Dr. Katy Macfarlane

Biography

Katy Macfarlane began her career as a secondary school teacher in Economics and Accounting before graduating with an LLB from the University of Edinburgh in 1992. Between 1999 and 2007, she was the head of the Scottish Child Law Centre. Katy is qualified as a solicitor and works as a Safeguarder in the Children’s Hearing System and a Child Welfare Reporter in family law actions at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court. She is also an experienced mediator. From 2002 to 2007, she was an invited lecturer for LLB courses and taught the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP) and Trainee Continuing Professional Development (TCPD) courses. In 2008, she was appointed as academic staff in Edinburgh Law School. Her research interests include Child Family Law and Mental Health Law. She has published notable works such as 'Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 Annotations' and 'Thomson’s Family Law Scotland' (8th ed). Additionally, Katy is a co-editor of the Family Law Bulletin and frequently speaks at conferences regarding family and child law matters. She is also a member of the Scottish Government’s Cross Party Groups on Children and Young People and Mental Health, and serves as a Trustee on the Board of the Scottish Child Law Centre.

Research Interests