Dr Emily Ottley

Biography

Dr Emily Ottley is a Lecturer in Law at the University of Winchester. She holds a Bachelor of Laws in Law (First Class Honours) from the University of Surrey and a Master of Arts in Medical Law (Distinction) from King’s College London. Emily completed her PhD in Law at King’s College London in 2024, supervised by Professor Rosamund Scott and Dr Jonathan Gingerich.

Emily has a particular interest in the legal and ethical issues surrounding access to abortion. In particular, her research addresses how the law should regulate third-party interference with the implementation of a pregnant person’s decision to continue or terminate a pregnancy. Emily has published on this topic in leading Law journals. She has also presented her research at a wide range of conferences.

In December 2023, Emily was commissioned to undertake an international comparison of safe access zones legislation for the Scottish Health, Social Care and Sport Committee as part of its scrutiny of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill.

Emily is a Fellow of Advance HE and she has a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Distinction).

Emily has experience teaching Medical Law, Child Law, Tort Law, Equity and Trusts, and The English Legal System & Academic Legal Skills.

Areas of expertise

Medical Law

Publications

Emily Ottley, ‘Sally Sheldon, Gayle Davis, Jane O’Neill and Clare Parker, The Abortion Act 1967: A Biography of a UK Law’ (2024) 32(2) Medical Law Review, 286.

Emily Ottley, Karolina Szopa, and Jamie Fletcher, ‘Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022): consequences one year on’ (2023) 31(3) Medical Law Review, 457.

Emily Ottley, ‘Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland – Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill [2022]: The proportionality of safe access zone legislation’ (2023) 23(1) Medical Law International, 88.

Emily Ottley, ‘Fixed Buffer Zone Legislation: A Proportionate Response to Demonstrations Outside Abortion Clinics in England and Wales?’ (2022) 30(3) Medical Law Review, 509.