Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

(1) Common law (adversarial) double jeopardy principle - specific niche research questions
(2) Civil law (inquisitorial) ne bis in idem principle - specific niche research questions

20042024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Dr Ger Coffey BA (UL), LLB (NUI), MA (NUI), PhD (NUI), Associate Professor, School of Law 
 
Dr Ger Coffey is an Associate Professor in the School of Law. Ger graduated from UL with a BA in Law and European Studies and subsequently undertook postgraduate studies at the University of Galway (National University of Ireland, Galway), where he graduated with LLB and PhD degrees in Law.  His doctoral thesis examined the common law principle against double jeopardy and the related principle of ne bis in idem in EU criminal justice including ECHR rights perspectives, and Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.  He subsequently completed an MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at University College Cork (National University of Ireland, Cork) based on a dissertation that examined the benefits and limitations of short-terms field interactive trips (active learning) to an operational prison as experiential learning to facilitate criminal justice students to bridge the pedagogical gap between theory and practice, increasing the levels and dimensions of understanding that could not be achieved in academic seminars alone.
 
Ger regularly participates in Continuous Professional Development activities. In 2022 he was awarded a Digital Badge in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) followed by a Digital Badge in Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in 2023 from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
 
While at the University of Galway, Ger taught criminal law and constitutional law, and was appointed research assistant with the Faculty of Law. He was co-editor in the planning and production of volume 4 of the Judicial Studies Institute Journal (2004) that the Faculty of Law was commissioned to produce on behalf of the Judicial Studies Institute. He was awarded a Postgraduate Research Fellowship by the Faculty of Law, University of Galway, for the duration of his doctoral research (2001-2004). In 2005, he was awarded 2nd place in the Law Society of Ireland Annual Law Reform Essay Competition for an essay entitled 'Reforming the Law on Double Jeopardy' that was based on his doctoral research.
 
From 2005 2007 Ger was Post-Doctoral Research Officer in Criminal Justice based in the Centre for Crime, Justice and Victim Studies at UL. During this period he contributed to the Centres' research activities on the impact of globalisation on criminal law and criminal justice.
 
In 2007, Ger was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor in Law and in 2012 progressed to Associate Professor in Law. His specialisation lies in the fields of criminal law and related issues pertaining to criminal procedure and the criminal justice process; his research has been published widely in national and international law journals.
 
In 2016, Ger founded Criminal Justice in Ireland, a strategic collaborative academic blog, with a focus on criminal justice issues to inform those involved in the criminal justice field and to share information and resources, as well as many other aspects of criminal justice.
 
Ger has served as the Course Director for the LLM/MA Human Rights in Criminal Justice Level 9 NFQ since 2009 overseeing good programme governance and development and leading new strategic initiatives including the addition of a range of new elective modules to broaden student diversity and to enhance learning experiences. He also introduced numerous experiential learning activities through short-term field trips to criminal justice institutions to enhance the student learning and understanding experiences as learners progressed through the dimensions and levels of acquiring a deep and flexible understanding of their disciplinary knowledge.
 
Significantly, in 2018 Ger led the initiative to enhance student diversity through strategically developing the first online masters in Ireland (Pre-COVID) LLM/MA in Human rights in Criminal Justice (Online) Level 9 NFQ to facilitate learners situated throughout the country with work and family commitments, and learners from abroad, who were unable to attend academic seminars in person. This strategic initiative offered a flexible way for a diversity of learners from Ireland and abroad to study while maintining busy professional and personal commitments.
 
Since his appointment in 2007, Ger has made significant contributions to School of Law strategic developments through leading a range of initiatives including extensive curriculum development, contributing to a wide range of academic programmes and service both within UL and through extensive engagement with external stakeholders. He has received numerous research funding awards and has presented his research extensively at national and international conferences, including being an invited expert speaker at numerous seminars.

Since 2009, Ger has served as subject External Examiner across a range of law subjects for several third level institutions, and has also served as criminal justice programme external expert.

From 2007-2018, Ger has served as School of Law Library Representative leading initiatives and overseeing strategic collection development.

From 2008-2009, Ger served as Director of Teaching and Learning and introduced several new initiatives facilitating a student-centred approach to enhance the learning experience.

From 2008-2016, Ger served as School of Law Representative on the BA (Joint Honours) Course Board overseeing good programme governance.

From 2009-2010, Ger served as Course Director for the LLB (Graduate Entry) programme of studies overseeing good programme governance and leading initiatives to broaden student diversity.

From 2010-2014, Ger served as Director of the Community Law Access Programme leading initiatives to enhance learning opportunities for local communities.

From 2008-2016 Ger served as national member (expert) on the International Human Rights Law Committee of the International Law Association.

From 2013-2022 Ger served as national member (expert) on the Complementarity in International Criminal Law Committee of the International Law Association.

Since 2014, Ger has served as the School of Law representative on the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee.

From 2014-2016, Ger served as Director of Postgraduate Studies and introduced several new initiatives fostering a collaborative and supporting research environment to enhance the community of research scholars.

