Dr Sharon Thompson
Lecturer in Law
- thompsons20@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44(0)29 2087 4362
- 1.18, Adeilad y Gyfraith, Rhodfa'r Amgueddfa, Caerdydd, CF10 3AX
- Sylwebydd y cyfryngau
Trosolwg
I joined Cardiff Law School as a Lecturer in 2015 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2017. I was previously a Lecturer in Law at Keele University (2013-2015). I currently lecture on Family Law, Equity & Trusts and Legal History and am module leader of Equity & Trusts. I am also research seminar co-ordinator for the Law department.
I completed the LL.B. with first class honours in 2009 and was awarded my PhD in 2013 at Queen's University Belfast. I research the areas of divorce, family property, prenuptial agreements, and mid-twentieth century legal history, with a particular focus on feminist perspectives. In 2015 I published a book with Hart Publishing titled Prenuptial Agreements and the Presumption of Free Choice: Issues of Power in Theory and Practice, which was shortlisted for the Peter Birks Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship in 2017 and both the SLSA Hart Socio-Legal Book Prize and the SLSA Socio-Legal prize for Early Career Academics in 2016.
I am co-editor of case notes for Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law and am a member of the Network on Family Regulation and Society (comprised of Family Law academics from the Universities of Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Cardiff). I co-lead three research groups at Cardiff (Law and Gender, Law and History and Family Law) and received an Outstanding Contribution Award for research in 2016 from the University. I have been interviewed by BBC News, BBC Radio Stoke and Lexis Nexis about my work on prenuptial agreements. I was also a Visiting Fellow in 2014 at City University Hong Kong.
I am willing to supervise prospective PhD candidates in my areas of expertise, which include Family Law, Property Law and Feminist Legal Theory.
Web page: https://cardiff.academia.edu/SharonThompson
Twitter:
Bywgraffiad
Education and qualifications
- 2015: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
- 2015: Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Keele University.
- 2013: PhD. Queen’s University Belfast.
- 2009: Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) First Class Honours. Queen’s University Belfast.
Career overview
- 2017 – present: Senior Lecturer in Law, Cardiff University.
- 2015 – present: Co-editor of case notes, Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law.
- 2015 – 2017: Lecturer in Law, Cardiff University.
- 2014: Visiting Fellow, City University Hong Kong.
- 2013 – 2015: Lecturer in Law, Keele University.
- 2009 – 2013: Law Tutor, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast.
Anrhydeddau a Dyfarniadau
- Participant on Cardiff Futures Programme, 2016/17.
- Outstanding Contribution Award for excellence in research, Cardiff University, 2016.
- Visiting Fellow, City University Hong Kong, 2014.
- Travel Award, Emily Sarah Montgomery Scholarship, 2011.
- Travel Award, County Antrim Grand Jury Bursary, 2010.
- Conference paper prize, School of Law Postgraduate Research Conference, Queen’s University Belfast, 2010.
- Law Society Prize, Queen’s University Belfast, 2009.
- McKane Medal and Scholarship (Law and Philosophy), Queen’s University Belfast, 2009.
- Foundation Scholarship (awarded to top three students in year one), Queen’s University Belfast, 2007.
- McKane Medal and Scholarship (Jurisprudence), Queen’s University Belfast, 2007.
Aelodaethau proffesiynol
- Fellow, Higher Eduation Academy
- Member of the GW4 Network on Family Regulation and Society.
- Member of the International Society of Family Lawyers.
- Member of the Research Committee on Sociology of Law International Working Group on the Legal Professions.
- Member of the Socio-Legal Studies Association.
- Member of the Society of Legal Scholars.
Ymrwymiadau siarad cyhoeddus
Forthcoming
- 'The Significance of the 'Gold-Digging' Trope for Family Law Reform', University of Bristol, 25th October 2017.
- 'The Gold-Digging Trope in Family Law', University of Warwick, 11th October 2017.
Previous
- ''Gold-digging' on divorce: myth, power and financial inequity', SLS Conference 2017, University College Dublin, 5th-8th September 2017.
- ''Gold-Diggers' of Family Law', ISFL World Conference, Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam, 26th July 2017.
- 'Relational Autonomy and Religious Tribunals', University of Glasgow, 15th June 2017
- '“We want prenup!” The Gold-Digging Trope in Family Law', University of Durham, 20th February 2017.
- ‘The Married Women’s Association’s Fight for Wives’ Right to Housekeeping Savings’, SLS Annual Conference, University of Oxford, 6th-9th September 2016.
- ‘Feminist Relational Contract Theory as Method: Addressing Patterns of Power in Nuptial Agreements’, Working Group on Legal Professions, Andorra, 6th -9th July 2016.
- ‘Are Methods in Law a Feminist Issue?’ Gender Rules Conference, Cardiff University, 20th June 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uucl1JlraH0.
- ‘Good housekeeping? The Married Women’s Association, Women’s Right to Housekeeping, and the Value of Work in the Home’, SLSA Annual Conference, Lancaster University, 5th-7th April 2016.
