Staff profile

Lana Ashby is a transformative and innovative educator who holds the post of Associate Professor in Private Law alongside serving as Director of Undergraduate Admissions in the Law School for Outreach and Engagement, having joined Durham Law School in October 2014. Her areas of expertise and research are varied spanning from consumer protection, contract, property/land and commercial law including insolvency law and tax law construction to pedagogy, where she is particularly interested in student engagement and Thaler and Sustein’s nudge theory having identified a connection between behavioural economics and how students engage and master academic outcomes. One of her present focus areas in the research involves extensive empirical research (with Azubuike, S.) to test the efficacy of her admissions pipeline which saw the increase of state school students, seeking to determine whether these students are appropriately supported on entry to their programmes. 

Through merging academic research with her pedagogic and highly skilled and efficiently executed administrative prowess, her pro-rescue corporate law position in the published piece on the creation of a ten step best practice insolvency financing framework was cited with approval and regarded as being particularly beneficial to the European Law Institute's 400 page Instrument on Rescue of Business in Insolvency. She was also cited with approval in Wessels, International Insolvency Law, 4 th ed., International Journal of Business Excellence and the International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology. She has also written on restructuring in the European automotive and airline sectors. 

As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she continues to present locally and globally on her research interests in pedagogy. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning matched with a Durham University Excellence in Learning and Teaching Award.

Apart from consultancies on matters such as sexual harassment, domestic violence, marital rape, recognition of cohabitational relationships, access to property and equal rights and opportunity and then money laundering and anti-corruption legislation, she serves as Regional Expert on Company Law to the IMPACT Justice Project, funded by the Government of Canada. Her report ‘Bridging the Gap? A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region: 142 Recommendations with a view to Reform’ is critical to the development and reform of company law in 14 jurisdictions in the CARICOM region: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Montserrat, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. This extensive report contained 142 recommendations, spanning across 414 pages in 28 Chapters. Using a comparative approach to build a construct for modern approaches, the report critically assessed the advent, development and modern traditions of company law in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. The transformational and groundbreaking research assessed the breadth of company law, from company formation and operation, protection of creditors and investors to winding up. This was followed by a further high level consultancy resulting in the production of a 103 page report entitled 'Advancing Company Law in the Commonwealth Caribbean: Further Steps to Creating a Competitive Framework'. A reliable legal mind for high level guidance, she has also spoken at the Caribbean Court of Justice, the highest Court of Appeal in the Commonwealth Caribbean for some jurisdictions having replaced His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.

This means that her work in corporate law, not only addresses the organisation and structure of the company including some aspects of governance down to the unfortunate liquidation and/or potential financing of rescue but she has also written in the area of revenue law looking at how the interpretation of tax legislation in countries recovering from the 2018/2019 global financial crises could shift to a potentially narrow construction (intentionally or unintentionally?) swelling state coffers. 

She has presented at a range of conferences including in the Caribbean, United Kingdom and United States and has been slated for high profile events in Australia and New Zealand. 

Prior to this, she was a Lecturer in Law at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados where she taught Corporate Insolvency Law, Corporate Finance Law and Contract Law. Before teaching at The University of the West Indies, she pursued a Bachelor of Laws at the same institution and a Master of Laws in Corporate and Commercial Law at The University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, with specialities in Corporate Insolvency, Corporate Finance Law, Corporate Governance and Intellectual Property Law. She is a recipient of the prestigious National Development Scholarship (Barbados) for studies in areas critical to national development.

 

Strategic University Engagement & Leadership

• Collaborated closely with Vice Chancellors and Pro-Vice Chancellors on the development and trial of Law School access programmes and cross-department/faculty/university wide knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Invited to speak at University-level Open Days by the PVC (Education), receiving commendation for effectively communicating the “Durham difference” and inspiring prospective students to pursue education at Durham.
• Developed content for University admissions materials, serving as a public face of the Law School and contributing to the branding of Durham University Admissions.

 

Recruitment Excellence & Target Achievement

• Inspirational leader who consistently met and exceeded Law School recruitment targets.
• Designed and implemented transformational programmes to align Law’s recruitment strategy with University targets for BAME and low-participation neighbourhoods, earning formal recognition from the VC in Senate.
• Oversaw the first cohort of DSC student integration, addressing nuanced access requirements and multiple admissions pathways.

 

Access, Fairness & Inclusion Initiatives

• Built a bespoke 500+ school database to accurately target disadvantaged students, including first-generation entrants, independently and without external support. This initiative led to increased enrolment of students who subsequently achieved first-class degrees.
• Established the only department led student run First-Generation Scholars Network in the University, F.O.R.G.E. (First-Gen Opportunity for Representation, Growth, & Excellence) with the motto Breaking Barriers. Building Futures, providing mentorship, networking events with law firm partners, and confidence-building activities.
• Secured over thousands of funding for acess initiatives including textbooks from a prominent London law firm, enhancing equitable access for students from low-participation neighbourhoods.
• Led targeted Open Days for North East schools and tripled the number of Open Days organized by the Law School, independently managing sponsorships, logistics, and student ambassadors.

