Dr Audrey Cook

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2024)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2020)
• Solicitor, Solicitors Regulation Authority (2013)
• LLB (Hons.), The College of Law (2011)
• PhD Organisational Behaviour, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick (2009)
• MA Industrial Relations and Personnel Management & Chartered Institute of Professional Development Diploma, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick (2005)
• BA (Hons.) War Studies, King’s College London (2002)

Following an undergraduate degree in War Studies from King’s College London, Audrey read for an MA in Industrial Relations and PhD in Organisational Behaviour from Warwick Business School. Her research concerned identity formation in the London investment banking sector.

During her PhD she obtained a training contract from Pinsent Masons LLP, and went on to study the GDL and LPC (LLB Hons) at the University of Law. She went on to practise as a solicitor for several years, and her extensive litigation experience includes the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

In 2019, she moved to the University of Law as Civil Lead of the Bar Practice Course, with a focus on teaching civil litigation, dispute resolution and advocacy. Audrey was nominated for the University of Law Tutor of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022.

In 2022, Audrey moved to the University of Birmingham as an Associate Professor. In addition to teaching, in her CEPLER role she supports students undertaking extra-curricular advocacy activities and those interested in pursuing a career as a barrister. In 2025 she was nominated for the University of Birmingham Education Excellence Awards (Outstanding Student Experience) for her work in developing the CEPLER Advocacy programme.

Audrey teaches and is a module leader on the LLB Legal Communications & Writing and Legal Solutions modules, and also teaches on the LLB Tort module. She also taught civic advocacy skills on the MSc Human & Environmental Toxicology with Law programme.

Audrey’s scholarship focusses on the role of advocacy skills training in enhancing the employability of students. She is especially interested in the interdisciplinary and transferable value of rhetorical skills and how they may be used by students pursuing both legal and non-legal careers.

• Association of Law Teachers Conference paper April 2025: Found in translation – an interdisciplinary advocacy workshop on cross-examination
• Association of Law Teachers Conference April paper 2026: Advocacy beyond the courtroom: introducing civic advocacy to law students
• Re-imagining Advocacy Day hosted by CEPLER May 2026

Her conference paper delivered at the Association of Law Teachers Conference April 2025 was selected to be part of a symposium edition of the Edinburgh Law Review, published in January 2026: Found in translation – an interdisciplinary advocacy workshop on cross-examination.

External Examiner at Leeds

Birmingham Law Society Dispute Resolution Committee member