Maria is Senior Lecturer in European Law at the University of Glasgow. She is co-founder and director of the Scottish Universities Legal Network on Europe which is committed to ensuring that academic expertise on EU matters can be developed and shared with all sections of society. Her academic work and approach are very much underpinned by her commitment to collaborative social justice. Within the School of Law and in her role as employability officer, and board member of the Glasgow University Settlement, she actively encourages student participation in designing and delivering collaborative community benefit projects. Outside of work, Maria is a committed community activist, with 15 years of experience of working as a board member in the voluntary and charities sector. She is a member of Changing the Chemistry, an organisation committed to enhancing board diversity.
Why First 100 Years is important:
When preparing for a public lecture for the launch of RebLaw Scotland in 2017, I came across Madge Easton Anderson, a graduate of Glasgow University and the first woman to qualify and practise as a solicitor in the UK. I knew immediately that her story could and should inspire a whole new generation of aspiring lawyers and I made it a personal mission to contribute to that. First 100 Years is a remarkable and incredibly important project for law students, of all genders, today. It is so important that we acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable breakthroughs of women in the law as we all continue to strive towards gender equality in the legal professions.
