Personal profile
Biography
I studied for both my undergraduate and LL.M. degrees at Northumbria University. I am a non-practising solicitor, having qualified in 2011. I moved into academia in 2016, joining the University of Sunderland where I was senior lecturer in law and Legal Practice Course programme leader, before moving to Northumbria in February 2023. My teaching specialisms include Wills and Administration of Estates, Trusts, and Dispute Resolution.
My research interests and publications are primarily in the area of civil dispute resolution, civil justice reform, online dispute resolution and mediation. I was awarded my PhD, which put forward recommendations to enhance the proposed online dispute resolution model for low value civil claims in England and Wales, in February 2023. I am the co-editor of an edited collection concerning the role and function of mediation within the modern civil justice system with colleagues at the University of Leicester (2025) and I have published a variety of peer reviewed articles and book chapters in the area of mediation.
My research interests also encompass legal education, particularly solicitor legal training and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), and I have contributed to a range of publications and outputs in this field. I am also the joint series editor of a series of revision guides designed to assist candidates with revising for their SQE1 assessments, Revise SQE. I authored the revision guide on Dispute Resolution from that series.
Education/Academic qualification
Law, PhD, University of Sunderland
1 Sept 2018 → 1 Feb 2023
Award Date: 1 Feb 2023
Law, LLM, Northumbria University
1 Sept 2014 → 31 Jul 2016
Award Date: 31 Jul 2016
Law, LLB (Hons), Northumbria University
1 Sept 2005 → 31 Jul 2009
Award Date: 31 Jul 2009
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):
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SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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The impact of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) on undergraduate legal education in England and Wales: A content Analysis
Roper, V., Dunn, R. & Sixsmith, D., 1 Sept 2025, In: Legal Studies. 45, 3, p. 375-393 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile124 Downloads (Pure) -
Achieving Cultural Normalisation of Mediation in Low Value Civil Justice: Lessons from British Columbia
Sixsmith, D. & Sixsmith, A., 30 Jul 2024, (Accepted/In press) The Place of Mediation within the Modern Civil Justice System: Critical Perspectives. Sixsmith, D. & M. A. (eds.). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar, p. 7-37 31 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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Law clinics and Qualifying Work Experience: A change of purpose for Clinical Legal Education in England and Wales?
Dunn, R., Roper, V. & Sixsmith, D., 23 Jul 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Other
Open AccessFile20 Downloads (Pure) -
Mediating Clinical Negligence Disputes: Mediator Perspectives on the Role and Influence of the Claimant Lawyer
Sixsmith, D., Sixsmith, A. & Doran, K., 26 Mar 2024, (Accepted/In press).Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
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The place of mediation within the modern civil justice system: Critical Perspectives
Ahmed, M. (Editor) & Sixsmith, D. (Editor), 30 Jul 2024, (Accepted/In press) Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. 272 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review
Activities
- 1 Oral presentation
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The impact of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) on undergraduate legal education in England and Wales: A content analysis
Roper, V. (Speaker), Sixsmith, D. (Speaker) & Dunn, R. (Speaker)
3 Mar 2026Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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