Module LW40001 and LLM Module LW50107. I am also an internal moderator for the PG Diploma in Legal Practice. In 2024-25, I was Module Lead for LW32026 English Law of Obligations.

Teaching

At Dundee Law School I teach on the following Modules:

LW11011 Foundations of Law

LW11012 Private Law of Scotland I

LW32024 Private Law of Scotland III

I also supervise Law Dissertations on Modules LW40001 LLB Disseration and LW50107 LLM Dissertation and act as an internal moderator for the PG Diploma in Legal Practice. In 2024-25 I was Module Lead for LW31026 English Law of Obligations. 

 

Education/Academic qualification

Fellow, HEA, Higher Education Academy

1 Mar 2007 → …

Award Date: 1 Mar 2007

Doctor of Philosophy, Electronic Consumer Contracts and Private International Law, University of Strathclyde

1 Oct 199920 May 2005

Award Date: 20 May 2005

Full Member, ILTHE

1 Mar 200328 Feb 2007

Award Date: 3 Mar 2003

PG Diploma in Legal Practice, University of Strathclyde

1 Oct 199530 Jun 1996

Award Date: 28 Jun 1996

Bachelor of Laws, LLB (Honours), University of Strathclyde

1 Oct 199130 Jun 1995

Award Date: 21 Jun 1995

External positions

Collaborator, RSE Collaboration Grant 2023-2024

1 Nov 202331 Oct 2024

Associate Member, Centre for Commercial Law, University of Aberdeen

1 Jun 2023 → …

Associate Member, Centre for Private International Law, University of Aberdeen

1 Jun 2023 → …

Listed Participant, UNCTAD

1 Mar 2022 → …

Member, EAPIL

1 Jun 2021 → …

Advisory Member, SCOTLIN

1 Jun 2021 → …

Member of Working Party on Private International Law, Law Society of Scotland

1 Sept 2020 → …

Keywords

  • K Law (General)
  • Private International Law
  • Law and Technology

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  1. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  2. SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
    SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
  3. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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