 

Operational Expertise & Global Engagement

• Managed Law School’s internationalisation strategy in partnership with the International Office, contributing to global recruitment and partnerships.
• Maintained full knowledge of key admissions metrics and terminology, including ACORN, and managed offer adjustments across undergraduate and postgraduate cycles.
• Demonstrated forward-thinking and independent execution in recruitment strategy, inspiring colleagues to engage with state schools and broaden outreach.

 

Recognised Excellence in Law Education

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, with a teaching approach consistently acknowledged through recognition or awards at all levels:
  • National: Oxford University Press Law Teacher of the Year (Top 6 in the UK)
  • Regional: Northern Law Awards (Top 4 in the North East)
  • University: Durham University Excellence in Learning and Teaching Award 
  • Departmental: Law School teaching awards for 4 consecutive years.
• Teaching evaluations consistently exceed 4.5/5, with some courses averaging 4.8/5 across undergraduate and master’s programmes, regardless of compulsory or optional course status. Her engaging approach in her Master's level course resulted in 100% course satisfaction (25/26 academic year)
• Holds two professional teaching qualifications: Leadership in Learning and Teaching (DELTA 3, 2019) and Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, demonstrating deep expertise in inspiring both students and colleagues.

 

Innovation & Knowledge Transfer

• Pioneered the “Learning and Teaching Toolbox”, a departmental initiative collecting instructional videos from colleagues at all career stages, promoting best practice knowledge transfer. This initiative was fully developed and executed independently and commended by Faculty, despite no workload allocation.
• Initiated a Higher-Level Schedule of extracurricular events aligned with module teaching terms, enabling students to engage with leading scholars and practitioners through guest lectures.
• Conducted research on student perceptions of assessment preparation and module evaluation engagement, collecting qualitative and quantitative data from 59 law students. Findings were fed directly into Law School processes to enhance NSS (National Student Survey) responses.

 

Esteem Indicators

2026 - Launched FORGE: https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/law/news-and-events/news/2026/02/clyde--co-supports-firstgeneration-scholars-as-durham-launches-new-first-generation-network/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZnRzaAQFbQFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAae3P2howeN6ifwoEq1ternipM_U5ZNYfUqZDPhHLXyTrW1Nt4sW9ooSX0l2fg_aem_BI8ErlIcNDUJqygSnF42Rg

2025 - Notification by University for excellence in academic support and teaching 

2024 - Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award

2019 - Durham's Women Making a Difference

2019 - Law Teacher of the Year (Durham Law School)

2018 - Oxford University Press Law Teacher of the Year (Finalist - one of six finalists for Law Teacher of the Year) [National Award]

2018 - Northern Law Teacher of the Year (Finalist) [Regional Award]

2018 - Law Teacher of the Year (Durham Law School)

2018 - Recognised by University for Excellence in Teaching (Celebrating Excellence)

2017 - Durham University Excellence in Learning and Teaching Award

2017 - Law Teacher of the Year (Durham Law School)

2017 - Recognised by University for Excellence in Teaching (Celebrating Excellence)

2016 - Recognised by University for Excellence in Teaching (Celebrating Excellence)

2016 + - Regional Expert on Commonwealth Caribbean Company Law 

Research Areas

Academic Research

• Corporate Insolvency Law (Rescue)
• Contract Law
• Company Law (Comparative approaches, Modern approaches, Commonwealth Caribbean)
• Consumer Protection Law 
• Property Law 

Pedagogy

• Thaler and Sustein's nudge theory 
• Student engagement 
• First generation access to university and theoretical frameworks to support university adjustment and thriving 

Research Focus

Modern developments in contract, consumer protection, company and insolvency law

Comparative developments in company law, in particular in developing countries

Supervision

I am interested in supervising papers on any area of present interest in commercial law, in particular company law and contract law. I am particularly interested in insolvency law and would welcome papers on issues of corporate reorganization/restructuring, comparative insolvency law, international insolvency law, critical theoretical analysis of insolvency law (and/or its relevant frameworks) and any commercial law papers which employ an inter-disciplinary approach (e.g. law and economics) or reseach modern innovations in company law.

Teaching Areas

Bachelor of Laws (Class size: 400 - 500) 

• Year 1: Contract Law - Module Convener, Lecturer and Tutor
• Year 2: Property/Land Law - Module Convener, Lecturer and Tutor

Master of Laws

• Corporate Insolvency Law (LL.M.) - Seminar based course (Seminar Leader) - this course will run subject to my availability so please check Module Course offerings each academic year

• Company Law (Comparative approaches, Modern approaches, Commonwealth Caribbean
• Contract Law
• Corporate Insolvency Law (Rescue)

• 2017: University recognition for excellence in teaching:
• 2017: Law Teacher of the Year (Durham Law School): Awarded Law Teacher of the Year - Durham University
• 2016: University recognition for excellence in teaching:
• 2016: Regional Expert on Company Law: See profile for further details

Authored book

• Bridging the Gap: A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region: 142 Recommendations with a view to Reform
  
  Ashby, L. (2017). Bridging the Gap: A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region: 142 Recommendations with a view to Reform. IMPACT Justice Project.
• Simplifying Contract Law: Cases and Materials for the Commonwealth Caribbean [787 pages]
  
  Ashby, L. (2014). Simplifying Contract Law: Cases and Materials for the Commonwealth Caribbean [787 pages]. Lana Ashby.

