Catherine Hobby
Senior Lecturer
Whistleblowing, Conflict Resolution, Human Rights
Department of Law & Criminology , Royal Docks School Of Business And Law
Catherine Hobby is a senior lecturer in Law at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law at the University of East London. She is the Joint Director of the Centre of Mediation and Conflict Management and the LLB Combined Degrees Course Leader as well as:
- Programme Leader, LLB Business
- Programme Leader, LLB Law with Criminology
- Programme Leader, LLB Law with International Relations
Qualifications
- MSc (London)
- LLM (London)
- LLB (London)
Areas Of Interest
- Whistleblowing
- Whistleblowing protection and employee voice
- Workplace conflict
- Employment law, human resource management and mediation
- Human rights and equality
- Human rights and equality within the workplace
OVERVIEW
Catherine Hobby is a senior lecturer in Law at the Royal Docks School of Business and Law at the University of East London. She currently teaches Public Law modules at Levels 4 & 5, Equality & Human Rights at Level 6 and Advocacy on the LLM. Catherine has also taught undergraduate and postgraduate modules in the area of Human Resource Management. Prior to joining the University of East London, Catherine completed her training contract and was admitted to the Law Society as a solicitor in 1991. She then worked for the whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work, (now Protect), on its establishment and joined the university as a full-time lecturer in 1993.
With an LLM (University College London) specialising in Labour Law and MSc in Industrial Relations (London School of Economics), Catherine's research interests are in the areas of Whistleblowing, Human Rights, Employment Law, Conflict Resolution and Human Resources.
Catherine is also a qualified mediator and coach, as well as undertaken training in restorative practice. She is the joint director of the University of East London Centre of Mediation and Conflict Management.
External roles
- Catherine is a member of the Mediators Community of Practice Group and the Coaching Community of Practice Group.
- She is also a member of the Law Society, the Industrial Law Society, the Institute of Employment Rights and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
- Catherine also participates in the Civil Mediation Council's Academic Forum and the International Network of Mediation Clinics through her role as Director of the Centre for Mediation and Conflict Management.
Industry partners
In her role as a Director of the Centre of Mediation and Conflict Management. Catherine works with industry partners, including the Civil Mediation Council and Mediation in the Workplace, to fulfil the mandate of the Centre of Mediation and Conflict Management including, engaging with industry to build the Centre as a knowledge platform and provider of courses.
CURRENT RESEARCH
Most Recent Research
Catherine's research interests include the legal protection of whistleblowing and the corporate response to the raising
Previous Research
In her recent research, Catherine has collaborated on projects examining Workplace Conflict and considering the importance of employment law on Human Resource Management strategy and practice. She has co-authored British Academy of Management and CIPD conference papers and also undertaken joint research into the freedom of work and human rights in the workplace.
Catherine has also explored the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on employment legislation and rights in the workplace, with particular regard to Whistleblowing and the right to freedom of expression. She has published E-resources, conference papers and opinion pieces in this area for the Institute of Employment Rights (www.ier.org.uk).
As a qualified mediator and coach, Catherine has researched the area of mediation, conflict coaching and restorative practice. She has a particular interest in the role of mediation and restorative practice in workplace conflict and Higher Education.
Research centres
- Centre for Mediation & Conflict Management
- Centre for Justice, Law & Society
PUBLICATIONS
Most Recent Publication
- Hobby, C. 'Sunak's plan to overrule courts on Post Office scandal could set a dangerous precedent - but other options would mean stumping up cash' The Conversation, posted 12 January 2024. Reprinted in the European Financial Review on 16 January 2024.
- Hobby, C. 'Whistling in the Wind: the Letby case' Counsel November 2023.
- Hobby, C. 'Charles III coronation protest' Counsel 15 June 2023.
- Cunningham, E. & Hobby, C. 'Nicola Bulley: Are the police still failing women?' Counsel 17 March 2023.
- Hobby, C. 'Workers’ Rights: A Public Health Issue: R (on the application of The Independent Workers' Union of Great
Britain) v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions ' (2021) 50(3) Industrial Law Journal. Published online on 15 June2021.
Previous Publications
Book Chapter
Hobby, C. "Worker and organisational protection: the future of whistleblowing in the gig economy", in Page-Tickell, R. & Yerby, E (eds.) (2020) Conflict and Shifting Boundaries in the Gig Economy: An Interdisciplinary Analysis, Emerald Publishing Ltd. Available at: emeraldinsight.com
Consultation Papers
- Protection of Official Data, Submission for Institute of Employment Rights to a consultation by the Law Commission on Protection of Official Data, Published May 2017. Available at https://www.ier.org.uk/
- Protecting whistleblowers seeking jobs in the NHS: Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment Protected Disclosure Regulations) Submission for Institute of Employment Rights to a Department of Health Consultation, Published May 2017. Available at: https://www.ier.org.uk/
Journals
- Hobby, C. "The Silencing of Public Interest Concerns and Hidden Motives: Jhuti v The Royal Mail Group" (2020) 49(3)
Industrial Law Journal Published online on 10 June 2020: https://academic.oup.com/ilj/article- abstract/doi/10.1093/indlaw/dwaa009/5855486?redirectedFrom=fulltext - Hobby, C. "Worker and organisational protection: the future of whistleblowing in the gig economy", in Page-Tickell, R. &
Yerby, E (eds.) (2020) Conflict and Shifting Boundaries in the Gig Economy: An Interdisciplinary Analysis, Emerald Publishing Ltd. Available at: https://books.emeraldinsight.com/page/detail/Conflict-and-Shifting-Boundaries-in-the-Gig-Economy/?k=9781838676049 - Protection of Official Data, Submission for Institute of Employment Rights to a consultation by the Law Commission on
Protection of Official Data, Published May 2017. Available at https://www.ier.org.uk/publications/resources-protection- official-data-submission-law-commission/ - Protecting whistleblowers seeking jobs in the NHS: Employment Rights Act 1996 (NHS Recruitment Protected
Disclosure Regulations) Submission for Institute of Employment Rights to a Department of Health Consultation, Published May 2017. Available at https://www.ier.org.uk/publications/resources-protecting-whistleblowers-seeking- jobs-nhs-employment-rights-act-1996-nhs-recruitment-prot/
TEACHING
Subject Areas
- Public law
- Human rights
- Equality
- Employment law
- Advocacy
LLB (Hons) Business Law
Study LLB (Hons) in Business Law at UEL: Explore legal principles in business, contracts, and corporate law. Gain skills for a dynamic career in law and commerce.
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LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology
Discover our Law with Criminology degree, combining legal studies with an in-depth understanding of crime.
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LLB (Hons) Law with International Relations
Gain valuable insights into the global political context of the law as well as the social and cultural aspects of how the legal system functions.
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LLM Human Rights Advocacy
This LLM pathway is a unique course that allows you to specialise in human rights from a highly practical perspective.
Read more.Publications
The last four years of publications can be viewed below.
Full publications list
Visit the research repository to view a full list of publications
- Workers’ Rights: A Public Health Issue: R (on the application of The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain) v The Secretary of the State for Work and Pensions Industrial Law Journal. 50 (3), pp. 467-491. https://doi.org/10.1093/indlaw/dwab015
- The Silencing of Public Interest Concerns and Hidden Motives: Jhuti v the Royal Mail Group Industrial Law Journal. 49 (3), p. 377–396. https://doi.org/10.1093/indlaw/dwaa009