Mrs Sophia Amir (nee Ahmed)

• LLM (with Distinction) – University of Birmingham
• LLB (Hons) – University of Birmingham

Sophia is a final-year Doctoral Researcher at Birmingham Law School, where she has read law since 2015. She completed her LLB degree in the summer of 2018, and thereafter graduated with a Distinction-level LLM degree in 2019 before returning to Birmingham Law School in September 2020 to commence her doctoral research into the legal relationship between living and dying decisions, and individual liberties.

As part of her undergraduate and postgraduate studies, Sophia took part in pro bono legal work with the Birmingham Free Legal Advice Group and conducted several legal research projects within the Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research. She has conducted literature reviews and case studies into the positive obligations owed by the UK in realising economic, social and cultural rights. Additionally, she has explored the extent to which the UK’s legal system respects the right to not be subject to torture or inhumane treatment. Such projects have heightened her advocacy for avoiding the potential infringement of individual liberties through medical procedures.

PhD title

Assessing the compatibility between religious beliefs, human rights and medical opinion in ordering the withdrawal of medical treatment for children.

Supervisors

Professor Jean V. McHale and Professor Atina Krajewska

Sophia's research focuses upon the suitability of using objective legal principles to resolve medical disputes regarding the continuation of life-sustaining medical treatment for children. Her thesis considers the extent to which determining whether acting in a child’s best interests should be a purely clinical judgement, or a matter of autonomy, faith, and human dignity. The seminal cases of children such as Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans, and Tafida Raqeeb, demonstrate that improved communication is necessary between patients and medical professionals in such disputes. The breakdown of communication between conflicting parties has been sensationalised within the media. In turn this has caused great misconceptions into the seemingly authoritative role of the medical professionals involved in end-of-life decision-making processes. Furthermore, the lengthy legal battles that certain families have endured is an unintended consequence of the lack of adequate communication avenues outside of the legal realm. Therefore, she will re-examine dispute resolution systems, critically focusing upon the work of Clinical Ethics Committees across England in how far they may advise clinicians and patients on the ethical dimensions of treatment disputes.

• Student Tutor of Tort Law within the Holdsworth Society – 2017-19
• Won an academic scholarship for my LLM Degree with £2000 – 2018-19
• Member of the Birmingham Law School Pro Bono Group – 2016-17