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Email

asimmonds001@dundee.ac.uk

Phone

+44 (0)1382 385866

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Biography

Following the completion of a degree in Law from the University of Sheffield and post-graduate study at Nottingham Law School, Alex was called to the bar of England and Wales in 2008 at the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. Alex received two Attorney General's Commendations and was nominated for the 2008 Bar Pro Bono Award in respect of a project he began as a student whilst studying the Bar Vocational Course at Nottingham Law School.

He is responsible for teaching Employment Law, English Contract Law and English Tort Law. His interest in Employment Law comes from time spent working on behalf of Trade Union members and representing them at a range of hearings.

Alex's two main research interests are Space Law and Employment Law having been published in both of these fields. Regarding Space Law, some of Alex's work contributed to changes made to the 2021 Space Industry Regulations in respect of the informed consent provisions. In May 2023 he presented at the 2023 International Space Development Conference in Frisco, Texas on the topic of how the time delay associated with deep-space operations could potentially impact legal proceedings. He is currently working on a monograph on UK Space Legislation. Alex also submitted evidence to Parliament in respect of the potential Employment Law aspects of COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Alex also has a wide range of industry experience having worked in, amongst other areas, the Prison Service, Warehousing/Logistics and Distribution, the Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Services and also within aspects of Industrial Disease litigation. Prior to working at Dundee, Alex was the Course Director for the Sino-UK Joint Commercial Law program at Coventry University in collaboration with the South West University of Political Science and Law in Chongqing, China.

 

Publications

‘The Space Industry Act 2018: a giant leap?’ Simmonds, A., 15 Jan 2020, In: Coventry Law Journal. 24, 2, p. 95 -104

‘Clowning around? Expanding the right to being accompanied in workplace disciplinary proceedings in English law’
Simmonds, A., 1 Dec 2020, In: Coventry Law Journal. 25, 2, p. 33-4

‘The UK Perspective on Informed Consent in Commercial Space Travel’
Simmonds, A., 1 Sep 2020, In: Air & Space Law. 45, 4/5, p. 367-390

‘Dangerous Circumstances, Discipline and Dismissal: Some Employment Law Impacts of COVID-19’
Simmonds, A., 29 Dec 2021, Global Pandemic, Technology and Business: Comparative Explorations of COVID-19 and the Law. Li, L., Foster, S., Stanford, B. & Berdud, C. E. (eds.). Routledge

Mercer v Alternative Future Group Ltd: human rights - freedom of assembly - right to strike - action short of dismissal - statutory interpretation - Human Rights Act 1998
Simmonds, A. & Foster, S., 31 Jul 2021, In: Coventry Law Journal. 26, 1, p. 111 -116

The Space Industry Regulations 2021: another giant leap?
Simmonds, A, In: Coventry Law Journal 2021, 26(2), 69-89

'For all (Hu)mankind? The intersection of mental capacity, informed consent and contract law with U.K. space law', Simmonds, Alexander Ian, In: The International Journal of Discrimination and the Law, May 2023

'In space, the other side should have the right to be heard' Simmonds, Alex, In: Coventry Law Journal, Cov. L.J. 2023, 28(1), 23-37