Dr. Brónagh Heverin

Dr. Brónagh Heverin is currently the Head of Department of Law, Public Service and Education in Donegal ATU having been a Law Lecturer on the LLB and Law with Criminal Justice Programmes at Donegal ATU since 2002.

Brónagh originally graduated from the University of Ulster with a BA (Honours) in Sports Studies together with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in 1988, following which she worked for a short time as a physical education teacher. Before long, Brónagh’s career changed to focus on law and she returned to education to qualify as a solicitor (during which she was awarded the Findlater scholarship for best overall performance in the professional exams). Brónagh then worked in private practice as a solicitor for 20 years enjoying the wide range of legal work arising in a general legal practice in Donegal.

During this time Brónagh began lecturing in LYIT and completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education from the University of Ulster which reignited her interest in education and in particular legal education. A focus on practice and the use of experiential learning and reflection in academic learning together with the facilitation of public legal education has been a key feature of Bronagh’s academic practice. This led to completion of a Professional Doctorate in Legal Education through Nottingham Trent University focusing on the acquisition of transferable skills by undergraduate law students which in turn facilitated the development of Clinical Legal Education in ATU. Brónagh’s work in this area has resulted in the development of several modules unique to Irish undergraduate legal education such as Law in Action and Street Law.

Arising from her doctoral studies and research interests in the areas of legal education and public legal education, transferable skill acquisition, experiential learning and the use of reflection in academic learning, Brónagh, many together with her colleague Siobhan Cullen, has successfully procured funding for a broad range of projects including:

• Creation and development of a virtual courtroom experience for students.
• In partnership with Donegal Women’s Centre delivery of a Street Law project titled ‘Street Law for LGBTI+ Women: Public Legal Information to develop belief, capacity and community.’
• Development and redevelopment (in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Limerick, Dublin City University and Dundalk Institute of Technology) of the Digital Badge in “Reflective Practice in Teaching’’ as part of National Forum for Teaching and Learning Professional Development Programme.
• ‘THE REAL PROJECT (Reimagining Experiential Academic Learning) (Using Experience to Teach & Learn in Law: A Framework for Engagement, Assessment and Transferability)’
• Development of ‘Street Law – a module to enhance the transferable skills of law students through community legal education (undergraduate law students teaching second level students)’

All of these projects have facilitated the introduction of innovative pedagogical approaches to legal education.

Brónagh has hosted several seminars in the areas of experiential learning, reflective practice and professional development and regularly presents on these research areas at academic conferences including the Irish Association of Law Teachers and the European Network of Clinical Legal Education Annual conferences among others.