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Email

kh391@cam.ac.uk

Associate Professor; Fellow (Clare College); Director of Studies.

Ph.D. LL.M. (Distinction); BVC; LL.B. (First Class Honours)

Research centres and interest groups

CV / Biography

Kirsty Hughes is an Associate Professor specialising in Human Rights Law. She is joint General Editor of the European Human Rights Law Review, Director of the Centre for Public Law, University of Cambridge, a member of Blackstone Chambers Academic Panel and Deputy Editor of Public Law. She is a co-convenor of the European Human Rights Law Conference.

She lectures human rights law undergraduates and supervises graduate dissertations and theses. She was shortlisted for the postgraduate research supervisor of the year award at the 2023 Student-Led Teaching Awards, Cambridge.

Her research interests are in the fields of UK and European human rights law, and she is particularly interested in the right to privacy, the human rights of migrants, modern slavery and human trafficking and the law of protest. She is also currently working on a major project on Race and European Human Rights Law and co-authoring a new textbook on Human Rights Law in the UK. She welcomes applications from potential PhD students interested in pursuing projects in these areas.  

Her research has been published in leading journals including the Modern Law ReviewLaw Quarterly Review and the Cambridge Law Journal. Her article in the Modern Law Review was awarded the Wedderburn Prize (in honour of Lord Wedderburn of Charlton) and was cited by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2021. Her article in the Law Quarterly Review was cited by the Court of Appeal in England and Wales, and her submissions to the Joint Select Committee on Privacy and Injunctions (co-authored with Lord Grabiner KC) were relied upon in the Joint Committee's Report Privacy and Injunctions (March 2012). Her submissions to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on EU nationals' residency post-Brexit were cited in their final report (December 2016) and she was invited to give oral evidence to the House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee inquiry 'Brexit: Citizens' Rights'. She has also contributed to national and international media coverage on legal issues, including the BBC, The New York Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She has been the recipient of a number of research fellowships including a CRASSH research fellowship at the University of Cambridge to work on a project concerning the right to protest, a visiting research fellowship at UNSW, a Cambridge Humanities Research Grant which funded her research at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, a Jean Monnet Fellowship at EUI (Firenze), and a viisting research fellowship at Harvard. She has also been consulted by the Australian Law Reform Commission on several projects and has lectured at universities in Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw Lublin and Warsaw (Poland), Prague (Czech Republic), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Budapest (Hungary).

 

 

Publications

 

Books

Common Law Constitutional Rights (with Mark Elliott) (Hart, 2019)

Co-Author/s:
Mark Elliott
Publisher:
ISBN 13:
9781509906888
Published May 2019

Articles

"The Public Figure Doctrine and the Right to Privacy" (2019) Cambridge Law Journal 70.

Citation:
(2019) Cambridge Law Journal 70.
Published: Mar 2019

"Mass Surveillance and the European Court of Human Rights" (2018) European Human Rights Law Review 589.

Citation:
(2018) European Human Rights Law Review 589.
Published: Nov 2018

"If Big Brother is Watching You? Who is Watching Big Brother?" (2018) This Century's Review

Citation:
(2018) This Century's Review
Published: Nov 2018

"Brexit and the Right to Remain of EU Nationals" (2017) Public Law 94.

Citation:
(2017) Public Law 94.
Published: Nov 2017

"Publising Photographs Without Consent" (2014) Journal of Media Law 180

Citation:
(2014) Journal of Media Law 180
Published: Nov 2014

"A Behavioural Understanding of Privacy and its Implications for Privacy Law" (2012) 75(5) Modern Law Review 806.

Citation:
(2012) 75(5) Modern Law Review 806.
Published: Jul 2012

"Parliament Reports on Privacy and Injunctions" (2012) 4(1) Journal of Media Law 17.

Citation:
(2012) 4(1) Journal of Media Law 17.
Published: Jun 2012

"The Use, Abuse and Implications of the Draft Judgment Procedure" (2011) 127(4) Law Quarterly Review 565.

Citation:
(2011) 127(4) Law Quarterly Review 565.
Published: Nov 2011

"Privacy Injunctions - No Obligation to Notify Pre-Publication" (2011) 3(2) Journal of Media Law 179.