Conference Paper

• Engagement, Assessment and Beyond the Classroom: Re-thinking Approaches to Large Class Sizes
  
  Ashby, L. (in press). Engagement, Assessment and Beyond the Classroom: Re-thinking Approaches to Large Class Sizes. Presented at Transatlantic Perspectives on Legal Education: Engaged Learning Across the Small to Large Class Divide, Durham, England.
• 'Nudging' our Students Along? An Exploration of the Innovative Use of Nudges to Enhance Student Engagement in Legal Education
  
  Ashby, L. (in press). ’Nudging’ our Students Along? An Exploration of the Innovative Use of Nudges to Enhance Student Engagement in Legal Education. Presented at Association of Law Teachers, Keele University, England.
• A Counter-narrative on ‘Fairness’ in Contract Law: A Holistic Assessment of Fairness under the Consumer Rights Act 2015
  
  Ashby, L. (in press). A Counter-narrative on ‘Fairness’ in Contract Law: A Holistic Assessment of Fairness under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Presented at Fairness in Law-Making, Belfast.
• Contrasting Views on Engagement: The Student vs The Teacher - The Great Divide?
  
  Ashby, L. (in press). Contrasting Views on Engagement: The Student vs The Teacher - The Great Divide? Presented at Durham University Learning and Teaching Conference, Durham, England.
• Bridging the Gap: A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region with Recommendations for Reform
  
  Ashby, L. (2017, July). Bridging the Gap: A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region with Recommendations for Reform [Conference paper]. Presented at Company Law Reform Seminar, Cave Hill, Barbados.
• 'To what extent can a receiver rely on third parties* when discharging his power of sale?]* Third parties include accountants, valuers, attorneys-at-law, real estate agents et cetera
  
  Ashby, L. (2015, July 14). ’To what extent can a receiver rely on third parties* when discharging his power of sale?]* Third parties include accountants, valuers, attorneys-at-law, real estate agents et cetera [Conference paper]. Presented at Judges Colloquium at The Caribbean Court of Justice, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
• More Bark than Bite: Rescue and its Financing in the Commonwealth Caribbean - Lessons from Abroad
  
  Ashby, L. (2013). More Bark than Bite: Rescue and its Financing in the Commonwealth Caribbean - Lessons from Abroad. Presented at 12th Annual Commonwealth Caribbean Law Conference, Miami, Florida.

Journal Article

• The enigma of 21st century corporate restructuring: successes and failures (ten-step best-practice framework)
  
  Ashby, L. (2015). The enigma of 21st century corporate restructuring: successes and failures (ten-step best-practice framework). Insolvency and Restructuring International, 9(2), 9-16.
• Mild turbulence and crash landings for illegally state-aided European airlines
  
  Ashby, L. (2015). Mild turbulence and crash landings for illegally state-aided European airlines. Corporate Rescue and Insolvency., 8(1), 15-17.
• When the car runs out of gas: restructuring in the European automotive sector
  
  Ashby, L. (2014). When the car runs out of gas: restructuring in the European automotive sector. Insolvency and Restructuring International, 8(2), 48-54.
• Priority and rescue financing in the Commonwealth Caribbean: lessons from the United States of America, United Kingdom and European Union
  
  Ashby, L. (2014). Priority and rescue financing in the Commonwealth Caribbean: lessons from the United States of America, United Kingdom and European Union. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 40(2), 317-340. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050718.2014.899917
• Post-Financial Crisis Construction of Taxing Statutes: Filling State Coffers - A Commonwealth Caribbean Perspective
  
  Ashby, L., & Bennett, J. (2014). Post-Financial Crisis Construction of Taxing Statutes: Filling State Coffers - A Commonwealth Caribbean Perspective. The Caribbean Law Review., 20, 13-37.

Other (Print)

• Re-thinking Student Engagement in Lectures: A Non-Traditional Approach
  
  Ashby, L. (in press). Re-thinking Student Engagement inLectures: A Non-TraditionalApproach. Pedagogically Speaking (Issue 4: Disciplinary Pedagogy).

Report

• Advancing Company Law in the Commonwealth Caribbean: Further Steps to Creating a Competitive Framework [103 pages]
  
  Ashby, L. (in press). Advancing Company Law in the Commonwealth Caribbean: Further Steps to Creating a Competitive Framework [103 pages].
• Bridging the Gap? A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region: 142 Recommendations with a view to Reform [414 pages]
  
  Ashby, L. (2016). Bridging the Gap? A Status Report on Company Law in the CARICOM Region: 142 Recommendations with a view to Reform [414 pages].