- ‘The Married Women’s Property Act 1964’, Women’s Legal Landmarks workshop, University of Reading, 19th-20th November 2015.
- ‘In Defence of the Gold-Digger’, Radically Rethinking Marriage Conference, Oñati, Spain, 16th -17th July 2015.
- ‘Prenuptial Agreements, Gendered Power and the Potential Impact of Same-Sex Marriage’, Staff seminar, Keele University, 4th February 2015.
- ‘Judging Prenuptial Agreements: Rethinking Autonomy and Recognising Power’, SLS Conference 2014, University of Nottingham, 9th-12th September 2014.
- ‘Prenuptial Agreements and the Presumption of Free Choice: Issues of Power in Theory and Practice’, SLSA Conference 2012, De Montford University, Leicester, 3rd April 2012.
- ‘Prenuptial Agreements since Radmacher v Granatino’, 3rdAnnual School of Law Postgraduate Research Conference, Queen’s University Belfast, 20th May 2011.
- ‘Prenuptial Agreements and the Meaning of “Fairness” since Radmacher v Granatino’, SLSA Conference 2011, University of Sussex, 13th April 2011.
- ‘Prenuptial Agreements and the Conceptualisation of Marriage’, 2nd Annual School of Law Postgraduate Research Conference, Queen’s University Belfast, 10th May 2010.
- ‘Contract Marriage – the Implications for Prenuptial Agreements’, Scottish Young Researcher’s Colloquium, University of Dundee, 23rd April 2010.
Pwyllgorau ac adolygu
- Law School Research Seminar Co-ordinator.
- Co-director of Family Law Research Group.
- Co-director of Law and History Research Group.
- Co-director of Law and Gender Research Group.
- Personal tutor.
Cyhoeddiadau
2023
- Thompson, S. 2023. The heroines, the underdogs, and everything in-between: injecting a feminist approach into family law history. In: Barnes, V., Honkala, N. and Wheeler, S. eds. Women, Their Lives, and the Law Essays in Honour of Rosemary Auchmuty. Bloomsbury
- Thompson, S. 2023. Lady Rhondda: the little-known suffragette whose efforts led to greater equality for women. [Online]. Available at: https://theconversation.com/amp/lady-rhondda-the-unknown-suffragette-whose-efforts-led-to-greater-equality-for-women-200767
- Bendall, C. and Thompson, S. 2023. Building a Movement for Cohabitation Reform in England and Wales. [Online]. Available at: https://financialremediesjournal.com/content/building-a-movement-for-cohabitation-reform-in-england-and-wales.07492df98b8f48a4b0e174005a2ca707.htm
- Thompson, S. 2023. ‘Reform movements are like builders’: The little-known influence of the Married Women’s Association. [Online]. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2023/03/01/reform-movements-are-like-builders-the-little-known-influence-of-the-married-womens-association/
- Thompson, S. 2023. Meet the Book Author: Quiet Revolutionaries. [Online]. Available at: https://journaloflawandsociety.co.uk/blog/meet-the-book-author-quiet-revolutionaries/
- George, R., Thompson, S. and Miles, J. 2023. Family Law: Text, Cases, and Materials (5th edn). Oxford University Press.
2022
- Thompson, S. 2022. Edith Summerskill: letters from deserted wives. Women's History Review (10.1080/09612025.2022.2138201)
- Thompson, S. 2022. The untold story of a mid-20th century group of women fighting for equality in marriage – and why it matters today. The Conversation 2022(12 Sep)
- Thompson, S. 2022. Behind Casanova's charter: Edith Summerskill, divorce and the deserted wife. In: Probert, R., Monk, D. and Miles, J. eds. Fifty Years of the Divorce Reform Act. Hart Publishing/Bloomsbury Publishing
- Thompson, S. 2022. Quiet revolutionaries: The married women's association and family law. Hart Publishing/Bloomsbury Publishing.
2021
- Thompson, S. 2021. The rights of cohabiting partners: submission of written evidence to the inquiry of the women and equalities committee. Documentation. UK Parliament. Available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/328/women-and-equalities-committee/publications/written-evidence/
- Thompson, S. 2021. Against divorce? Revisiting the charge of the Casanova’s charter. Child and Family Law Quarterly
2020
- Thompson, S. 2020. Using feminist relational contract theory to build upon consentability: a case study of prenups. Loyola Law Review 66(1), pp. 55-74.
2019
- Thompson, S. 2019. Forgotten activists for law reform. [Online]. Law Society Gazette: The Law Society. Available at: https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/people/women-in-the-law
- Thompson, S. and Cranmer, F. 2019. Humanist weddings in Northern Ireland: a missed opportunity for reform?. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law 41(2), pp. 229-232. (10.1080/09649069.2019.1590910)
- Thompson, S. 2019. A millstone around the neck? stereotypes about wives and myths about divorce. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 70(2)
- Thompson, S. 2019. British Conservatism and the Legal Regulation of Intimate Relationships, Andrew Gilbert [Book Review]. Child and Family Law Quarterly 31, pp. 91-94.