Citation:
(2011) 3(2) Journal of Media Law 179.
Published: Nov 2011

"Post-adoption Photographs: Welfare, Rights and Judicial Reasoning (with Brian Sloan)" (2011) Child & Family Law Quarterly 393.

Co-Author/s:
(with Brian Sloan)
Citation:
(2011) Child & Family Law Quarterly 393.
Published: Sep 2011

"Balancing Rights and the Margin of Appreciation: Article 10, breach of confidence and success fees" (2011) 3(1) Journal of Media Law 29.

Citation:
(2011) 3(1) Journal of Media Law 29.
Published: Jun 2011

"No Reasonable Expectation of Anonymity?" (2010) 2(2) Journal of Media Law 169.

Citation:
(2010) 2(2) Journal of Media Law 169.
Published: Nov 2010

"Photographs in Public Places and Privacy" (2009) 1(2) Journal of Media Law 159.

Citation:
(2009) 1(2) Journal of Media Law 159.
Published: Nov 2009

Book Chapters

"A Dynamic Conception of the Ambit of the Right to Private Life and an Evolving Role for the European Court of Human Rights " in Peter Coe and Paul Wragg (ed(s)), Landmark Cases in Privacy Law (Hart, 2022)

Publisher:
ISBN 13:
9781509940769
Published Sep 2022

"A Common Law Constitutional Right to Privacy - Waiting for Godot?" in Mark Elliott and Kirsty Hughes (ed(s)), Common Law Constitutional Rights, 2019)

Published Dec 2019

"Coughlan and the Development of Public Law" in Kirsty Hughes (ed(s)), Landmark Cases in Public Law (Hart, 2017)

Publisher:
Published Jun 2017

"Rewriting AAA v Associated Newspapers" in Kirsty Hughes (ed(s)), Rewriting Children's Rights Judgments: From Academic Vision to New Practice (Hart, 2017)

Publisher:
Published Apr 2017

"The Transatlantic Divide on Free Speech and Privacy (with Neil Richards)" (with Andrew Kenyon (ed.)), Comparative Defamation and Privacy Law (Hart, 2015)

Publisher:
Co-Author/s:
Andrew Kenyon (ed.)
Published Jan 2015

"The Social Value of Privacy and Article 8 ECHR" (with Beate Rossler and Dorota Mokrosinska), Social Dimensions of Privacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (Cambridge University Press, 2014)

Co-Author/s:
Beate Rossler and Dorota Mokrosinska
Published Nov 2014

"Privacy: Theoretical and Legal Issues" (with Rosann Greenspan and Kay Levine), International Encyclopedia Social and Behavioural Sciences, 2014)

Co-Author/s:
Rosann Greenspan and Kay Levine
Published Jun 2014

"The Child's Right to Privacy and Article 8 European Convention on Human Rights" (with Michael Freeman), Current Legal Issues: Law and Childhood Studies (Volume 14) (Oxford University Press, 2012), pp. 456-486

Pages:
456-486
Co-Author/s:
Michael Freeman
Published Mar 2012

"Common Law Constitutional Rights" (with Mark Elliott) in Mark Elliott and Kirsty Hughes (ed(s)), Common Law Constitutional Rights (Hart, 1970)

Publisher:

Book Reviews

The Law of Privacy and the Media [2013] Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal

Published Jan 2013

Reflections on Who Believes in Human Rights (2008) 12(1) International Journal of Human Rights 135.

Published Sep 2009

Case Notes

Human Trafficking and the Conceptual Evolution of Article 4 ECHR [2022] Modern Law Review (forthcoming)

Published: Jan 2022

The Limits of Freedom of Information and Human Rights, and the Possibilities of the Common Law (2014) 73(3) Cambridge Law Journal 471

Published: Sep 2014

Judicial Review and Closed Material Procedure in the Supreme Court (2013) 72(3) Cambridge Law Journal 491

Published: Nov 2013

SKA v CRH, Variation of a Privacy Injunction (2012) Inforrm (The International Forum for Responsible Media)

The Right to Know the Case Against You in Civil Claims (2012) 71(1) Cambridge Law Journal 21.

Published: Mar 2012

The Abolition of Expert Witness Immunity (2011) 70(3) Cambridge Law Journal 516.

Published: Sep 2011

Defamation and the Human Rights Act 1998 (2011) 70(2) Cambridge Law Journal 296.

