Kathryn O'Sullivan

Biography

Dr Kathryn O' Sullivan is a Lecturer of Law at the School of Law, University of Limerick, Ireland. Kathryn's primary research interests lie in family property law and succession law, however, she has also recently undertaken research on law and religion in Ireland. She is the Corresponding Member for Ireland with the Cambridge Family Law Centre at the University of Cambridge and was selected as a Dobbin Atlantic Scholar for 2017/18 by the Ireland Canada University Foundation.

She has published widely in highly respected national and international journals (including Legal Studies, the Journal of Family Studies and the International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family) and has provided expert analysis of legal issues for national media outlets in Ireland including RTÉ Radio 1 and the Irish Times. Her work has been cited in the British Columbia Court of Appeal in Canada (Venables v Venables [2019] BCCA 291).

Kathryn was recognised with the University of Limerick's 'Excellence in Teaching Award 2018' having twice been shortlisted in 2012 and 2015. She is the Director of International Education at the School of Law and Course Director for the LLM Master of Laws (General) the GradIreland Postgraduate Course of the Year in Law for 2018.

Research Interests

Dr O'Sullivan's primary research interests lie in the area of family law, property law and succession law. She has conducted considerable comparative research analysing the various family property schemes which apply in a number of jurisdictions while a relationship subsists, on death and on relationship breakdown. She is particularly interested in the theoretical basis for the division of assets on relationship breakdown and the challenges faced by succession law as a result of the changes in family structures in recent decades.

Kathryn has also diversified her research into related family law fields and has investigated the legal protections afforded to minority religions, particularly the Muslim community.

Finally, Kathryn formed part of a team, led by colleagues in University College Cork, which obtained competitive national funding in 2015 to the value of 25,000 for a focused research project entitled: 'Teaching for Transitions: A Review of Teaching for Transitions related to Teaching and Learning Activity and Research'.

Teaching Interests

Kathryn has a keen interest in teaching and learning. She completed a Specialist Diploma in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship in 2014, graduating with First Class Honours, and was recognised with the University's 'Excellence in Teaching Award 2018' having previously received a Special Commendation for Excellence in Teaching in 2015. She has secured national funding from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education on two occasions. She formed part of a team which received funding of 25,000 in 2015 to conduct a focused research project entitled: 'Teaching for Transitions: A Review of Teaching for Transitions related to Teaching and Learning Activity and Research' (available to download). In 2015, she, along with two colleagues, also secured National Forum funding to hold a one-day workshop entitled Legal Pedagogy in Transition'. Moreover, Kathryn obtained a Teaching Development Grant from the University of Limerick to conduct research with International/Erasmus Law students and run a series of Legal English workshops to support such students.

Professional Activities

Award

2018 - Dobbin Atlantic Scholar

Association

Member, International Society of Family Law
Member, Society of Legal Scholars (UK)
Member, Socio-Legal Studies Association (UK)
Member (formerly Executive Member 2013/14), Irish Association of Law Teachers
Member, International Commercial and Economic Law Research Group
Member, Gender Arc

Outreach

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Irish Association of Law Teachers Annual Conference, Kilkenny (November 2014)

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Member of the organisation committee
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Judge Henchy Memorial Lecture (October 2014)

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Co-Organiser (with Dr Laura Cahillane)

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Guest speaker was Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, opening comments were by Professor Paul McCutcheon, UL and cha
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Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 Lecture (April 2015)

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Co-Organiser (with Dr Susan Leahy & Dr Connie Healy)

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Guest speaker Mr Geoffrey Shannon; Chair Judge Tom O'Donnell

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CPD points available
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Legal Pedagogy Seminar (April 2015)

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Co-Organiser (with Prof Shane Kilcommins & Dr Eimear Spain)

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Invited speakers from TCD, UCD, UCC, NUIG, Law Society, King's Inns etc
- Minority Religions under Irish Law Symposium: Islam in National and International Context' (November 2017)

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Sole organizer

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Invited national and international speakers (Emory University, USA; University of Windsor, Canada; University of Copenhagen, Denmark; SOAS, University of London; etc.)

Committee

International Education Committee, School of Law,
Marketing Committee, School of Law,

Publications

Book

2018

Annotated Legal Documents on Islam in Europe: Ireland
O'Sullivan, K

Book Chapter

2019

Introduction
O'Sullivan, K
Minority Religions under Irish Law: Islam in National and International Context DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004398252_002

2018

A Evolução do Direito de Família na Irlanda: Um estudo de caso
O'Sulivan, K
IV Congresso Internacional de Direito de Personalidade