From 2014-2016, Ger served as Director of Mooting and introduced several new initiatives to facilitate students to enhance their oral advocacy and presentation skills.

In 2020, Ger was appointed Editor of the Irish Criminal Law Journal published by Thomson Round Hall, Ireland's leading law publisher.

Since 2020, Ger was appointed Council Member (Alternate) of the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development (ACJRD).

Since 2020, Ger was appointed to the Discipline Appeals Committee having been nominated by Academic Council.

From 2022-2024, Ger served as Treasurer of the International Law Association, Irish Branch.

From 2022-2024, Ger served as the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Representative on the Institutional Student Feedback Mechanisms Working Group.

Since 2023, Ger has served as Acting Course Director for the BA in Applied Policing and Criminal Justice Level 8 NFQ overseeing programme governance.

Throughout his academic career to date, Ger has taught a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate law subjects. He has served as Internal Examiner for numerous PhD in Law theses. Additionally, Ger has also served as PhD in Law and LLM by Research External Examiner for several third level institutions.

Research Interests

My research interests lie mainly in substantive and theoretical criminal law including a range of issues pertaining to criminal justice and criminal procedure. I am currently engaged in comparative research into the double jeopardy principle in common law adversarial jurisdictions; the civil law inquisitorial principle of ne bis in idem in the prosecution of transnational crimes within the European Union; approximation of the criminal laws between Member States; the principle of complementarity in international criminal law; and conflicts of jurisdiction in criminal cases. Ger's research interests also encompass the codification of the criminal law; history and development of the criminal law; the sentencing process; international criminal law; judicial review and the criminal process; and the intersection between criminal justice and human rights.

Ger has published his research widely in national and international law journals including the Irish Law Times; Irish Criminal Law Journal; Judicial Studies Institute Journal; Irish Journal of Legal Studies; Dublin University Law Journal; New Journal of European Criminal Law; Athens Journal of Law; Irish Yearbook of International Law; and the Journal of Criminal Law.

Ger has presented his research (including invited presentations) at national and international conferences including University College Cork; Maynooth University; Dublin Institute of Technology; University of Limerick; University College Dublin; Queen's University Belfast; Humboldt University Berlin; University of Southampton; London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); Vilnius University Lithuania; Institute of Advanced Legal Studies University of London; and the University of Cambridge.

Teaching Interests

My approaches to teaching and student learning are guided by UDL principles with the aim of enhancing the learning and understanding experience for all students equally and fairly. This approach is augmented through short-term field trips to criminal justice institutions as experiential learning that involves students as active participants in their own learning through applying their knowledge and flexible understanding in real-world settings. Utilising this pedagogical tool is pivotal to teaching for understanding (TfU) and the imperative of students learning by doing through performances of understanding (PfU). This approach serves to enhance student knowledge and flexible understanding on their journey of learning and discovery from apprentice to mastering the discipline.

I have over 20 years experience teaching a range of law modules to a diversity of students on undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes with particular focus on criminal law, criminal justice and criminal procedure from national and international perspectives. My teaching interests lie mainly in the field of substantive criminal law, criminal justice, and criminal procedure through the intersection with national and international and human rights instruments. I currently teach a Level 8 NFQ undergraduate module on Crime and Criminal Justice, and several Level 9 NFQ modules on the LLM/MA Human Rights in Criminal Justice postgraduate programme of studies including Advanced Crime and Criminal Justice; International Criminal Law; Policing and Human Rights; Criminal Justice Processes and Sentencing.

I am a Postgraduate Research Supervisor and Internal Examiner for numerous LLM and MA independent research dissertations, and several PhD theses, and have served as External Examiner for LLM research dissertations and PhD theses in several third level institutions.

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):

  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Related documents

Education/Academic qualification

Masters, MA in TLHE - Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Inquiry Portfolio), University College Cork

Award Date: 4 Mar 2020

Graduate Diploma, PGDipTLHE - Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Course Portfolio), University College Cork

Award Date: 1 Jan 2018

Graduate Certificate, PGCertTLHE - Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (Teaching Portfolio), University College Cork

Award Date: 1 Jan 2017

PhD, PhD - Doctor of Philosophy, University of Galway

Award Date: 1 Jan 2005

Bachelor, LLB - Bachelor of Laws, University of Galway

Award Date: 1 Jan 2001

Bachelor, BA - Bachelor of Arts

Award Date: 1 Jan 1998

External positions

Assistant Editor, Judicial Studies Institute Journal (2004), School of Law, University of Galway

1 May 2004 → …

Lecturer in Criminal Law (Part-time) (2002-2004), School of Law, University of Galway

1 Sep 2003 → …

Research Assistant, School of Law (2002-2004), School of Law, University of Galway

1 Jun 2003 → …

Teaching Assistant in Constitutional Law (2002-2004), School of Law, University of Galway

1 Jan 2002 → …

Keywords

  • K Law (General)
  • Criminal Justice
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Double Jeopardy
  • Ne Bis in Idem
  • Experiential learning
  • Short-term field trips

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics where Gerard Coffey is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
  • 1 Similar Profiles