Published: Jul 2011

Accountants are Not Lawyers: Legal Professional Privilege, Accountants and the Tax Man (2011) 70(1) Cambridge Law Journal 19.

Published: Jan 2011

Causation: Is it Fair? (2010) 69(2) Cambridge Law Journal 228.

Published: May 2010

Proportionality not Presumption (2010) 69(1) Cambridge Law Journal 4.

Published: Mar 2010

Horizontal Privacy (2009) 125(2) Law Quarterly Review 244.

Published: Apr 2009

Conference Papers

"Privacy, Mass Surveillance and the Role of the European Court of Human Rights? " (Assessing Surveillance Powers in Europe, EUI, Florence, Italy )

Conference:
Assessing Surveillance Powers in Europe, EUI, Florence, Italy
Published: Nov 2018

"The Absence of Privacy" (Amsterdam Privacy Conference)

Conference:
Amsterdam Privacy Conference
Published: Oct 2018

"Migrants and the Obfuscation of Rights" (Birmingham Law School, Global Legal Studies Seminar)

Conference:
Birmingham Law School, Global Legal Studies Seminar
Published: May 2018

"Human Rights, Brexit, Windrush and the Hostile Environment" (Centre for Public Law, University of Cambridge)

Conference:
Centre for Public Law, University of Cambridge
Published: May 2018

"Brexit and the Right to Remain, the Prospects and Limits of Human Rights Law" (Human Rights Laws at a Crossroads: What Directions after Brexit? University of Leicester)

Conference:
Human Rights Laws at a Crossroads: What Directions after Brexit? University of Leicester
Published: May 2018

"EU Nationals Right to Remain in the UK Post-Brexit" (ICON International Society of Public Law Conference, Copenhagen)

Conference:
ICON International Society of Public Law Conference, Copenhagen
Published: Jul 2017

"The Absence of Privacy in the Right to Privacy" (Privacy Law Scholars Conference, Berkeley)

Conference:
Privacy Law Scholars Conference, Berkeley
Published: Jun 2017

"Locating the Normative Content of Human Rights" (University of Cambridge - Centre for Public Law)

Conference:
University of Cambridge - Centre for Public Law
Published: Nov 2014

"Exploring the Content of Human Rights" (Travers Smith)

Conference:
Travers Smith
Published: Jun 2014

"Research-Led Teaching or Teaching-led Research?" (Conference on Teaching of Public Law, City University)

Conference:
Conference on Teaching of Public Law, City University
Published: Jun 2014

"The Atlantic Divide on Free Speech and Privacy" (Defamation and Privacy Conference, University of Melbourne)

Co-Author/s:
Professor Neil Richards
Conference:
Defamation and Privacy Conference, University of Melbourne
Published: Apr 2014

"The Social Dimension of Privacy" (Staff Seminar Series, UNSW, Sydney)

Conference:
Staff Seminar Series, UNSW, Sydney
Published: Apr 2014

"Exploring the Right to Protest" (UNSW Human Rights Centre)

Conference:
UNSW Human Rights Centre
Published: Apr 2014

"The Role of the Social Value in Human Rights Discourse" (Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences)

Conference:
Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences
Published: Jan 2014

"Invited participant, Australian Law Reform Commission Roundtable on a Statutory Cause of Action for Serious Invasions of Privacy" (London)

Conference:
London
Published: Jan 2014

"Locating the Neglected Right to Protest" (CRASSH, Cambridge)

Conference:
CRASSH, Cambridge
Published: Oct 2013

"Reclaiming the Normative Content of the Right to Privacy" (International Privacy Law Conference, Cambridge 2013)

Conference:
International Privacy Law Conference, Cambridge 2013
Published: Jul 2013

"A Principled Approach to Article 8 ECHR" (Human Rights Centre, Durham University)

Conference:
Human Rights Centre, Durham University
Published: May 2013

"Feminist Critiques and Article 8 ECHR" (Guest speaker, Washington University)

Conference:
Guest speaker, Washington University
Published: Jan 2013

"Invited participant Fordham University Centre for Information Law and Society Workshop" (Fordham University, New York)

Conference:
Fordham University, New York
Published: Jan 2013

"Reflecting on Perspectives of Privacy" (Guest speaker, NYU, New York)

