A former legal adviser at REDRESS and the International Bar Association is the new Director of the University of Essex’s world-renowned Human Rights Centre.

Lorna McGregor

Lorna McGregor, a lawyer with a wealth of international experience working on human rights issues, particularly torture, access to justice and human trafficking, replaces Professor Geoff Gilbert, Interim Director of the Centre since January 2013.

Professor Sir Nigel Rodley, Chair of the Human Rights Centre, said: “Lorna’s impressive experience practising at a national and international level, conducting research and teaching the human rights practitioners of the future made her a very attractive choice as the next leader of the Human Rights Centre which has always been at the forefront of global human rights issues.

“Most recently Lorna acted as an independent expert at the UN Intergovernmental Expert Meeting on the review of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners in Argentina, upholding the Centre’s long tradition of practising the theory that it teaches.”

Lorna, who was a Kennedy Memorial Trust Scholar and Henigson Fellow at Harvard Law School said: “At Essex, we believe that the theory and practice of human rights are inextricably linked and this is what made this position and working here so attractive.

“It’s such an honour to step into this role especially when you consider the previous Directors such as the late Kevin Boyle who was one of the leading figureheads of the human rights movement both at the domestic and international level. It’s a great privilege to follow in the footsteps of people like him.”

Lorna added: “I’m looking forward to working with the fantastic team at the Human Rights Centre and colleagues across the University in ensuring that the Centre remains at the forefront in addressing today’s human rights challenges.”

• If you have any problems listening to Lorna's podcast please visit the University's SoundCloud channel.

Lorna McGregor joined Essex in October 2010 and has been Director of the University’s LLM in International Human Rights Law. Prior to coming to Essex, Lorna was the International Adviser at REDRESS where she brought cases on behalf of torture survivors before the UN treaty bodies and regional human rights commissions and courts. She has also held positions as a Programme Lawyer at the International Bar Association, the State Immunity Project Coordinator at REDRESS and in Sri Lanka at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies.

Lorna holds an LLB (first class honours) from Edinburgh Law School and an LLM from Harvard Law School.

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Notes to editors

1. For further information, or a photo of Lorna McGregor please contact the University of Essex Communications Office, telephone: 01206 873529 or e-mail: comms@essex.ac.uk.