- Thompson, S. 2019. Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2017-2019: Submission of written evidence. Documentation. UK Government.
- Thompson, S. 2019. Alimony drones, gold diggers and meal tickets for life: how stereotypes in the press point to a need for judicial reflexivity. [Online]. Northern Ireland Legal Quartely: Queen's University School of Law. Available at: https://nilq.qub.ac.uk/index.php/nilq/issue702-article1
2018
- Thompson, S. 2018. Feminist relational contract theory: a new model for family property agreements. Journal of Law and Society 45(4), pp. 617-645. (10.1111/jols.12132)
- Thompson, S. 2018. Married Women's Property Act 1964. In: Rackley, E. and Auchmuty, R. eds. Women's Legal Landmarks: Celebrating the history of women and law in the UK and Ireland. London: Bloomsbury
- Thompson, S. and Sandberg, R. 2018. Multicultural jurisdictions: The need for a feminist approach to law and religion. In: Sandberg, R. ed. Leading Works in Law and Religion. London: Routledge, pp. 179-196., (10.4324/9780429401015-13)
- Sandberg, R. and Thompson, S. 2018. The paradox of pluralism: Towards a relational approach to religious freedom. In: Durham, W. C. and Thayler, D. eds. Religion, Pluralism, and Reconciling Difference. ICLARS Series on Law and Religion London and New York: Routledge, pp. 3-18.
- Cranmer, F. and Thompson, S. 2018. Marriage and civil partnership in Northern Ireland: a changing legal landscape. Child and Family Law Quarterly 30(3), pp. 301-320.
- Sandberg, R. and Thompson, S. 2018. The sexual contract in law and religion. [Online]. Law and Religion UK. Available at: http://www.lawandreligionuk.com/2018/04/13/the-sexual-contract-in-law-and-religion/
- Thompson, S., Hayes, L., Newman, D. and Carole, P. 2018. The sexual contract 30 years on: a conversation with Carole Pateman. Feminist Legal Studies 26(1), pp. 93-104. (10.1007/s10691-018-9368-1)
- Thompson, S. 2018. Thorne v Kennedy: Why Australia's decision on prenups is important for English law. Family Law 48, pp. 415-419.
- Thompson, S. 2018. Submission of Written Evidence on Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill 2017-2019. Unpublished.
2017
- Thompson, S. 2017. Should Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a prenup?. [Online]. Law and Religion UK. Available at: http://www.lawandreligionuk.com/2017/11/29/a-prenup-for-harry-and-meghan/
- Thompson, S. 2017. ‘Miller-lite’: Is it fair not to share in short marriages?. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law 39(4), pp. 501-503. (10.1080/09649069.2017.1390298)
- Thompson, S. and Sandberg, R. 2017. Common defects of the Divorce Bill and Arbitration and Mediation Services (Equality) Bill 2016-17. Family Law 47(April), pp. 425-451.
- Sandberg, R. and Thompson, S. 2017. Relational autonomy and religious tribunals. Oxford Journal of Law and Religion 6(1), pp. 137-161. (10.1093/ojlr/rww059)
- Thompson, S. 2017. Prioritising diversity: reflections from the Family Law Classroom. The Journal of Academic Development and Education Jan(7), pp. 29-33. (10.21252/KEELE-0000004)
2016
- Thompson, S. 2016. In defence of the 'gold digger'. Oñati Socio-Legal Series 6(6), pp. 1225-1248.
- Sandberg, R. and Thompson, S. 2016. The Sharia Law debate: The missing family law context. Law and Justice 177, pp. 181-192.
- Thompson, S. 2016. Divorce can be nobody's fault - the law should do more to recognise that. The Conversation 2016(12 Dec)
2015
- Thompson, S. 2015. Beware of prenups, but not because they are unromantic. The Conversation 2015(Oct 30)
- Thompson, S. 2015. Supreme Court decides that ‘fraud unravels all’ in divorce cases. The Conversation 2015(Oct 15)
- Thompson, S. 2015. Prenuptial agreements and the presumption of free choice: issues of power in theory and practice. Oxford and London: Hart Publishing.
2014
- Thompson, S. 2014. What does the Nuptial Agreements Bill propose?. LexisNexis, pp. 1-3.
- Thompson, S. 2014. Behind the veil: company or family property on divorce?. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law 36(2), pp. 217-219. (10.1080/09649069.2014.916106)
2012
- Thompson, S. 2012. Review of marital agreements and private autonomy in comparative perspective. Child and Family Law Quarterly, pp. 502-504.
2011
- Thompson, S. 2011. Levelling the prenuptial playing field: Is independent legal advice the answer?. International Family Law 4, pp. 327-331.
- Thompson, S. 2011. Review of international pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements. Child and Family Law Quarterly 23, pp. 423-427.
- Thompson, S. 2011. Radmacher v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law 33(1), pp. 61-70. (10.1080/09649069.2011.571471)
2010
- Thompson, S. 2010. Ancillary relief in Northern Ireland: the jurisprudence of the 'noughties'. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 61(4), pp. 431-437.