Conference:
Guest speaker, NYU, New York
Published: Jan 2013

"Dimensions of Privacy" (Amsterdam Privacy Conference, Amsterdam)

Conference:
Amsterdam Privacy Conference, Amsterdam
Published: Oct 2012

"A Behavioural Understanding of Privacy and its Implications for Privacy Law" (Privacy Law Scholars Conference 2012, George Washington University, Washington DC)

Conference:
Privacy Law Scholars Conference 2012, George Washington University, Washington DC
Published: Jun 2012

"Privacy and Social Interaction" (International Privacy Conference, University of Cambridge)

Conference:
International Privacy Conference, University of Cambridge
Published: Jun 2012

"Theorising the Right to Privacy" (Goodhart Seminar, University of Cambridge)

Conference:
Goodhart Seminar, University of Cambridge
Published: Feb 2012

"Invited Participant" (‘Threats to the University, Humanities and Science’ Cambridge, July 2011. Supported by British Academy, Arizona State University and Centre for Public Law, Cambridge. An invitation only workshop on libel reform)

Conference:
‘Threats to the University, Humanities and Science’ Cambridge, July 2011. Supported by British Academy, Arizona State University and Centre for Public Law, Cambridge. An invitation only workshop on libel reform
Published: Jul 2011

"Invited Participant" (‘Media Ethics Seminar’ Centre for Ethics and Law, UCL, London, April 2011. An invitation only seminar for editors and journalists, media law practitioners, and academics - chaired by the Chair of the Press Complaints Committee)

Conference:
‘Media Ethics Seminar’ Centre for Ethics and Law, UCL, London, April 2011. An invitation only seminar for editors and journalists, media law practitioners, and academics - chaired by the Chair of the Press Complaints Committee
Published: May 2011

"A Theory of the Right to Privacy" (Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference 2010, University of Southampton, Media Law)

Conference:
Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference 2010, University of Southampton, Media Law
Published: Sep 2010

"Dear Judge, Please Reconsider...Binyam Mohamed and the Use, Abuse and Implications of the Draft Judgment Procedure" (Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference 2010, University of Southampton, Public Law)

Conference:
Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference 2010, University of Southampton, Public Law
Published: Sep 2010

"Children, Privacy and the ECHR" (Law and Childhood Studies, Current Legal Issues Colloquium 2010, University College London)

Conference:
Law and Childhood Studies, Current Legal Issues Colloquium 2010, University College London
Published: Jul 2010

"A Behavioural Understanding of Privacy as a Right to Respect for Barriers: Introducing Modified Barrier Theory" (Privacy Law Scholars Conference 2010, George Washington University, Washington DC)

Conference:
Privacy Law Scholars Conference 2010, George Washington University, Washington DC
Published: Jun 2010

"The Uses and Implications of the Draft Judgment Procedure" (Contractual Relations and Dispute Resolution Colloquium in memory of Professor Kurt Lipstein, University of Cambridge)

Conference:
Contractual Relations and Dispute Resolution Colloquium in memory of Professor Kurt Lipstein, University of Cambridge
Published: May 2010

"21st Century Legal Issues: The Right to Privacy" (UCL Laws Graduate Conference: 21st Century Legal Issues, University College London)

Conference:
UCL Laws Graduate Conference: 21st Century Legal Issues, University College London
Published: Oct 2008

"How Should Psychology Influence Legal Developments in the Sphere of Privacy?" (The Student I/Revealed I - A Conference on Privacy and Identity, part of the On the Identity Trail Project, University of Ottawa, Canada)

Conference:
The Student I/Revealed I - A Conference on Privacy and Identity, part of the On the Identity Trail Project, University of Ottawa, Canada
Published: Oct 2007

"Recent Developments in UK Privacy Law" (Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference, University of Durham)

Conference:
Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference, University of Durham
Published: Sep 2007

"Privacy in Public Places - A Response to Moreham" (Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference, Keele University)

Conference:
Society for Legal Scholars Annual Conference, Keele University
Published: Sep 2006

Reports

Written evidence on migrants' residence rights

Written evidence on privacy and injunctions

Co-Author/s:
Lord Grabiner QC
Body / Institution:
Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions
Published: Nov 2011